Importing Jewelry Wholesale

Importing Jewelry Wholesale

If you are considering importing jewelry wholesale, 

you might want to see what your other options are. 

When jewelry is imported, there are additional 

costs, such as high shipping costs, that you may 

not be prepared to pay. There are also other issues 

to consider as well.

Customs is a major issue, because some materials 

that come from endangered animals are outlawed in 

the United States – ivory for example. When 

importing jewelry, you need to be sure that all of 

the materials that make up the jewelry can be 

legally imported. 

The possibility of not getting what you paid for is 

another consideration that you must think about. If 

you order from someone outside of the United 

States – where the United States has no legal 

jurisdiction – there won’t be anything you can do if 

you are ripped off. If you are importing jewelry 

wholesale, make sure that you are dealing with a 

reputable company.

Usually, if you can find the same pieces of jewelry 

for sale in the United States, at a slightly higher 

cost, you will be better off making your purchase in 

the US. By the time you add shipping to the 

imported jewelry, it will probably cost more. 

However, there are many pieces that can only be 

found in other countries. 

How to Sell Jewelry Wholesale 2013

How to Sell Jewelry Wholesale

If you are a creative person, with a great sense of 

style and flair, you may be able to start your own 

business – making and selling jewelry wholesale. 

Because people are so very unique, they want 

jewelry pieces that are unique – one-of-a-kind 

pieces that nobody else in the world owns! This 

desire can make you quite a bit of money – 

simply start your very own jewelry wholesale 

company.

You can easily order wholesale supplies from 

hundreds of companies around the globe online – 

at really low prices. It is important to keep up with 

how much each part of each piece of jewelry costs 

you, and to get a total cost of each piece, including 

any expenses that you had for having supplies 

shipped to you. With the total cost figured, you can 

easily set your prices by adding 15% to the cost. 

You can sell your pieces in a variety of ways. You 

can open your own online wholesale jewelry store, 

sell to local jewelry stores, rent booths at local flea 

markets and fairs, or advertise your jewelry making 

skills and take orders for unique pieces. You can 

also sell your pieces on consignment at boutiques.

You want to be known for your quality. Always 

select the highest quality gems and stones for your 

pieces, and make sure that the craftsmanship is 

outstanding. Become exclusive, and more people 

will want to purchase your pieces – and never make 

any two pieces alike. 

However, you can also go the other route and make 

hundreds of identical pieces, as they are ordered.  

You do this by making one very unique, high quality 

piece, and showing it to your local jewelry stores. 

Ask them if they would like to order in bulk, then fill 

the order. 

Another option is to do catalog sales. Make enough 

pieces to fill a small catalog, and take pictures of 

each piece. Write a description for each piece and 

then put together your own catalog using software 

and a good printer – or send the work to a print 

shop. You can send these catalogs out to a list 

that you obtain from a direct mailing list company.

This type of business does require creativity and 

skill, but it also requires the ability to market 

yourself and your jewelry. You need to have 

business cards printed, and also have catalogs and 

brochures printed as well to market your jewelry 

wholesale business.

How to Select Jewelry Wholesale Beads

How to Select Jewelry Wholesale Beads

When purchasing wholesale jewelry beads, you 

must use care. You don’t want to end up with beads 

that aren’t worth anything to you! Selecting beads 

takes a lot of thought – we aren’t talking about 

plastic beads that children use to make jewelry. We 

are talking about quality beads used to make grown 

up jewelry!

Avoid cheap plastic beads. This may be suitable for 

some pieces, but it isn’t very durable – or very 

pretty. Instead, buy glass beads or Lucite beads. 

These are not only durable, they are very shiny and 

pretty. They do not have the ‘cloudy’ look of plastic 

beads. 

Inspect the beads for imperfections if possible. 

Beads that are ‘lopsided’ won’t do. Beads that are 

chipped, broken, or scratched are useless. Don’t 

purchase these beads no matter how cheap they 

are!

Most jewelry wholesale beads are sold in bulk. In 

this case, you probably won’t have the opportunity 

to inspect the beads, so ask about the exchange 

policy. Will you be able to exchange the beads that 

are less than perfect? Depending on how the beads 

are packaged and sold, and the policy of the 

business selling the jewelry wholesale beads, this 

may not be possible.

How to Select Jewelry Wholesale

How to Select Jewelry Wholesale

Selecting jewelry isn’t hard, when you can see it 

and touch it. However when you purchase jewelry 

wholesale, you often won’t have this opportunity 

before making a purchase, since most of these 

purchases are made online or through mail order. 

This makes the selection process a bit harder. 

Start by reading all of the information that is 

supplied. Make sure that words like ‘gold plated’ or 

‘faux’ are not used if you are looking for genuine 

pieces. Contact the company and ask for more 

information if you are unsure about anything that 

you are reading as well. Make sure you are getting 

wholesale prices. Look for similar pieces at the 

online jewelry stores, or even at your local jewelry 

stores, and compare the prices. The wholesale 

price should be much lower.

Also check the refund and exchange policy of the 

business you are planning to purchase from. Make 

sure that there is a ‘no questions asked’ money 

back guarantee, or the offer of a 100% refund if you 

are not satisfied. If there is no refund policy, there 

should be no deal! You can find other jewelry 

wholesale from companies that do offer refunds 

and exchanges.

