'What's important to you?'
By Kathleen Alaks
of the Daily Courier

Consumers likely shelled out a lot of money for jewelry this past week in anticipation of Valentine's Day.
But how can they be sure that they've gotten a good value?

Tom Hart of Hart Jewelers, which has been a Grants Pass fixture for 50 years, has some advice for jewelry buyers who may not be able to tell a carat from a karat. (For the record, a carat is a unit of weight of precious stones and pearls. A karat is a measure of gold content.)

First, decide what's important to you," Hart says. Everybody is looking for something different. Some people want the perfect stone, with documentation of measurements and grading. Others just want
something that's pretty to the eye."

Diamonds, for example, are graded by the American Gem Society for color, clarity, cut and carat weight. The lower the rating, the better the quality and the higher the value and cost. But while a
one-point difference in ratings may translate into a significant difference in cost, there may be a minuscule difference in appearance.

For example, a color rating of 5, meaning almost colorless, is only slightly better than a rating of 6, but can mean as much as a 12 percent difference in value. And the cut of the diamond can affect the price by as much as 60 percent," Hart says.

Look at stones under a microscope to detect inclusions or flaws. Even an untrained eye can detect certain blemishes, and while these may not affect the beauty of a stone, they almost always affect its
price. To the eye, they may look like one thing, but under the scope, they may look like something else," Hart says.

When shopping for gold, keep in mind that the higher the karat rating, the higher the proportion of gold in the piece of jewelry. Twenty-four karat gold is all gold, while 14 karat jewelry contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloy. In general, a higher karat commands a higher price.

Hart also points out that platinum, while more dense than white gold, is not harder and will actually scratch more easily. That's a big misconception that a lot of people have," he says.

When buying gemstones, size and cut may influence the price, but color is the most important thing to look for, Hart says. Sapphire is a good example. Some sapphires can be so dark they're almost black, but a sapphire should look like Crater Lake," he says. Of course, the best color depends on what you prefer."

It's also important to shop from a reputable dealer. The best thing is to find a jeweler who is knowledgeable and able to answer your questions," Hart says. Shop around, but make good comparisons. If you're looking for a 1 carat diamond, be sure that you compare costs not just of diamonds of the same weight, but also the same cut and the same grade of color and clarity.

Don't shop with half the information," Hart warns. Be wary of sales." Unsavory dealers may overinflate a gem's appraisal value then offer the stone for sale at a discount."

Get quality information in writing. A reputable jeweler or gemologist should be able to provide you with written documentation about the stone's quality and grading.

Look, too, at how well a piece is made, taking care that it shows adequate quality and is heavy enough to stand years of wear.

To properly insure a piece of fine jewelry, Hart suggests first getting an appraisal as a record of the value of the item. But also prepare a complete written description, with measurements and sizes, and take a color photograph of the piece.

A full description with photography gives all the necessary information, so if it's lost, it can be duplicated," Hart says.