Page 24 - aruba-today-20170130

Monday 30 January 2017 BUSINESS
A24

On the Money:

5 tips for buying jewelry for Valentine’s Day

ANNE D’INNOCENZIO wide range of jewelry sell- ly graded diamonds.
AP Retail Writer ers from Target to Tiffany.
NEW YORK (AP) — Shop- At Wal-Mart’s Sam’s Club, TAKE PRECAUTIONS AGAINT
ping for jewelry for a loved which says its jewelry is FRAUD
one ahead of Valentine’s priced at a 25 to 40 percent First, be cautious about a
Day can be stressful. But discount over other jewelry store always offering dis-
learning some tricks should retailers, Valentine’s deals counts of more than 50
help anyone have an eas- run from Jan. 25 to the holi- percent. Consumers may
ier time finding the perfect day. Macy’s jewelry sale, find the discount price is
gift. That means under- which includes 60 percent actually the average re-
standing a partner’s tastes, off 14-carat and 18-carat tail price elsewhere, says
shopping at reputable gold jewelry, starts Jan. 29 the Jewelers of America.
jewelry stores and learning and ends Feb. 9. Buy from a trusted retailer.
what the wording means “You really do need to Ask friends for recommen-
in terms of how gemstones shop early if you are bud- dations, or go to websites
are graded. get-minded,” said Benja- like the American Gem
And there’s plenty of op- min Glaser, features editor Society, which lets you
portunity to haggle for the at DealNews.com, an on- search for reputable jew-
best price. line deal comparison site. elry stores by ZIP code. As
“It is a big time to buy jew- Here are some tips: for diamonds, consumers
elry,” says Amanda Gizzi, a should insist a stone be ac-
spokeswoman at the Jew- KNOW YOUR LOVED ONE’S companied by an inde-
elers of America, a trade This photo provided by Blue Nile shows two Blue Nile diamond TASTE pendent grading report
association with more heart pendants, one in 14-carat white gold, one in 14-carat rose Look at what your partner is from a respected lab like
than 8,000 retail members. gold, and a Blue Nile love necklace in 14-carat rose gold. Shop- wearing and what’s in the the Gemological Institute
“There are some wonder- ping for jewelry for a loved one ahead of Valentine’s Day can jewelry box. If your special of America, says Josh Hol-
be stressful. But learning some tricks should help anyone have
ful sales to be had. Look an easier time finding the perfect gift. That means understand- someone likes small ear- land, Blue Nile’s director of
for the best pieces for your ing a partner’s tastes and shopping at reputable jewelry stores. rings, don’t get big hoops. brand experience.
budget, but don’t be daz- (Blue Nile via AP) And if that person is active, Also, check out the return
zled by the discounts.” don’t buy rings with high policy and find out wheth-
Above all, start research- to take advantage of post- of jewelry is $350, exclud- settings, says Gizzi. Among er you’d get your money
ing with time to spare, holiday sales or limited-time ing engagement rings and the trends this year: updat- back or would have to ex-
figure out how much you Valentine’s Day deals. The wedding bands, the trade ed classics like hoop ear- change an item for credit.
want to spend, and shop median price for a piece group says. But there’s a rings with diamond chips, And haggle — it’s a com-
or layering rings or brace- mon practice in the jewel-
lets. If you plan to buy dia- ry business, Glaser says.
monds, see if there’s a way
— subtly! — to find out if CONSIDER SYNTHETIC DIA-
your partner would rather MONDS
sacrifice size over quality or If you want something
vice versa. sparkly but want to avoid
gems from conflict zones,
DO RESEARCH AND LEARN synthetic or man-made
THE LINGO diamonds are about 20
Check out sites like Jewel- percent to 40 percent less
ers of America and online expensive, according to
retail sites like Blue Nile DealNews. Produced in a
for help understanding laboratory, they are chem-
key terms like what clarity ically the same as mined
means when you are talk- diamonds, as opposed to
ing about diamonds, or simulated diamonds, which
want to know more about are usually cubic zirconia
how gemstones are grad- or moissanite. Pure Grown
ed. Bluenile.com, which Diamonds, the world’s larg-
has also begun opening in- est distributor of them, has
person showrooms, offers a directory on its website of
tools to compare prices stores by zip code that of-
from 150,000 independent- fer lab-grown diamonds.q