How to Price Your Jewelry Wholesale

How to Price Your Jewelry Wholesale

Pricing is an issue that many people in the jewelry 

business often worry about. However, there is a 

method that you can easily use, whether you 

purchase jewelry wholesale or make your own

jewelry. Pricing is very important. You don’t want 

to charge too much, because you won’t sell 

anything. On the other hand, you want to make 

sure that you charge enough to make a profit.

If you purchase your jewelry at wholesale prices, a 

markup of 15% to 30% is usual, and people will pay 

these prices. In the grand scheme of things, apply 

the 30% markup, and make that the ‘regular’ price. 

When you need to move merchandise hold a sale, 

and use the 15% markup price as the sale price. 

If you make your own jewelry, determine the total 

cost of the piece, including the cost of supplies, 

shipping, warehousing and packaging, then apply a 

15% markup. With the 15% markup, your jewelry 

will be priced at the wholesale price. If you sell the 

jewelry to the general public yourself, as opposed 

to selling it to retailers, apply the retail price, which 

in this case would be about 45% above your costs. 

How to Open An Online Jewelry Store With Jewelry Wholesale

How to Open An Online 

Jewelry Store With Jewelry Wholesale

Opening your own jewelry store has never been 

easier than it is now. In fact, you can use the 

Internet to open your own online jewelry store and 

never stock a single piece of jewelry! In fact, your 

jewelry store could be open for business in less 

than a day – and the only thing you would need to 

do is market it! This is pretty much an instant 

business.

First, find jewelry wholesale suppliers. If you want a 

truly ‘hands-off’ business, find a wholesaler who will 

drop ship to your customers. This way, you never 

have to handle any of the stock. Here is how it 

works. You get your website set up, with an online 

catalog of all of the jewelry that you offer. You 

market that site to the public. Customers start 

visiting your site, and they place orders. You 

forward those orders to the drop shipper, and the 

drop shipper handles the rest! 

Most wholesalers will require you to pay for the 

merchandise before it is shipped. This shouldn’t be 

a problem because you will require your customers 

to pay for their orders at the time the order is 

placed. Of course, you charge more for the jewelry 

than the wholesaler charges you.

In most cases, you will be allowed to set your own 

prices. Look to see what the wholesaler charges 

you, including shipping, then add 15% to 30% to 

that price. This is what you should charge your 

customers. 

If you aren’t sure how to go about setting up a 

website, you can probably find a wholesaler who 

will provide you with a website. Most of these 

wholesalers charge a fee for the site, and your site 

will usually look like all of their other distributors. 

This should be your last option.

You may consider opening an eBay store. There is 

a fee for this as well, but at least your store will be 

unique. You can also bypass the eBay store and 

simply set up eBay auctions, which are very 

affordable for everyone. Make sure that you set a 

minimum reserve price for the jewelry that you are 

selling so that you don’t lose money, and make 

sure that the buyer pays all shipping costs and 

insurance.

Again, setting up an online jewelry store with 

jewelry wholesale is one of the easiest ways to start 

a business today. You can literally be up and 

running in a few short hours, and making money 

within twenty-four hours of ‘opening your doors!’

How to Make Your Own Jewelry Wholesale

How to Make Your Own Jewelry Wholesale

Making jewelry is not only fun, it is actually very 

easy. It just takes a lot of creativity, and a little skill. 

In fact, you could easily start your own jewelry 

wholesale company by making jewelry yourself.

There are countless books available with 

instructions and ideas for jewelry making. There are 

also numerous websites where you can learn how 

to make your own jewelry and get ideas. In the 

beginning, you will probably want to follow a few 

instructions or patterns until you get the feel for it – 

but eventually, you should let your creativity shine 

through and design your own jewelry.

You can easily purchase all of the supplies that you 

need for making your own jewelry wholesale through 

wholesale sources online. Buying in bulk will get 

you the best prices. You can buy cheap gems, and 

high quality gems as well. Everything that you 

could possibly need can be located through a 

wholesale resource on the Internet!

After you’ve made several unique pieces, you 

should show them to friends, family members, and 

colleagues. You will be surprised at how many of 

these people want you to make pieces for them as 

well! Just be sure to charge, and soon enough, you 

will have your very own thriving jewelry wholesale 

business – simply because you learned how to 

make your own jewelry wholesale.

How to Make A Jewelry Wholesale Catalog

How to Make A Jewelry Wholesale Catalog

So you want to sell your jewelry? Well, selling 

jewelry wholesale is a big business, and you 

definitely need a catalog of your offerings! Making 

a catalog isn’t as difficult as you might think. First, 

you have two options: an online catalog or a print 

catalog. The choice is yours.

Overall, an online catalog is the least expensive 

way to advertise your jewelry wholesale company – 

but with all of the online jewelry stores and online 

wholesalers, it may not be the most effective way 

to make sales. A print catalog should strongly be 

considered for a direct mailing. 

If you make your own jewelry, you will need to get 

good pictures of the jewelry – preferably laid on a 

velvet setting. Black or blue velvet will bring out the 

jewelry the most. You can take these pictures 

yourself with a digital camera, or have a 

professional take the photographs. It is cheaper to 

do it yourself, of course.

Load the pictures up onto your computer, and use 

publishing software, such as Microsoft Publisher to 

design and layout your catalog. This may take a 

little time and patience, but it is much cheaper than 

having someone else do it.

Since you will need hundreds, if not thousands of 

copies of your catalog, your best bet will be to save

the catalog on a CD and take it to a print shop that 

can handle the job. This will cost money – 

especially since the pages need to be glossy and 

in color, and the catalog will need to be bound – 

but this expense will be well worth it if you will be 

doing a mass direct mailing.

In order to do a mass direct mailing, you simply 

find a reputable company who either sells mailing 

lists or does the mailing for you. You can actually 

request lists of mailing addresses where the person 

has expressed an interest in purchasing wholesale 

jewelry – or any other criteria that you set. In most 

cases, it is best to have the company handle the 

mailing for you. They will get the best rates on the 

mailing because they can use the bulk mail rate.

Make sure that you use a reputable printer, and a 

reputable direct mail company! This is an investment 

in the future of your business, and your jewelry 

wholesale catalog needs to be perfect in every way – 

and the mailing needs to go off without a hitch!

How to Find Jewelry Wholesale Sources

How to Find Jewelry Wholesale Sources

If you are in the jewelry business or thinking about 

getting into the jewelry business, you need to find 

jewelry wholesale sources. Finding these sources 

isn’t as difficult as you might think – they are 

everywhere, and if you have access to the Internet, 

you literally have the world of jewelry wholesale at 

your fingertips.

There are many wholesale company directories 

available online, but you really don’t have to 

purchase these to find the jewelry wholesale 

companies. Instead, use the search engine and 

type ‘jewelry wholesale companies’ or ‘jewelry 

wholesale suppliers’ into the search box. This is 

the easiest, and cheapest way to find jewelry 

wholesale sources. 

Start making a list of sources. You can do this on 

notepad or in a spreadsheet. Keep up with which 

company has the best prices on certain items, 

shipping costs, contact information, and any other 

information you may need in the course of doing 

business.

Don’t forget the online auctions, and remember that 

eBay isn’t the only online auction either! Keep your 

eyes open for great deals on jewelry, and make 

bulk purchases when you can.

How to Find Boxes for Your Jewelry Wholesale

How to Find Boxes for Your Jewelry Wholesale

If you make your own jewelry or buy wholesale 

jewelry that is not in a box, you will need a source 

for jewelry boxes! Your customers will want their 

jewelry to arrive in nice display boxes that can be 

wrapped or presented to the person they bought 

the jewelry for. 

Boxes for jewelry can be found at wholesale prices 

all over the internet. Simply do a search in any 

search engine for ‘boxes for jewelry’ and you will be 

surprised at the results. You can even have your 

business name or logo printed on the boxes as 

well, for an additional cost.

When you shop for boxes to package your jewelry 

wholesale in, make sure that you buy in bulk for the 

best prices. Also make sure that you can return the 

boxes for an exchange in the event that the boxes 

are the wrong size, or for a refund if the boxes arrive 

damaged.

Don’t make the mistake of not shipping your jewelry

 wholesale to your customers in jewel boxes. This 

will make you appear to be unprofessional, or like a 

small time operation.

How to Clean Jewelry Wholesale

How to Clean Jewelry Wholesale

There are many different brands of jewelry cleaners 

on the market today. Depending on how your 

jewelry is made, these products may or may not be 

safe for your jewelry wholesale! Before using 

jewelry cleaner, take a good long look at the jewelry 

and try to determine what it is made of.

First, any jewelry that has pieces glued on should 

not be soaked in jewelry cleaner. Instead, use a 

little Woolite mixed with water, and soak the piece 

for just a couple of minutes. Remove the piece from 

the mixture and dry it immediately – but gently – 

with a soft cloth. Use a soft toothbrush to gently 

scrub small crevices. 

Avoid soaking pearls! They may come from the 

ocean – but water from your tap may damage them. 

Simply wipe the pearl with a damp cloth, then use 

a polishing cloth to give it back its shine. Never 

soak any of your jewelry overnight. It isn’t 

necessary, and it may harm the jewelry wholesale. 

Again, it is important to know what gems are used 

in your jewelry, and how the piece was constructed 

before determining how you will clean it.

How to Buy Silver Jewelry Wholesale

How to Buy Silver Jewelry Wholesale

Silver jewelry is not only beautiful, it is very much in 

style these days. Silver jewelry compliments 

anything you wear, and it is usually less expensive 

than gold jewelry. There are many sources from 

which you can buy silver jewelry wholesale, but the 

Internet will offer you the biggest selection possible. 

After all – you will have the whole world at your feet 

– or fingertips.

As with any other jewelry, begin your search online. 

There are countless jewelry wholesalers online, and 

many of them specialize in silver jewelry. When you 

buy your jewelry from jewelry wholesale sources, 

you will pay a fraction of the cost that you would 

pay at a retailer’s place of business, such as a 

jewelry store.

When you purchase silver jewelry wholesale, make 

sure that you are purchasing sterling silver jewelry. 

Sterling silver is almost always marked with the 

numbers ‘925.’ This is the highest quality of silver 

that you can buy – wholesale or retail. Note that 

there is no such thing as ‘high quality sterling 

silver’ and ‘lower quality sterling silver.’ Sterling 

silver comes in one quality – sterling silver. The 

weight of the sterling silver used in the piece should 

be the determining factor in the cost, unless the 

item was hand-made, in which case it will cost 

considerably more than similar pieces that were 

not hand made.

Silver jewelry tarnishes – whether it is sterling silver 

or not. You must clean and polish your silver 

jewelry on a regular basis to help it keep its shine. 

There are many different brands of silver polish on 

the market that can be used to accomplish this. 

You should plan to clean your silver jewelry on a 

weekly basis.

Buying silver jewelry wholesale is the best way to 

go. Silver is already relatively inexpensive – even at 

wholesale prices. When purchasing such jewelry, 

the silver or quality of the silver is not what you 

need to concern yourself with – again, silver is 

silver, just make sure it is sterling silver. The 

settings and stones that are used in the piece 

should be your concern. 

You need to insure that the piece is solidly 

constructed, and you need to make sure that the 

gems used are not simulated gems – unless that is 

what you want. Of course, when real gems are used, 

such as diamonds, the cost of the jewelry will rise 

considerably. But as long as you are buying jewelry 

wholesale, the price will still be the lowest price you 

will find. 

How to Buy Jewelry Wholesale Online

How to Buy Jewelry Wholesale Online

Buying jewelry wholesale online is quite easy, and 

most of the time, it is an enjoyable shopping 

experience. In fact, many people prefer this method 

of buying jewelry wholesale simply because they 

find a much wider selection at much lower prices. 

However, some of the buying public is still wary of 

online businesses. If this sounds like you, there is 

really no need for concern. Simply follow a few 

simple guidelines to ensure that you have a safe 

and satisfactory buying experience.

The first step is to be aware that there are indeed 

many con artists operating on the Internet – and 

they will happily take your money with absolutely 

no regrets. It is your responsibility to take all of the 

proper precautions to guard against this happening. 

First, find the jewelry wholesale that you are 

interested in buying. Make a note of where you 

found it, but do not make a purchase just yet – 

there is still much to be done. Take a look at other 

online wholesaler’s sites and online jewelry stores 

to see if you can find similar pieces. In most cases, 

you can. Look at the price differences. While the 

wholesale price should be lower than the retail price, 

you should use extreme caution if the price seems 

too low. Remember that old adage ‘if it sounds too 

good to be true, it probably is.’ 

After you have found the lowest price, read every 

detail you can find about the jewelry. Make sure 

that it is exactly what you want, in terms of 

authenticity. If you are unsure, don’t make the 

purchase until you do know for sure. Don’t be afraid 

to contact the company directly to ask questions – 

but don’t take their word for it either.

Check with the Better Business Bureau Online, as 

well as the BBB in the area where the company is 

located. You are checking to see if there have been 

any complaints about this business. If there have 

been, that information will be made available to you 

at no charge… and if there are complaints, you 

should avoid doing business with the company. 

Next, read the refund and exchange policy, as well 

as the terms of service and the privacy policy at the

website. This is all important information – and if it 

isn’t there, you don’t want to do business with this 

company. However, just because the information is 

there doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a 

legitimate operation – read the information carefully, 

and print it out so that you have a record of it.

How to Buy Jewelry Wholesale

How to Buy Jewelry Wholesale

Buying jewelry wholesale is really quite easy. The 

Internet gives you access to all of the wholesale 

jewelry companies you could ever need to make 

your selections, so you can buy exactly what you 

want or need – at very competitive prices. 

There is a difference between online jewelry stores 

and online wholesale companies. Online jewelry 

stores sell jewelry at retail prices, even though the 

price may be slightly discounted. Wholesale 

companies sell jewelry at wholesale prices – which 

of course are cheaper than retail prices. 

There are many sites where you can purchase 

directories of wholesale companies, but this really 

isn’t necessary. Just use a search engine like 

Google to find what you are looking for. If you are 

looking for an engagement ring at a wholesale 

price, for example, simply type ‘engagement ring 

wholesale’ into the search box – a whole slew of 

wholesalers who carry engagement rings will pop 

up in the search results.

Be aware that some wholesaler’s will only sell in 

bulk. Of course, if you just want to buy one 

engagement ring, you do not want to buy in bulk. 

But there are many companies that will sell just 

one item – you just have to look for them.

If buying online isn’t what you are interested in, 

consider joining a discount club, such as Sam’s. 

Here you will find jewelry at deeply discounted 

retail prices, which is the next best thing to jewelry 

wholesale prices – but again, the wholesale prices 

will be lower.

When dealing with an online wholesale company, 

you need to do several things. First, you want to be 

sure that you are buying the real thing. There are 

many companies out there that will advertise that 

their jewelry is ‘authentic.’ Read the sales copy 

very carefully, and educate yourself quickly. For 

instance, beware of words like ‘gold plated’ or 

‘realistic.’ This is an indication that the jewelry isn’t 

gold, or that stones are fake. 

Also find out if the company has a refund or 

exchange policy, as well as a 100% money back 

guarantee. This is important, and it will protect you 

if you find that you are not happy with the pieces 

you have purchased, or if they are of lesser quality 

than you expected. 

Also consider using eBay to find jewelry wholesale 

prices. Again, use caution. Check the seller’s 

feedback and ratings, and make sure that you are 

dealing with a reputable person or company. If the 

jewelry is an important piece, use the escrow 

service that eBay recommends – even if you have to 

pay the escrow fees yourself!

Exporting Jewelry Wholesale

Exporting Jewelry Wholesale

If you plan to export jewelry wholesale, you may 

need to find out if it is legal. First you must 

understand that sending just one piece of jewelry to 

another country is in fact ‘exporting goods.’ This is 

true even if the country is Mexico or Canada! No 

matter where it is going, if it is outside of the United 

States, or the country that you live in, it is 

exporting. 

