Edmonton Jewellery Shopping and Repair Guide
Avoid Stores that Discount Heavily
You’ve probably heard the old rule “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” – this is definitely true in the jewellry industry. If someone has a sign up advertising that they are discounting their products at a rate of 50%-75% off, more often than not they’re selling you a product that shouldn’t have been priced that high to begin with. Upon my travels to major industry shows, I come across countless manufacturers who price their products with massive markups so the dealer can then “discount” the product and make you think you are getting the deal of a century. Not only is this tactic the sign of an unethical dealer, the items it applies to are generally items of lower quality.
Don’t Forget About Repair and Servicing
Nothing in the jewellry industry is ever 100%. What separates great jewellry stores from the rest is their commitment to service and maintenance of the pieces you have bought. Many jewellry stores have shifted away from the servicing aspect and have become simply retailers, focused on sales alone. The rings you buy will often have to be sized, any diamond jewelry you have will eventually need reinforcing of settings, clasps on chains and bracelets will need adjusting, these are just a few things that these retail stores can not do for you and will have to send your items away for weeks, if not months. Find a jeweller who has an on-sight bench jeweller, somebody who can clean and inspect your jewellry at any time and should something need adjustment, can do it with minimal downtime.