All That Glitters is Not Gold: Red Flags To Look Out For When Purchasing Custom Jewelry

Custom jewelry allows you to express your individuality and create unique pieces that hold sentimental value. While affordability is an important consideration, it's crucial to exercise caution when dealing with cheap custom jewelers. Price alone shouldn't be the sole determining factor when choosing a jeweler. In this blog post, we will delve into the risks associated with cheap and dishonest custom jewelers and highlight why their low prices may raise red flags. By being aware of these potential pitfalls, you can make informed decisions and protect your investment.

Poor Craftsmanship and Quality

Custom jewelry requires skill, expertise, and attention to detail. Cheap custom jewelers may cut corners by employing less experienced or unskilled craftsmen. They may lack the expertise needed to bring your vision to life or execute complex designs accurately.

As a result, you may end up with poorly crafted jewelry that doesn't meet your expectations or withstand the test of time. Quality craftsmanship is vital when it comes to custom jewelry, and significantly lower prices may indicate subpar workmanship.

Here is an example of a comparison between a low and high quality piece. The edges are rougher due to the lack of proper polish and finishing.

The diamonds used are also not as sparkly as if they are not set right, the light reflection is compromised resulting in a duller look.

While all this may not seem important at first, all the little imperfections added up will affect the experience and when compared to something of high quality it will be very obvious.

Inferior Materials

Cheap custom jewelers often use lower-quality materials and sneaky techniques to keep costs down. They may substitute precious metals for cheaper alternatives or use low-grade gemstones that lack the desired brilliance or durability. Inadequate materials and workmanship can lead to jewelry that easily tarnishes, breaks, or loses its aesthetic appeal over time. Investing in quality materials and expert craftsmanship ensures that your custom jewelry stands the test of time.

We managed to borrow a sample of something that came out from a cheaper custom jeweler.

The first thing that was very obvious was the luster and shine of the diamonds. We can clearly see the color and shine of the diamonds are much duller. This is a result of poor setting and the use of lower clarity diamonds with undesirable color grades.

The chain of the bracelet is also significantly thinner to save weight. The finish on the overall piece was dull due to the lack of proper finishing.

Scams and Cheats

As with any online purchase, there is always a risk of scams. We have had our fair share of such experiences, and many of our customers have also shared their experiences with us.

One of the most extreme cases that we discovered was when a client wanted to melt her old piece to something else. We received her item and noticed that the weight was slightly different when compared to our pieces.

With her permission, we took it apart and were shocked to discover that her previous jeweler had wrapped a thin layer of gold on top of a steel tube.

She was charged market rate. While the solid piece would have around 32 grams of solid gold, this piece only had around 8 grams of solid gold.

After further investigation, we found out that no certificate of weight was provided with the purchase. The diamonds were also tested and turned out to be fake as well.

The other piece that was sent in to us shared the same fate as well. Some jewelers may also put tungsten inside, so the weight will be the same.

Her jeweler was uncontactable ever since.

This is why you should always be careful when purchasing and be sure to ask the right questions. Here at Valor18k, we will always provide a certificate that states the weight, which has been tested and verified by NGIC or ZGSC. If you have selected a GIA/IGI certified diamond in your purchase, we will also produce the relevant certificate for that as well. On top of that, all diamonds will be tested upon delivery if possible. Many of our pieces have also been successfully pawned or re-melted.

Sample of certificates

In conclusion, you should always look at the details of your piece and check the relevant information and certification. Should you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to us, even if the purchase is not with us. We will be more than happy to help you with providing valuable information to helping you ensure that your purchase is legitimate.

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