You can find out if exporting certain pieces of 

jewelry is legal by calling the customs agency in 

your state, or by calling the United States Customs 

Office. Describe the jewelry and as well as the 

precious stones it contains, and tell them where it 

is being sent. They will be able to tell you if shipping 

it is legal, and what problems may be encountered 

at customs in the country it is being shipped to.

Take shipping costs into consideration, and make 

sure that your customer pays for that! Shipping to 

other countries can be quite costly, and if you pay 

for that shipping, you probably won’t realize any 

profits on the jewelry wholesale that you are 

shipping out of the country!

Dealing with Jewelry Wholesale Dealers Many people think that if they try to talk to a jewelry wholesale dealer that they will get better bargains. In the case of buying in bulk, they are absolutely right! Most jewelry wholesale dealers will offer you a lower price if you are buying in bulk – but if you are just buying one or two pieces, it really doesn’t pay for them to offer you prices below the wholesale price. Other than getting a good price, you want to make sure that you are getting quality jewelry. If you can deal with the jewelry wholesale dealer in person, you should. But in most situations, this will not be the case. Instead, contact the dealer by phone and talk to them. Establish a relationship, and keep that relationship on good terms at all times. As time goes by, you may be able to get even better deals from the wholesaler, and you can probably work out credit terms as well. Just remember that your jewelry wholesale dealer is a human being, and treat them as such. If you ever find that your dealer isn’t being honest with you, or is selling low quality jewelry, look for a new wholesaler.

Dealing with Jewelry Wholesale Dealers

Many people think that if they try to talk to a 

jewelry wholesale dealer that they will get better 

bargains. In the case of buying in bulk, they are 

absolutely right! Most jewelry wholesale dealers 

will offer you a lower price if you are buying in 

bulk – but if you are just buying one or two pieces, 

it really doesn’t pay for them to offer you prices 

below the wholesale price.

Other than getting a good price, you want to make 

sure that you are getting quality jewelry. If you can 

deal with the jewelry wholesale dealer in person, 

you should. But in most situations, this will not be 

the case. Instead, contact the dealer by phone 

and talk to them. Establish a relationship, and 

keep that relationship on good terms at all times. 

As time goes by, you may be able to get even 

better deals from the wholesaler, and you can 

probably work out credit terms as well.

Just remember that your jewelry wholesale dealer 

is a human being, and treat them as such. If you 

ever find that your dealer isn’t being honest with you, 

or is selling low quality jewelry, look for a new 

wholesaler.

Buy Jewelry Wholesale at Jewelry Shows and Expos

Buy Jewelry Wholesale
at Jewelry Shows and Expos

Jewelry shows and expos are great places to find
jewelry wholesale. These shows and expos are held
all over the world throughout the year, and no matter
where you live, a show will eventually be held near
you – probably within a days drive. In fact, if you live
near a major city or a convention center, there will
probably be several shows throughout the year that
you will be interested in when it comes to jewelry
wholesale.

One of the great things about these shows and
expos – aside from all of the gorgeous jewelry on
display and the fabulous prices – is the information
that is offered. These shows and expos often cover
entire weekends, and related seminars and
demonstrations are often included as well.

There is an entry fee for these shows and expos, in
most cases, but it is typically quite affordable. A
good way to find shows in your area is to visit
http://aksshow.com/home.jsp Another way to find
shows is to visit a search engine and type ‘jewelry
shows your home town’ into the search box, where
your home town is the town you live in, or a major
city near you.

Antique Jewelry Wholesale

Antique Jewelry Wholesale

Antique jewelry is typically very valuable, and 

purchasing such jewelry costs quite a bit of money. 

But then again, it is possible to buy antique jewelry 

wholesale as well – if you know where to look. 

Most people think that online auctions, such as 

eBay is the way to go. While this is true 

occasionally, you will usually find that the seller 

knows the value of what they are selling, and the 

price is quite high. There are other ways to find 

antique jewelry at wholesale prices – or below.

Keep an eye on your newspaper for advertised 

estate sales and garage sales. Typically, at these 

sales, the people holding the sale really don’t know 

the value of what they have. You can literally 

purchase hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of 

antique jewelry for just a few dollars on a typical 

Saturday morning.

It is important that you not look too closely at the 

jewelry when you are buying it. If the piece is 

valuable, you don’t want the seller to know how 

valuable it is! It isn’t your fault that they didn’t get it 

appraised – as you will as soon as you leave! Keep 

a straight face, keep your happiness and joy to 

yourself, and pay the fifty cents or two bucks that 

they want for the piece, get in your car and head to 

a trusted jeweler for an appraisal!

It is possible that the piece isn’t worth anything – 

but occasionally, you will stumble across some real 

finds! Even if the piece isn’t worth anything, if you 

make jewelry, you may be able to disassemble it 

for the parts. 

Finding antique jewelry wholesale is very exciting. 

In fact, spending those Saturday mornings at the 

yard sales and estate sales may even become 

addicting! Yard sales and estate sales – especially 

estate sales where grandchildren are not interested 

in their grandma’s old ugly jewelry are the best 

sources for antique jewelry at wholesale prices – or 

below wholesale prices.

