My husband and I bought some lovely deep blue tanzanite earrings a couple of years ago in St. Maarten and a ring this past year in St. Thomas. We thought they were beautiful and the days we spent looking for them were such sweet memories.
I hesitated to get them appraised because I didn't want to spoil anything, but I'd hate to be buying jewelry in the future if I was wasting my money. I hoped they were worth at least what we paid for them. I took them in today and they appraised at well over twice what we paid. I just thought I'd pass the word on. I am one happy little shopper.
Personally, I believe jewelry is all about what you like and what makes you feel good. Who cares about the appraisal price - as long as you like it and it is appealing to you!
Shelley
I agree with you Shelley. I'm not one who spends a lot of money on jewelry, but we did spend a chunk of change on these two items. Nothing outrageous, but a lot for me, a low maintenance wife.
My husband spent so much time going with me from shop to shop, making comparisons, trying to learn as we went, knowing we had to make a decision before the ship left the port. He is a wonderful man, one in a million, and I know how fortunate I am to be married to him. Had we purchased beautiful glass, I wouldn't have cried over it. I'd still have the sweet memories.
I think what prompted me to get it appraised was that we are going on a cruise with friends early next year. They've never cruised before and I think they're probably going to do a little shopping. I would feel sick if I told them my beautiful Tanzanite was so much cheaper in the Caribbean than it is here and then it didn't pan out.
So...I was thrilled silly that the Tanzanite appraised so well. I wanted others to know that the Caribbean Tanzanite appears to be what the jewelers say it is.
Congrats on your tanzanite purchase & appraisal.
I too love tanzanite & have gotten myself a collection of it from the Caribbean.
Always good to get a good appraisal when you return home.
I caved and bought a really pretty ring on my latest cruise. I love it and it wasn't so expensive that I think we've lost on it. I always know my prices before I leave anyway.
In Canada, I'm also accustomed to paying 15% tax on everything we buy, so just saving the tax, I figure I'm ahead of the game, if nothing else.
Having the jewelry is such a nice memento of the trip regardless, and also something I regularly 'use' as opposed to many other types of souvenirs.
__________________
RCI Sovereign of the Seas 2005
Caribbean Princess 2005
Carnival Paradise 2004
I love Tanzanites too, bought a wonderful ring in 2001.
This year we were looking for some matching earrings (trilliant cut) but prices has been gone up so much.
I also showed my ring to a german jeweller and he told me that buying the same here, I have to pay more than dubbel as much.
And its difficult to get this quality here (deep blue purple, Block D quality) because many companies in the US or the Caribbean blocked it.
So if buying a Tanzanite in the upper segment, buy it in the Caribbean, but not on the Bahamas. Have been there last week and its a terrible place for buying jewels. Not specialized personal, not wanting to got down with the price one $, unfriendly and you felt, that you came in to disturb them while talking to other personal members.
St. Thomas, St. Maarten has wonderful familiy owned stores, where you really can get a bargain.
I donīt like the recommended stores like Tanzanite International and Diamonds International. But we had this thread earlier this year.
Best regards
Marita (2 days back from the Splendour)
BTW, St. Thomas prices in Tanzanites in a good quality and with more carats were so high, that we decided, not to buy the earrings I wanted.
We bought diamond hoops, matching to my Tanzanite ring.
I bought my ring at Amalfi Jewelers, 25 Main Street, St. Thomas. It was in the downtown of St. Thomas, not the shops near the pier.
I don't think anyone pays the sticker price. Argue nicely and they'll come down a substantial amount. We left and came back several times, looked in many other shops, but I had already fallen in love with this particular ring.
The jeweler said to get the ring appraised and I would see what a bargain he was giving me. He said he knew I would come to him the next time I was in St. Thomas. The ring I bought has very deep, rich colored tanzanite, much darker than I see in my part of the country.
There were other shops nearby that also had lovely jewelry. One whose name I can't remember had spectacular tanzanite but it was out of my self-imposed price range.
Linear Mode
