Jewelry Myth

[spaceystacie2006]

The ship does have "Shopping Experts" onboard go to the Shopping talk for lots of great information! Do your homework beofre hand. Loose stones are considered just plain rocks by customs and therefore you don't have to declare/pay tax for any overage on those! Take a Jewlers Loop with you or ask to use theirs.

[spaceystacie2006]

I forgot to add. I went to the shopping talk and entered into a raffle at 1 of the stores and won a 5 Carat Saphire Stone!!

[trock]

I think the only jewllery that I will buy in the Caribbean that can't be bought anywhere else is Black Coral. I have several pieces from Bernard Passman and one from Richard's Black Coral in Grand Cayman (which is now closed, and the amazing "Boss" carved lobster is somewhere safe). I have two bracelets and when people see it they think it is cheap or inexpensive costume jewellery, but when I say it is black coral and how much I paid they suddenly realize diamond aren't the only expensive jewel out there!!!

 

 

I guess your friends felt it no longer looked cheap when they learned the price tag... I have some of the same friends..:rolleyes:

[firefly333]

A big part of shopping on the Islands is NO TAX!..

 

You can buy online for no tax too often.

[AFsouth]

A big part of shopping on the Islands is NO TAX!

 

Now I don't know the tax rates where you live, but mine is 12% ....

 

Now, depending on how much you spend, and the personal exemptions you might have top pay some tax when going back into your home country, BUT most Islands don't have sales tax... (I supposed some do, but duty free is just that)...

 

Well it would still have to be a great deal for me as I mostly shop tax free in the Military stores anyway.:D

[AFsouth]

I forgot to add. I went to the shopping talk and entered into a raffle at 1 of the stores and won a 5 Carat Saphire Stone!!

 

Did you get it appraised?

[odotyankee]

In my humble opinion I think that the idea of great jewelry deals is a myth. What you are saving is the inflated excise tax. If you are interested in buying a piece of jewelry you really need to get the shop to break out the price (ie. actual cost of piece of jewelry, the tax component, etc.). Once you know the actual price of a piece you need to gauge how it is priced compared to what you can find back home. The cruise line shopper will try to tell you that you can get huge discounts at Diamond International and other stores. It is the tax component that appears to inflate the "sale discount." If you find out 1) the actual cost of the piece and 2) what the store is willing to sell you it for, only then can you actual determine what the true discount is. I have found that what the Cruise Ship sales expert will tell you should be anywhere from 60 to 70% discount is most likely in the range of around 35%. I believe that you can get better deals back home.

 

If I buy a piece of jewelry it is because I really like it or it is really unique. Deep discounts is not in the equation.

 

p.s. I have found Colombian Emeralds stores to be more reputable than Diamond International. I made one perchase at DI but have shopped at CE several times and that is the shop I am most likely to visit on a cruise.

[jayscore]

Buy the stones, not in any settings. If you have a competent jeweler, have him/her set them up when you get home. Funny, if your buy "set" jewelry, customs has a limit. But, if you buy just the cut, raw stones, you can bring back a sack of them, no questions asked! Go figure!:rolleyes: