Not all jewellery stores are the same. In fact, there is a HUGE variation in price and quality from different suppliers and stores. When it comes to buying jewellery, it really does pay to shop around, as one of our Kelowna customers recently discovered.
One of our customers, let’s call her Barbara, found a great deal at a well-known jewellery chain. The ring was discounted more than 60%, so Barbara paid just $650 for the yellow gold, onyx and diamond piece. “What a bargain!” she thought. Unfortunately, the onyx fell out of the ring just a few days later and Barbara brought it to us to see if John could repair it.
Meanwhile, at European Goldsmith, we had a beautiful white gold and sapphire ring in our display case. Our ring is also on sale, but at just 30% off it doesn’t seem like it would be the better deal… It is. In reality, our ring comes to $615 after the discount, making it $35 less than the other guy’s. But the differences don’t stop there.
The diamonds in the ring that Barbara bought are smaller, illusion set to make them appear larger at a glance. The diamonds in our ring are much bigger and are also better quality (think higher grade in the 4C’s). Rather than onyx, our ring features several sapphires with beautiful colour and clarity. Meanwhile, that onyx fell out!
If that weren’t enough, we can see the difference in manufacturing when we flip the rings over; The onyx ring has a hollow back, reducing the amount of gold in the piece while our sapphire ring has a beautiful gallery back. We weighed the two rings too. The ‘big sale’ ring is 2.9 grams and our sapphire ring is 7.1 grams.
At the end of the day, you should never feel pressured to buy your jewellery right away. Take your time and shop around. Ask questions. And don’t believe the hype that comes with some store’s big sales or from stores that are closing out. A big percentage off doesn’t really mean anything if the prices aren’t honest in the first place.
It breaks our hearts when people are taken advantage of, which is why we work so hard to educate our customers and walk with integrity at all times. If you have questions about your jewellery or if you’re looking to make a purchase, visit our commission-free team and we will be happy to answer your questions so that you can make an informed buying decision.
