Buyer Beware

Buyer Beware
I am always amazed at the ongoing misrepresentations, the spins on fact, the gray areas of defined terms and the not so occasional lies that are communicated in the jewelry industry. Maybe this sort of mind-bending manipulation happens in all industries, I wouldn’t know, but it sure happens in the world of jewelry.

So the consumer, that’s you, is left to fend for themselves, and sort out the truth from the not so true. In trying to make this article valuable to you, I want to go over some common ‘buzz’ words and give you some useful definitions.

Hand-crafted: (also known as ‘hand-made’) When you see this term, it means nothing. After all, how else would a piece of jewelry be made? With your feet? You would assume that hand-crafted implies a craftsman of skill dedicated to a well created piece. In the past you would have been correct. These days everyone uses this term. In fact almost all the work you see if factory made, with each phase of the piece executed by a different person, and usually in another country.

Hand-forged: Forged jewelry is the process in which the piece is fabricated directly out of metal. There are very few goldsmiths who can actually do this kind of work. An indepth knowledge of metallurgy is essential for hand-forged work. Most jewelers who make jewelry simply finish castings. This requires very little to no knowledge of metal characteristics, such as malleability, durability, molecular diffusion, alloy compatibility, etc.

Finest Quality: Don’t even listen to this one, it means nothing. In case you haven’t noticed, all jewelry available is the finest quality…. go figure….

Most Beautiful Diamond: Funny how every jewelry store seems to have ‘the most beautiful diamonds’, and yet, none are the same, each is better than the other. Simply put, a diamond with an excellent polish, excellent symmetry and excellent proportions will be the brightest, and have the most fire. It is all geometry and math as to how it returns light. The American Gem Trade Society recently did a three year study (prior to their coming out with the first ever ‘Cut’ grade on a diamond report) on what makes a diamond the most beautiful, and they found that it depends upon not only how perfectly it is cut, but also upon the preference of the viewer, and the light the diamond is viewed in. By the way, not all certifications are always accurate. Personally, I prefer to only use the GIA and AGS ‘certs’.

So here you are, trying to sort through it all. Today there is a strong demand by the consumer to buy jewelry that is meaningful, artistic, original, rare and beautiful. The good news is it does exist. Although there are sincere designers and jewelry artisans out there and available to you, they are scarce and for you to find them is going to require that you gain knowledge in jewelry. The more jewelry you see, touch and examine, the more confident you can be in your next acquisition.

Caveat Emptor – Let the Buyer Beware!

Knowledge is your sword of truth – Zoltan David