In a day and age when we can buy anything with a simple click and have it delivered almost as quickly, many consumers are foregoing the benefits of shopping local for the ease of shopping online. And while that’s fine for some items, it’s not the best idea for others… like fine jewelry.
When buying a fine piece of jewelry, the wisest option is to visit your local, trusted, qualified, and, most importantly, certified jeweler.
“We are certified jewelers,” said Darrel Quinn, master jeweler and owner of Quinn’s Diamond Jewelers in the Village at Wexford. “People are buying online without knowing what they are getting and many of those vendors are not certified. They have had no training in making jewelry and offer no after-sale service. We put our name on our store, and we service what we sell. Our customers know they can get a one-of-a-kind custom piece of jewelry that will last a lifetime.”
Darrel cutting diamonds
Quinn and his wife, Nancy, both hold several certifications and take pride in the fact that not only do they love what they have been doing for close to 50 years, they actively work to stay connected in the industry and abreast of the latest trends. The Quinns are active members of the Retail Jewelers Organization (RJO), an organization that was started with the intention of using buying power to negotiate better pricing for goods from vendors. In addition to monetary benefits, RJO has flourished from the knowledge sharing that has gone on between members across the nation.
“Consumers choosing to shop with approved members of the RJO have chosen to do business with the finest independent retail jewelers recognized in the industry today,” Quinn said.
Recently, in fact, the Quinns traveled with 15 other members of RJO to Antwerp, Belgium, where they visited the largest gemstone mine in all of Europe, as well as select diamond brokers in the diamond district. On a side trip to London, they met and shopped for diamonds with Al Cook, the CEO of DeBeers Diamonds, a company that controls 89% of the diamond mines in the world. As an approved retailer of RJO, the Quinns can use their collective buying power along with the other perks of membership to pass those savings on to their loyal customers.
The Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp, Belgium
Quinn’s Diamond Jewelry is truly a mom-and-pop organization. It’s just the two of them – Darrel and Nancy, which is another reason they can offer beautiful jewelry at great prices. They don’t have the payroll or commission burden other stores might have.
“Nancy is the only one who gets paid around here,” said Quinn with a twinkle in his eye, and flashing his trademark grin. “I’m retired.”
Gem mine in Frankfort, Germany
And no one should forget that there is no better Valentine’s Day gift than a stunning diamond in one of Quinn’s signature lighted boxes.
“My advice for a guy at Valentine’s is this: Come in and pick out something special and we’ll put it in that box,” Quinn said. “Then, on Valentine’s Day evening, just before she opens her gift, dim the lights, so that when she opens the box, the whole room lights up – not just from the jewelry but from the glow coming from her eyes and out of her heart.”
To take him up on that advice, stop in at Quinn’s Diamond Jewelers in the Village At Wexford, 1000 William Hilton Pkwy, in Hilton Head or visit online at DiamondLand.com.
“Thank you for your patronage for the past 16 years,” Quinn added. “We appreciate it.”