This doesn’t mean that there aren’t some real find 

on eBay as well, so don’t discount it. Keep an eye 

on the jewelry categories, as well as the antique or 

vintage categories. When you do find something 

you want to bid on, make sure that the seller has a 

good reputation. If the piece is very expensive, use 

the escrow service that is recommended by eBay. 

Also talk to the seller quite a bit to be sure that you 

understand exactly what is being advertised!

Where Diamonds are Mined

Where Diamonds are Mined

Argye mine located in the Kimberley region 

in the far north east of Western Australia. 

Owned by Rio Tinto, this mine is the world’s 

largest single producer of volume of 

diamonds.  However, due to low proportion 

of gem quality diamonds it is not the value 

leader.  It does produce 90-95% of the 

world’s supply of pink diamonds.   

Diavik is also owned by Rio Tinto, located in 

Canada it is a very large mine.   It is located 

north of Yellowknife and south of the Artic 

Circle on an island.  The island is connected 

by an ice road.  It is also an important part of 

the regions economy employing more than 

700 people and producing more than 8 million 

carats annually.

Ekati diamond mine is owned by BHP 

Billiton and located south of the artic circle 

in the Northwest Territories of Canada.  

The Ekati is Canada’s first operational 

diamond mine.     Diamonds mined here 

are sold under the Aurias trade name   

Authenticity is verified through Canada

Mark service.  CanadaMark service is also 

owned by BHP Billiton Diamonds, Inc.

Baken diamond mine is located along the 

lower Orange River in South Africa.  It is 

owned and operated by Trans Hex.  The 

average size stone for 2004 was 1.29 

carats.   In 2004, this mine produced a 

78.9 carat D color flawless diamond that 

sold for more than 1.8 million dollars (US), 

as well as a 27.67 pink diamond that was 

sold for over 1 million US dollars.

Merlin is the second of only two diamond 

mines in Australia.  No longer operating it 

was owned by Rio Tinto and sold to Striker 

Resources, who has explored the 

possibilities of reopening the mine.   

Orapa is the world’s largest diamond mine.  

It us located 240 Km west of 

Francistown.  The mine is owned by 

“Debswana” which is a partnership 

between DeBeers and the government of 

Botswana. This mine operates 7 days a 

week.  It maintains pre primary and 

primary schools for its employee’s children.  

There is also a 100 bed hospital and game 

park.  This mine began production in 1971 

and is the oldest mine owned by the 

Debswana Company.

The Premier mine located in Cullinan, South 

Africa produced the largest gem diamond 

ever in 1905.  The Cullinan Diamond 

weighed 3,106.75 carats.  This mine also 

produced the Golden Jubilee diamond 

which weighed 545.67 carats.  This mine is 

owned by the De Beers Company and was 

renamed The Cullinan Diamond Mine in 

2003 in celebration of its centennial.

What Are Dirty Diamonds?

What Are Dirty Diamonds?

A dirty diamond is one of two things: a rough 

diamond, or a diamond that hasn’t been 

cleaned in a while. Rough diamonds are 

uncut and unpolished – hence, they are dirty. 

But that type of dirty diamond will soon be 

cut and polished and sitting in a beautiful 

jewel box in a display case. Then someone 

will purchase it, and before long, it will 

become a dirty diamond once again.

Diamonds become dirty. When you wash 

your hands with a diamond ring on, soap 

scum clings to it. When you put on hand 

lotion, it gets grease on it. Shower with your 

diamond earrings or necklace, and again, 

you get soap scum. In one short day, your 

brand new diamond could be dirty!

Purchase an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner the 

same day that you purchase your diamond 

jewelry, and use it every single day, without 

fail. The clarity of the diamond changes 

when the diamond is dirty – it loses its 

sparkle. By taking one minute each day to 

clean your diamond jewelry, you can avoid 

this, and your diamonds will never be dirty!

Insuring Your Diamonds

Insuring Your Diamonds

Insuring a diamond takes a bit of thought, 

planning, and shopping around. Diamond 

insurance isn’t like purchasing car insurance. 

It is quite different. Depending on the state 

that you live in, there are basically three 

different types of policies that will cover 

diamonds, and all insurance policies that 

cover diamonds are considered Marine 

type policies. 

The first type of insurance policies for 

diamonds is an Actual Cash Value policy. 

If the diamond is lost or damaged beyond 

repair, the insurance company will replace 

the diamond at today’s market value, no 

matter how much you paid for the diamond 

to begin with. This type of insurance policy 

for diamonds actually is not that common.

The most common type of insurance for 

diamonds is Replacement Value insurance. 

The insurance company will only pay up to a 

fixed amount to replace the diamond that was 

lost or damaged beyond repair. This does not 

mean that they will pay that amount – it means

 that they will pay up to that amount. In most 

cases, the diamond can be replaced at a 

lower cost. 

The third type of coverage offered for 

diamonds is Agreed Value. This is 

sometimes called ‘Valued At.’ This type of 

coverage is very rare. In the event that the 

diamond is lost or damaged beyond repair,

 the insurance company simply pays you the 

amount that you and the company agreed 

upon. This is the best type of insurance to 

have, but it is rarely offered. If you can’t get 

Agreed Value coverage, Actual Cash Value

coverage should be your next choice.

