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Family-Owned Jewelry Stores vs. Chain Stores
Buying a diamond or any other gemstone is a big investment both emotionally and financially, so making a smart decision is important. There are many occasions which we honor with jewelry pieces, be it your own wedding, engagement, anniversary, birth of a baby, birthdays, retirement or even graduation.
In addition to honoring, we also want to own jewelry that would stand out in terms of value as well as appearance. And for this, you need to put in some time and effort. Whenever we start the search for a valuable jewelry item, the first thing that comes to the mind is:
Should we head over to a chain store or a private jeweler?
We cannot claim any one of both options to be inch-perfect. Each one of them has their own offerings in terms of value, quality, service level, credibility, and others. When choosing a jewelry store to buy from, it is important to consider your needs and choose the one that suits your preferences.
So, if you know your preferences well but you are on the fence indeed, we are here to help you arrive at a decision. Here we have discussed some distinctive aspects of private jewelers and big chain stores so that you can make the right choice that best meets your needs!
Private Jewelers vs. Chain Stores
Quality
When you buy any type of jewelry, especially diamond jewelry, quality matters the most. It is better to buy a rough, uncut but valuable diamond than buying a dirty dull piece.
Private Jewelers
While the items in the chain stores are mass produced, private jewelers buy these gemstones and metals from reputed and well-inspected sources. They handpick the material they want to sell. A private jeweler can help you evaluate a diamond for its clarity, cut, color, and carat weight and choose the one that offers unparalleled sheen and beauty.
Keeping the quality at par is key to maintaining good reputation among big named chain stores. Private jewelers strive to offer their customers the very best. This means that you can be sure to find a piece that will retain its value for years to come.
Chain Stores
Chain stores buy in bulk and mass produce an item. This sometimes gets in the way of maintaining the standard level of quality – especially in comparison to a handpicked piece. However, you may still find a good-quality item, but for this you will need to walk down the aisles full of options to choose the one that also meets your budget constraints.
Atmosphere and Service
When you make such a big investment, you expect to receive focused attention and personalized services from the sellers.
Private Jewelers
When it comes to personalization, private jewelers have the edge over it. But if you look for a luxury atmosphere you might need to compromise customer-oriented service. When you visit a private jeweler you don’t talk with the pushy salesman. Instead you work with a jewelry designer who holds good knowledge and insight of the product.
There are fewer interruptions at a private jeweler’s shop and full attention is given to individual customers. Their service is meticulous in terms of helping a customer find the right item. You also get an option to customize the item right away or to get it fixed later on, in case it’s required.
Chain Stores
Buying jewelry from a chain store is nothing more than entering the shop, choosing the one from the selection, making payment and that’s it. Shopping at a chain store is a good idea if you are going with your fiancé, a friend, or relative. This way you can get advice and pick the perfect piece of jewelry from a vast range of beautifully showcased choices. But if you going alone to find that special item, you might feel confused due to lack of focused attention from the sellers and plenty of options.
Chain stores are generally serving many customers at once and you might need to wait for your turn. Moreover, fixing the item right away or later totally depends on their store policies and usually takes more time than individual jewelers.
Style Selection
A search for a special jewel item is not complete unless you pick many items from the huge collection of available jewelry, and then choose the one that appeals to your loved ones the most!
Private Jewelers
An individual jeweler might not be showcasing a huge collection at the store but with them, you can get your hands on some amazingly unique pieces. As you visit a family-owned store, you get to choose from hand-crafted items, which are not accessible to the mass public. Hence, if you like to keep it creatively special, you must check out private jewelers, because the items offered by them are the ones, which are made to order and typically belong to no one but your special one.
Chain Stores
People with creative instincts and who appreciate uniqueness might not find the collection showcased at chain stores very appealing. While chain stores are perfect to get introduced to a wide collection of beautifully-presented jewelry to choose from, you generally end up buying a jewelry item which is owned by many and being sold at various stores. While you can still get a customized piece from a reputed chain store, you might need to review your budget.
The bottom line
No matter what your preferences are, your best bet is to explore both the options to get the best bargain and the exact item of your choice. Whether you go with the private jeweler or a chain store, it pays to complete your homework first. This will also help you in cutting the additional cost.
Since now you know what each option brings to the table, we hope you make the best choice. If you need some professional insight or want to get a custom-designed piece from a well-reputed jewelry designer, head over to Brio Jewelry right away!