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Has anyone bought a diamond ring on a cruise?

AidenandCasensMommy
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LHP

LHP

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You really have to be an informed consumer.

 

I have bought everything from Rolex and Breitling watches to diamond/sapphire earrings and rings while cruising over the years, but not on the ship.

 

You must know your prices....and do not let "I love it" override your "price points".

 

You must also know the 4 C's of diamonds etc.

 

I have bought some expensive pieces over the years but it was after YEARS of research and searching.....

Edited by LHP
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howard6933

howard6933

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My DH said he may upgrade my bridal set soon. On our last cruise, I saw several sets that I liked. Has anyone bought onboard? I would also like to know if there were any problems. Thanks!

 

I have been on a great number of cruises and have NEVER purchased any diamonds on board the ship. However, if your itinerary includes St. Thomas or St Maarten, you can find some very good jewelry stores in those places. I have shopped on those islands often and have always gotten good deals on very beautiful diamond items for my wife and myself. :)

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oregonjuli

oregonjuli

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We bought my anniversary ring 2 years ago in St. Thomas. Know how much the type of ring you want goes for in the states beforehand, and you will know if you are getting a good deal. Do your research. We got a great deal on it at Milanos for about half what it cost in the states.

 

Last week we bought diamond earrings (not studs) in St. Kitts. The cruise season is winding down there since most (not Carnival) ships pull out of the Southern Caribbean in the summer to go to Alaska. I would say out discount was 75% less than similar earrings in the states.

 

Main thing is know how much a similar item costs in the states. and dont be afraid to walk out. They give you one price when you look, and then when you start to walk out they throw another price out. Leave, if you really want it, and go back, give them what you will pay and they will take it or not. They did us. The original price they offered (which was 1/2 off the sticker) was still twice as much as we paid.

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Boozebabe

Boozebabe

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I bought a Tanzanite and diamond ring in St Thomas. I bargained them down from $3000. to $1100. I wonder if anyone ever pays the original price? I took it to my local jeweler who appraised it at $4000. due to the size and deep color of the Tanzanite. I get my best price on my favorite brand of watches (Skagen) on Overstock. Of course I love to look at all the beautiful jewelry under those halogen lights which makes it all look 100% better but never buy on the ship.

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bitemyfly

bitemyfly

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My daughter is a gemologist and buyer for a well known three letter tv retailer. Most gens she has seen on cruise ships and ports are really not a value

Plan a trip to NYC , go to the diamond district but a stone and have it set ... Always get a 100 % buy back guaranty

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3ricT

3ricT

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Got tanzanite ring at ST Maarten - marked 1100 - got them down to 600, left , came back later and got it for 450. Used Kays and are very happy with the purchase. I do not think I would do a diamond engagement ring from there. But, now, the wife has more than a ring, it's a souvenir!

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1313steve

1313steve

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It's not secret that jewelry and gemstones in particular have HUGE markups, both on land and at sea or in a port. If you see something you like on a cruise, take a picture of it and get the pertinent info (cost, gold content, 4C's etc.).

 

Take that info back to your jeweler at home and you'll probably find they can create the same or very similiar piece for similiar money! I've done this on two occassions with great results, and knowing that I have a local jeweler to go back to with any issues.

 

I've done this twice. Once on a piece that was about $2,000 and once on a piece around $7,500.

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SMASHROX

SMASHROX

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DH bought me a channel set diamond band about 7 years ago on a Carnival cruise for about $750 which came with a one year guarantee. One of the diamonds fell out a couple months later so I sent it back, they replaced it and fixed it no charge. Right before the one year guarantee period was up, another diamond fell out. For fear that I would lose more diamonds (and more money to replace them), I sent it back for our money back. A refund was processed no questions asked. I haven't bought fine jewelry on a cruise since then.

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BeachChik

BeachChik

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I bought a Tanzanite and diamond ring in St Thomas. I bargained them down from $3000. to $1100. I wonder if anyone ever pays the original price? I took it to my local jeweler who appraised it at $4000. due to the size and deep color of the Tanzanite. I get my best price on my favorite brand of watches (Skagen) on Overstock. Of course I love to look at all the beautiful jewelry under those halogen lights which makes it all look 100% better but never buy on the ship.

 

I personally would never buy any expensive jewelry from anyone but a reputable jeweler that I am familiar with and can go to if there are any issues.

 

People like the post above always claim their jewelry appraised for 2-3 times what they paid. These appraisals are not really worth anything. These are done for insurance purposes and not what it would get for it if you tried to sell it. They are always over inflated and make people believe they got a super deal. But it simply isn't true.

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heatherbelle

heatherbelle

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I bought as sapphire and diamond ring from Enmerald City in Antigua back in the 90's.

 

It cost £500 at the time. When I returned to the UK I had it evaluated for insurance purposes and they gave it a value if £1200. So I was very happy. I still wear it everyday. I just wished I had spent a bit more on a bigger ring:D

 

I also received a letter from the shop a few weeks after I got home thanking me for my purchase.

 

One day I will return.

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paulgraff

paulgraff

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My wife worked in jewelry sales for many years and know jewelry.

 

Jewelry on cruise ships and islands are not fine quality and often not what they say they are.

 

Nothing cheap is of quality and nothing of quality is cheap.

 

PG

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CruzCrazy

CruzCrazy

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We looked at a 3-stone diamond anniversary band on a Carnival cruise a few years ago. My wedding set is yellow gold, and DH had bought me a 3-stone platinum anniversary band at home a couple of years before this. I wore all 3 rings together on my left hand (I really like the stacked look). I like platinum, but there was something about wearing those 3 rings together that didn't look right to me. I had been wanting another ring in yellow gold to sort of "frame" the look, and I found one that I really liked on the Miracle. It wasn't inexpensive, but I liked the way it looked with my other rings. The size was perfect.

 

We considered it carefully and then were assured that the ring came with a guarantee. DH went ahead and bought it, and I've been wearing it ever since with no problems whatsoever. We did have it looked by our jeweler when we got home (they didn't mind--we spend a good chunk of change there), and they assured us it was a good piece, in the "near colorless" category, about an "H" on the diamond color scale, they thought (which was consistent with the papers we got with the ring when we bought it). They didn't do a formal appraisal, but they asked what we paid for it and indicated that they thought we paid a fair price. The only real "savings" we got was the duty-free aspect. Like I said, I really liked the style of the ring, so it wasn't about getting some super deal--I just hadn't seen one at home that I liked as well at the time. Our jeweler inspects the prongs every year when I take all my rings in for cleaning and inspection, and so far so good. We made the purchase about 5 years ago.

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