Your rates will be determined by the value of 

the diamond, the type of coverage that you

select, and the area that you live in. If you live 

in an area with a high crime rate, you can 

expect to pay more for your diamond 

insurance coverage. It is important to 

remember that insurance agents are not 

qualified jewelers, and jewelers are not 

qualified insurance agents. It is best to get 

a certificate for your diamond, and to 

provide the insurance company with a copy 

of that certificate. This leaves the insurance 

company less room for arguments over the 

actual value of the diamond.

Don’t rely on separate coverage to cover 

your diamond. For instance, if you diamond 

is stolen from your home, it is probably 

covered on your home owner’s insurance 

policy – but the diamond probably won’t 

always be in your home, and once it leaves 

your home, there is no coverage. 

How to Spot A Fake Diamond

How to Spot A Fake Diamond

In this world of advanced technology it is 

almost impossible to simply look at a 

diamond and determine whether it is real or 

not – especially if you don’t know much 

about diamonds. There are some steps that 

you can take to avoid buying a fake diamond,

however.

First, only deal with reputable jewelers, and 

when you find a reputable jeweler, stick with 

them. Avoid buying diamonds or other 

jewelry from jewelers that you have never 

dealt with before in the past. Ask to see the 

certificate for the stone. If no certificate exists, 

walk away. 

Look at the setting that the stone is in. Fake 

diamonds, such as zirconias, are usually set 

in low quality metals. Take a close look at the 

stone. Fake diamonds are not durable – 

natural diamonds, on the other hand, are the 

most durable stone on the planet. Look for 

scratches or nicks. 

After purchasing a diamond, take it to 

another jeweler for appraisal. In fact, take it 

to two or three other jewelers for an appraisal 

to make sure that the appraisals are all fairly 

close. If you find that you have purchased a 

fake diamond, you may be accused of 

making a switch when you return to the store 

of your purchase; therefore, it is important to 

have a certificate for the diamond. No two 

stones are alike. 

How to Sell A Diamond

How to Sell A Diamond

There are many reasons why you may want 

to sell a diamond that you own. Perhaps 

you’ve gotten divorced, or you are strapped 

for cash. The reasons why don’t really matter 

– getting the best possible price is what 

counts! The way to obtain the best price 

for the diamond is to not be in a rush. Slow 

down, and carefully consider all of your 

options – there are many.

First, have the diamond appraised. In fact, 

have it appraised by two or three jewelers to 

get an accurate idea of the diamonds value. 

Tell the appraiser that you want the Rapaport 

Value. This is the wholesale value of the 

diamond, and it basically tells you the highest 

price that you can sell your diamond for. If your 

diamond has no certificate, you should 

consider getting a certificate from GIA. This 

may help you get a better price for the 

diamond as well.

First, try to sell the diamond yourself, to 

people you know. Friends and family 

members may be interested. If you don’t have 

any luck with friends or family members, you 

should turn to outside sources. Absolutely 

avoid pawn shops! A pawn shop will only offer 

you about 10% of what the diamond is worth! 

Also avoid offers of selling the ring on 

consignment. There are many things that 

can go wrong, and there is no shortage of 

diamond scams – even in well known 

jewelry stores.

If the diamond is important, you should 

strongly consider auctioning it off through 

one of the famous auction houses, such as 

Christie’s or Sotheby’s. If it isn’t what is 

considered an ‘important’ diamond or a 

high-end diamond, you should try to sell it 

to an individual using classified ads, or even 

eBay. However, selling to an individual that 

you do not know could put you in danger – 

especially if the diamond is worth a lot of 

money.

Your final option should be a jewelry store. It 

is vital that you not let your diamond out of 

your sight while in the jewelry store – you 

might find that the diamond you walked in 

with is not the same diamond that you walk 

out with! The jeweler will try to tell you that 

your diamond is of poor quality or low 

weight. Inevitably, there will be some 

problem with the diamond. This is where 

your appraisal and/or certificate will come 

in handy. 

If the jeweler is fair, they will offer you 

between 60% and 80% of the value of the 

Rapaport Value. Do not accept anything less 

than this. Again, do not let the diamond out of

your sight until you have been paid for it. 

How to Clean your Diamonds

How to Clean your Diamonds

Through our day to day movements our 

diamonds get smudged and soiled.  Even 

when we are not wearing them, they collect 

dust.  Lotions, soaps, our natural skin oils, 

can cause film and grime on diamonds 

and inhibit their brilliance.  

Want to keep that Brilliance and Shine?   

Diamonds require cleaning so that maximum 

amounts of light can refract fiery brilliance.  

Remember that all it takes is a few minutes 

and a little care to keep that diamond as fiery 

as the day you first saw it.

You can use an small soft brush such as an 

eyebrow or lip stick brush and soap and 

water to clean your jewelry.  Simply make a 

bowl of warm sudsy water with a mild 

detergent and place your pieces in the 

mixture.  Then brush the diamonds with the 

soft bristles of the brush while they are in 

the suds.  You will need to make certain that 

you rinse them clear of the suds after 

cleaning them.  You can use a small kitchen 

strainer such as a tea strainer to contain 

them while rinsing under warm water.  Use 

a lint free cloth, or a jewelry polish cloth to 

pat them dry.

If your diamonds are in need of a stronger 

cleansing, you may want to soak them for 30 

minutes in a solution of half and half water and 

ammonia.  Once they have soaked for 30 

minutes, remove them and gently brush the 

mountings with a small brush.  Then replace 

the pieces to the solution and swish them 

around in the mixture before removing them 

to rinse and pat dry.   

