Buying Gemstones Online and on Television

JEWELLERY · GLOBAL

Buying Gemstones Online and on Television

Valuations and reference prices, certification, treatments and returns

Coloured gemstones are sold with a great deal of pricing language, and a few checks separate a good buy from an expensive one.

Reference prices

A large discount is calculated against a stated figure that may be an appraisal or a recommended price rather than what anything sells for. Regulations require price claims to be genuine, and enforcement is imperfect.

Search the stone type, carat weight and quality independently before deciding anything is a bargain.

Certification

For anything expensive, ask for a report from a recognised independent laboratory rather than an in-house appraisal. It should state the species, the carat weight, the origin where determined, and any treatment.

An insurance valuation is a replacement estimate rather than a market price, which is why the two differ so much.

Treatments are normal and should be disclosed

Heat for sapphire and ruby, oil or resin for emerald, irradiation for topaz, diffusion for some stones. Treatment is standard practice and affects both value and care, and it must be disclosed.

Fracture-filled and dyed stones need specific handling and some treatments are not permanent.

Photographs and video

Colour reads very differently under studio lighting. Ask for video in neutral daylight, and check the returns policy before ordering.

Hardness for daily wear

Sapphire and ruby suit everyday rings. Emerald chips, and opal, pearl and turquoise are soft and better in earrings or pendants.

Care by stone

Warm soapy water and a soft brush suits hard stones such as sapphire and ruby. Never use ultrasonic cleaners, steam or chemical dips on emerald, opal, pearl or anything fracture-filled.

Take rings off for cleaning, gardening, swimming and the gym.

Settings

Have claws checked every year or two, since a lost stone costs far more than the check. Bezel settings protect soft or brittle stones better than high claws.

Buying as a gift

Earrings and pendants avoid the sizing problem that makes rings risky, and a simple design suits almost anyone. Keep the receipt and check the return window, since colour is personal.

Allow time for resizing or restringing, which a jeweller does in days rather than hours.

Insurance

Home contents policies cap jewellery low, so list anything significant separately and have it revalued every few years.

Understanding the terms

Natural means formed in the earth. Lab-grown is chemically identical, cheaper and worth less on resale. Simulant means it looks similar and is a different material entirely, such as cubic zirconia.

All three are legitimate and must be described accurately, so ask which one you are buying.

Resale

Most jewellery sells for well below its purchase price. Buy because you want to wear it rather than as an investment.

Keep the paperwork and insure anything significant separately.

WHERE TO BUY

Ready to shop Juwelo? Use the link below to visit the official store.

→ Shop Juwelo — official site

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