Are You a Savvy Shopper When Buying Gold or Jewelry Online?
When it’s hot and humid in Gilbert, people turn to the Internet to buy and sell things like jewelry and most anything you can think of just to avoid going outside! There are so many sites you can use to buy or sell online and it can be easy to find a good deal but we wonder, is it always safe? Especially when dealing with the purchase of gold and jewelry, are you really buying an authentic piece? As a trusted Gilbert jeweler let us give you some pointers to help answer these questions.
1. What to Ask Before Buying Gold & Jewelry From Online Sellers
The convenience of sites like Craigslist© and OfferUp© are great because you can buy and sell any jewelry you like and can find some good deals since it’s a sale from a private owner. For the most part, users of these sites are just like you and me, honest people that just want to sell jewelry or other items they no longer have any use for. However, even well meaning people may think they are selling certain gems and gold but aren’t positive what their jewelry is actually made from so it’s important to ask this question:
- Is there any type of certification on the jewelry piece that they can provide?
This way you can feel more certain that you are getting real diamonds and not cubic zirconia or moissanite. If they can provide a GIA certificate for a diamond that is even better!
2. Visit Your Local Jeweler to Confirm Authenticity of Online Jewelry
If the seller doesn’t have any type of certification, it’s a good idea to see if they would mind bringing it to a local Gilbert jeweler to confirm the gemstone, setting material or karat if you are looking for gold. We are always happy to inspect jewelry or gold of any kind to disclose what type of gem and setting a piece is made of. If they have provided certification for the gems, we can even confirm if that is real since there can be forged diamond grading certificates. Usually, if the seller is serious they won’t mind doing this extra step and coming to a jeweler! Unfortunately, if they don’t want to take this step or offer to ship it to you for payment that is a red flag. One good rule to follow is always meet the person face to face and never offer payment or wire funds to anyone you haven’t met.
3. Determine a Neutral, Safe Place for the Jewelry Sale
Because jewelry and gold are high value items, it is important for both parties to carefully choose where you meet. Always meet in a public place and consider bringing a family member or friend with you if possible. We suggest a safe place like a bank where you can make a transaction there as long as everything checks out to be the real deal.
We hope that following these tips can lead to some great additions to your jewelry collection! We just always want to be sure our family, friends and customers are safe and that you don’t buy jewelry without authenticating it first.