If you find your self too busy to be mixing 

soaps and ammonias, many department 

stores sell liquid jewelry cleaners.  Most are 

kits, with everything you need included.  You 

need to read the labels to determine the one 

that is right for your diamonds and other 

jewelry. Read the complete directions and 

follow all the precautions. 

And if you find yourself more the 

“high-tech type”, even in your diamond 

cleaning routine, there are multiple ultrasonic 

cleansers on the market.  These machines 

use high-frequency to create a cleaning motion.  

All machines are not the same, so please read 

the instructions before using.

Only you can choose the cleaning method 

right for you.   But, it is essential to keep 

your jewelry clean to keep it brilliant and 

sparkling.  Between cleaning, try not to touch

your clean diamonds with your fingers or 

handle your jewelry by its edges. This will 

help maintain its shine and brilliance for 

longer periods. 

How to Care for Your Diamond

How to Care for Your Diamond

Caring for a diamond takes more than 

occasional cleanings. Diamonds are forever, 

but they can be damaged if you are not 

careful. By learning how to properly care for 

your diamond, you will ensure that your 

diamond is indeed forever.

First, you should take your diamond jewelry 

to a jeweler once a year. Have him check the 

mountings and prongs that hold your 

diamond in place. Have him make any 

needed repairs. This will prevent your 

diamond from falling out of its setting and 

becoming lost.

Diamond jewelry that is not being worn, or 

diamonds that are loose should be stored in 

a fabric lined jewel case, or in a jewelry box 

where it can be kept separate from other 

jewelry. Each piece should have its own 

compartment. This will keep diamonds from 

becoming scratched, and it will also keep 

your diamond from scratching other jewelry 

as well.

Remove your diamond jewelry when doing 

physical work. Diamonds can be chipped 

and scratched easily. Also avoid allowing 

your diamond to come into contact with 

bleach or other household cleansers – this 

can damage or change the color of the 

settings and mountings, and it may even 

irreversibly change the color of the 

diamond!

How to Buy Diamond Engagement Rings

How to Buy Diamond Engagement Rings

There is much to consider when purchasing 

a diamond – especially diamond 

engagement rings! The tradition of 

presenting a woman with a diamond 

engagement ring when proposing began in 

1477 when Archduke Maximilian presented 

a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy – and 

in most cases, the woman you plan to 

propose to will expect a ring to accompany 

that proposal!

First, determine how much ring you can 

afford. Most people use the ‘two months 

salary’ rule. This means that the ring should 

cost the equivalent of two months of your 

current salary. Because you have other bills 

to pay, saving up this amount of money may 

take quite a bit of time. You should consider 

financing. Simply go to the jeweler of your 

choice and tell them that you plan to buy an 

engagement ring, and that financing will be 

necessary. Go ahead and get the credit 

check out of the way, find out what your 

payments will be, and how much of a down 

payment is required.

Now, have your mother, sister, or your 

girlfriends best friend take your girlfriend 

shopping, and make sure that they gaze at 

the engagement rings to get an idea of what 

she might like. Make sure that the jewelry 

store you buy the ring from will allow you to 

return the ring, if that is required, or allow 

your girlfriend to exchange it for another if 

she isn’t happy with it!

How Diamond Prices Are Determined

How Diamond Prices Are Determined

Pricing most products is quite easy. 

Determine how much it costs to make the 

item, how much it costs to market that item, 

and then mark it up by 15 – 30% or more. 

Simple, right? Well, pricing diamonds isn’t 

quite that simple. There are many factors 

that are considered when diamonds are 

priced.

Diamond prices are determined first by 

adding the cost of the rough diamond, the 

cost of cutting the diamond, and all other 

costs necessary to turn the rough diamond 

into a marketable diamond. Depending on 

the importance of the diamond, an 

independent company may be called in to 

certify the grade of the diamond based on 

color, cut, clarity, and weight.

At this point, the diamond becomes more 

expensive each time it changes hands, until 

it finally reaches a retailer, where the price is 

raised a bit more. Before reaching the 

retailer, however, the diamond must travel 

from the mine, to the cutter and polisher, to 

the independent grading company, and 

then to the Primary market. Once it has 

reached the primary market, it will be 

purchased by diamond dealers and 

wholesalers, and from there it will be sold 

to retailers.

As you can see, the earlier you can purchase 

a diamond in the process, the lower the cost 

of the diamond will be – but not the value. 

The value is based on what the diamond will 

sell for in the market place – through a retailer.

If you own a diamond, and you have no idea 

how much it is worth, you can have it 

appraised, but the appraisal may not be 

accurate. You will be better off obtaining a 

certificate through GIA – Gemological Institute 

of America. With the information on this 

certificate, you can use a cutter’s guide to 

accurately determine what your diamond is 

worth. 

There are also many diamond price 

calculators available. These can be found 

on the Internet, and many diamond dealers 

use these as well. You must realize, however, 

that before you can accurately price a 

diamond, without a Diamond Grade Report, 

you need to know quite a bit about diamonds, 

such as different cuts, clarity, color, and weight 

– and how each of those aspects adds to the 

value of a diamond, or decreases the value of 

the diamond as the case may be. 

Again, you will be better off if you get a 

Diamond Grading Report on the diamond, 

and use that information to look up the price 

in one of the guides that the diamond cutting 

industry uses. This will give you the most 

accurate value of the diamond in your 

possession, or of the diamond you are 

considering purchasing.