Places to buy jewellery in Western Caribbean?

[MikeNKim]

We are quickly approaching our western Caribbean cruise.....can't wait....anyways back to topic.

 

We are going to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Belize and Costa Maya, are any of these known for good jewellery prices? I found the ring of my dreams in St Marten last year but I didn't buy it and regretted it the moment we got back on the ship. SO I was hoping to find something this time.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thank you

 

Kim

[CVL105]

We did jewelry shopping on Costa Maya. You REALLLLLY need to work them down. My boyfriend was going to buy me a bracelet that matched a ring my mom bought me and they started at a price of $1400. They were ready to sell it to us for $200 after following us around to all the other different stores we were in. We didn't end up buying it though. I did get two rings there though, BEAUTIFUL designs! Unfortunately, they guaranteed it was silver, but the silver "coating" ended up chipping off and there was bronze or something underneath. Boy was my mom ticked off when I called her and told her. The setting was so beautiful though that we got it reset for me in white gold. All of the opal and the stone in the ring is fake/manmade/plastic. So if you're looking for top quality, then you may not get it here.

 

They had alot of stores in Grand Caymen as well. We didn't shop around there, but you can see them all right at the pier. There's probably more reputable places at that port.

 

Good luck and enjoy your new jewelry once you get it!:D

[cherylandtk]

Caribbean jewelery is best considered as a memento or souvenir of your trip. Not an investment grade or once-in-a-lifetime purchase. Quality and value varies widely, as does fair pricing, even within the same store. If you are looking for a good price on a quality stone, schedule a trip to the New York diamond district or go to Tucson in February.

[howard6933]

There are a number of good,reputable jewelry stores in Grand Cayman. Kirk Freeport Plaza has many shops right near the port. Cozumel also has many, many shops and I believe that Diamonds International has 4 or 5 stores located along the main street. One thing to keep in mind is that the Cayman Dollar is worth a little more than the US dollar. Also, I have learned over the years from going to Cozumel quite often, be sure to bargain in any of the stores you go to, and also they will give you a bigger discount if you pay in cash (US $) than if you use a credit card. ;)

[MikeNKim]

Thank you for the info.

 

I am only looking for a ring that I love, no I am not looking for a investment just a beautiful ring. My dream ring is nothing amazing I just love saffiires and diamonds so when I found the right combo in St Martens I should have bought it, my own fault. Hope I can find something similar,

 

Thank you all again for your input.

 

Kim

[divetrash]

Caribbean jewelery is best considered as a memento or souvenir of your trip. Not an investment grade or once-in-a-lifetime purchase. Quality and value varies widely, as does fair pricing, even within the same store. If you are looking for a good price on a quality stone, schedule a trip to the New York diamond district or go to Tucson in February.

 

I 100% agree with this. If you going to buy a diamond ring that would cost you $1500 from reputable dealer in New York or anywhere for that matter, you are not going to get the same thing quality wise for $500 buying it in the Caribbean, regardless of what they tell you. Remember that they are not going to sell the piece at a loss or even at cost. If they are willing to part with a piece that they have priced at $1400 for $200, that would make me think twice about the quality and value of what I was getting.

 

(Other precious stones I'm not as sure about, but I can tell you that diamond pricing isn't as variable as you might think.)

 

If you see a piece that you love and absolutely have to have, then get the best price you can and be satisfied that you have a piece of jewelry you love.

 

When I was in Costa Maya this summer, in Majahual, I found a lovely silver and opal bracelet that I absolutely loved. I got the gentleman down to $40. I figured that even if it wasn't really silver or really opal, it was pretty enough that $40 is a price I would pay for it.

 

What I found interesting later on, was when we were looking in one of the jewelry stores by the pier, I got a fairly aggressive salesman following me around as I looked. I was looking a tanzanite and black opal rings. I didn't have any money or credit cards on me so I wasn't going to be buying and told him so. He saw my bracelet and asked if I had gotten that in Cozumel. I told him no, I had bought it in the village. He asked how much I had paid, I told him 40. He looked surprised, said something to his co worker and then said, they would sell that bracelet for $140 in the store. I don't know if that made me feel better about the deal I got or worse about dealing with him.

 

He continued to follow me and promised me that he would give me the best deal on diamonds. I brushed him off and told him that I work in the diamond industry and he couldn't possibly get me a better deal on diamonds than I can get myself. He absolutely insisted he could until I said, "Look, my friends are the people who sell to Diamonds International." And he said, "You're right. You get the better deal." and left me alone after that.

 

I'm not trying to warn anyone off of jewelry shopping in the Caribbean. You can get some good deals. But just beware that "all that glitters" isn't always gold.

 

Laura

[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

This thread is so old I doubt that anyone is still monitoring it, but just in case...I would LOVE to tell anyone who is interested what happened to me when I purchased a ring at DIAMONDS INTERNATIONAL and why I would avoid them at all cost.

[OCruisers]

This thread is so old I doubt that anyone is still monitoring it, but just in case...I would LOVE to tell anyone who is interested what happened to me when I purchased a ring at DIAMONDS INTERNATIONAL and why I would avoid them at all cost.

 

While it is a very OLD thread, please do tell us about your experience with Diamonds International.

Maybe others who have had a more recent experience will also post.

[RASHOPPER2]

They have nice silver jewelry in Los Cinco Solos in Cozumel. The painted pottery is also gorgeous.

 

 

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[PICKLEBALL WIDOW]

They have nice silver jewelry in Los Cinco Solos in Cozumel. The painted pottery is also gorgeous.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

All I want to do is try to warn people about all of the Hoo-Haa that you get on cruises about how wonderful and trustworthy Diamonds International is because it is not true.