Jewelry Information

Introduction

Diamonds

Colored Gemstones

Precious Metals

Fine Watches

Cleaning Jewelry

Comparison Shopping

Scams

  Huge Discounts

  Investment Gems

Jewelry Appraisal

Jewelry Insurance

 

 

JCRS does not sell jewelry or recommend jewelry retailers. The aim of this site is to provide information you can use to get the best quality jewelry for the money you spend.

 

 

 

 

Jewelry Information

Jewelry delights the eye and, often, the emotions. It’s easy to fall in love with gems and be caught up in the occasion for the purchase. It’s much harder to have the expertise for making a sound purchasing decision.

You’ve come to the right place for that expertise. Regardless of how much you spend, knowing how jewelry is valued enables you to get the best quality for your money.

This site

We recommend comparison shopping for jewelry!
    

Some of the jewelry buyer information topics we cover and questions we answer:

Diamonds

Is size (carat weight) the most important thing about a diamond? What are the “4Cs” of diamonds? What is a Diamond Certificate? Is a “certified diamond” the best kind to get?  learn about diamonds

Colored Stones

What should I look for when shopping for colored gems, such as emeralds, sapphires and rubies? What questions should I ask the jeweler?  learn about colored stones

Gem Treatments

What are the most common gem treatments, or enhancements, and why are they done? Do treatments make a gem more valuable or less?  learn about diamond treatments

Synthetic and Simulant Gems

Aren’t these both just imitation gems? What is moissanite? What is cubic zirconium? Can any jeweler spot a gem simulant?  learn about synthetics and simulants

Precious Metals

Isn’t pure gold jewelry the best? What do “14 karat” and “18 karat” mean? How do I know what the karatage of the jewelry is? Isn’t gold always a good investment? What does “sterling silver” mean? How important is trademark? learn about precious metals

Watches

Isn’t it easy to shop for a watch? What about warrantees? How can I tell a real watch from a fake or knock-off? Do watches have much of a resale or trade-in value?  learn about watches

Comparison Shopping

How do I know I’m getting a good price? Is comparison shopping for jewelry possible? Isn’t every piece of jewelry unique? What questions should I ask the seller? How do I know the jeweler is telling the truth about the quality of the jewelry?  learn how to shop for jewelry

Appraisal

Why do I need an appraisal? Can anyone who sells jewelry also appraise it? What should be on an appraisal? What does “disclosure” mean?  learn about jewelry appraisal

Insuring Jewelry

What will the insurer want to know? Do I always need an appraisal to get jewelry insurance? What is a Certified Insurance Appraiser?  learn about jewelry insurance

Jeweler

What is a “jeweler”? What credentils does a jeweler have? Is every jeweler an appraiser? Is every jeweler a gemologist?  learn about jewler/appraiser credentials