Warning regarding unscrupulous vendors

[emmac25]

Just back from Jewel of the seas, one port of call St Kitt's.

 

I want to warn other cruisers about a store there, selling sometimes fake jewelry....

 

I got lucky, my diamonds are real, sadly however it is not set in 14k white gold as they claimed, but sterling silver.

 

I met 2 other people and heard stories of several others who had been sold fake jewelry :( One lady had purchased diamond hoop earrings containing 20 diamonds total, only 5 of the 20 were real....

 

There is nothing I can do now about the silver versus white gold, and I am just thanking my lucky stars that the diamonds are real. We still got a pretty decent price given the metal.

 

I also learned that Royal Caribbean will stand behind purchases made in the stores they list in the port shopping guide (I learned this too late) and the store we purchased from (Richie's) were kicked off the Royal program a little while ago because of the amount of fake jewelry being sold.

 

I'm not saying don't buy from there, we actually had great service, I just want people to be forewarned and make sure they test the stones in front of you, especially after the sale is "completed" as we heard about some switcheroos taking place, please don't let this happen to you!

[Karysa]

Just back from Jewel of the seas, one port of call St Kitt's.

 

I want to warn other cruisers about a store there, selling sometimes fake jewelry....

 

I got lucky, my diamonds are real, sadly however it is not set in 14k white gold as they claimed, but sterling silver.

 

I met 2 other people and heard stories of several others who had been sold fake jewelry :( One lady had purchased diamond hoop earrings containing 20 diamonds total, only 5 of the 20 were real....

 

There is nothing I can do now about the silver versus white gold, and I am just thanking my lucky stars that the diamonds are real. We still got a pretty decent price given the metal.

 

I also learned that Royal Caribbean will stand behind purchases made in the stores they list in the port shopping guide (I learned this too late) and the store we purchased from (Richie's) were kicked off the Royal program a little while ago because of the amount of fake jewelry being sold.

 

I'm not saying don't buy from there, we actually had great service, I just want people to be forewarned and make sure they test the stones in front of you, especially after the sale is "completed" as we heard about some switcheroos taking place, please don't let this happen to you!

 

Sorry you got taken. Your last paragraph made me laugh though.:)

[medicalma'am]

My motto is NEVER buy jewelry abroad! They don't have the consumer protection that we have in the US. I was sold a piece of purple glass in an 'amythest' and opal ring 27 years ago in Cozumel and I learned my lesson. I eventually had it changed out for a real one. It fell out because they even had the wrong size stone in the setting, which was real gold thank goodness.

[bpolan]

Sorry you got taken. Your last paragraph made me laugh though.:)

 

can you name the store involved? we're going in 6 months and i'd like to know what to avoid!

[celebrity]

can you name the store involved? we're going in 6 months and i'd like to know what to avoid!

 

The OP mentioned "Richie's"

[NCTribeFan]

can you name the store involved? we're going in 6 months and i'd like to know what to avoid!

 

I'd recommend avoiding all of them! :p

 

I just don't understand why people will buy something expensive in a totally unfamiliar place, to which they can't just get in the car and drive over to complain about defective merchandise.

 

Guess everyone thinks they're getting some sort of bargain. :rolleyes:

 

I would never buy something in a foreign store unless I knew exactly what I was doing. And if I knew that much, I could probably find as good or better at home, even with paying taxes.

[24butterfly]

I'd recommend avoiding all of them! :p

 

I just don't understand why people will buy something expensive in a totally unfamiliar place, to which they can't just get in the car and drive over to complain about defective merchandise.

 

Guess everyone thinks they're getting some sort of bargain. :rolleyes:

 

I would never buy something in a foreign store unless I knew exactly what I was doing. And if I knew that much, I could probably find as good or better at home, even with paying taxes.

 

I second that completely!