Complaint Review: Diamonds International - Cabo San Lucas Nationwide

My name is Julie Smith from Onboard Media and I can asssit you with a claim with Diamonds International. Please contact me at: Julie Smith Onboard Media 305-673-0400 Ext: 560 Fax: 305-673-2741 [email protected]

My name is Julie Smith from Onboard Media and I can asssit you with a claim with Diamonds International. Please contact me at: Julie Smith Onboard Media 305-673-0400 Ext: 560 Fax: 305-673-2741 [email protected]

My name is Julie Smith from Onboard Media and I can asssit you with a claim with Diamonds International. Please contact me at: Julie Smith Onboard Media 305-673-0400 Ext: 560 Fax: 305-673-2741 [email protected]

I recently took a Celebrity Cruise in the Carribean. They have a very good, slick and flashy marketing team onboard. They tell you all about the jewelery and things that you can purchase in the ports. They put out their list of "Approved Stores". We were told point blank..."Do not go to any other stores not on this list you will be ripped-off!" Well I am never one to believe the word of someone that I don't know without investigating myself. In St. Maarten, I looked in all of the approved stores and some not on the list. First of all, I was told that the approved list stores had the largest selections you will find and that "If they don't have what you are looking for, no one else will".... FALSE....None of these approved stores had any mens diamond rings with any diamonds bigger than 0.25-0.50 carat. Most of the stores not on the list didn't either, but I did find 2 places NOT on the list that did, and those stores seemed to have a much larger and better quality selection of jewelry in general. At the stores not on the list, I inquired about why they were not on the list, and both generally replied about the same...that they were tired of being extorted by the cruise lines and that they were both on the "List" at one time, but the cruise ships were demanding anywhere from $2000-$3000 per ship each time they pulled into port! They advised that in St. Maarten they get anywhere from 2-4 sometimes 5 ships per day...you do the math. One store that I went to, Ballerina Jewelers, I inquired about mens rings and they directed me to the case, but I didn't see anything that I was interested in, so I asked about mens rings with specific size diamonds. He advised me to wait one moment. After returning from the safe, he showed me some spectacular mens rings. The first ring was 14k setting with three large matching brilliant cut round diamonds channel set, just shy of 1 carat each stone! Stunning to say the least. Next ring shown was another large mens 14k setting with 6 yes SIX matching brilliant round cut diamonds channel set and they were 1.2 carats each, YES EACH. I had someone with me who was not an expert, but knew enough about diamonds to look through a loupe and determine stone quality and these stones were very very good. We were told VS2 to SI1 and color G or H. Also was shown an 18k gold mens ring setting for a single stone flanked by six bagguette diamonds and then he showed us a loose natural ceylon round cut 2.5 carat sapphire that could be placed in the setting. We must have been there for what seemed hours, but finally made decisions to purchase the rings (after some hard negotiating of course) I was very satisfied with the prices that were paid. They also sent appraisals via email. There were of course gaurantee's and such and the best thing was that they had U.S. based service and sales centers also. Of course as you would expect the first thing that I did was take them to a jeweler and had him look at the rings (with a binocular microscope) he was stunned at the quality of the diamonds and said that he thought that they were very conservative on the quality and color and he would rate them at VS1 or VVS2 and near colorless. I was extremely happy, and in doing some comparison shopping, first off it was even hard to find comps for these rings in the U.S. and the ones that I found were well over double what was paid for these. They even arranged and paid for dinner for us while we waited on them to set the sapphire, amazing (Doubt Diamonds International would have done that). Just a side note, they did an alright job setting the sapphire, but not perfect....Our jewler said that the stone was a little too big for the setting and was not in as good as it should be. So we contacted Ballerina and told them that the setting was not great and should be re-done. They gave me the information and mailing address for the U.S. service center and after about 3 weeks the ring was returned and it was an absoulutely perfect, professional job and was now flawless. So what did I learn? If you don't see what you are looking for ASK, the jeweler said "We don't put the really good stuff in the cases, it's in back" and be aware that the "Approve list" just means that those stores are still paying was amounts to extortion money and are not any better or worse than the other shops...I found that most of the shops there were all owned and controlled by only a handfull of families anyway..different name same stuff. Shop around and negotiate...don't pay retail or even half of what they are "Telling" you is retail.