My Private Jeweler Inc. - Grace Evans, San Diego Private Jeweler

January	Garnet	July	Ruby
February	Amethyst	August	Peridot
March	Aquamarine	September	Sapphire
April	Diamond	October	Opal
May	Emerald	November	Citrine
June	Pearl	December	Topaz

How can I be comfortable with the quality of the stones that are in my setting?

Diamonds, for example, are graded by well-established jewelry industry standards, and you are involved in that decision making process. Once you have made that decision and have personally inspected and approved the diamond(s), they will be set in the setting that you designed or selected. When you receive the jewelry, it will be accompanied by a detail written description of the diamond(s) and an appraisal for insurance purposes.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can My Personal Jeweler duplicate any design that I like?

Yes! It is not uncommon for a person to see something in a catalog or at a quality store such as Tiffany & Co. or Nordstrom and ask to have it replicated.

Are Diamonds and Semi-Precious Stones a good investment?

While it is true that both diamonds and semi-precious stones have steadily appreciated in value over the last 10 to 20 years, it is important to realize that if you buy at retail prices and a short time later sell at wholesale prices (perhaps to a jeweler who wants to pay 50% of what he can sell it for), you will have made a lousy investment, other than the enjoyment of the piece in the meantime. That being said, if you stay with high quality stones and do not pay retail prices, you will be significantly ahead of the game. It should also be noted that while there are organized wholesale markets for diamonds, they are limited to the trade, and thus there is not an organized and centralized market place as there are for stocks, bonds, currencies, etc. to provide near instant liquidity.

I would like to create a mother's ring for my wife. What are the birthstones for each month?

The most commonly accepted birthstones per month are:

I understand that you provide a written appraisal with settings that include diamonds greater than 1 carat. Who writes the appraisal and will my insurance company accept it?

Appraisals are written by certified appraisers who are intimately familiar with the diamond industry and current market prices being paid for diamonds. While it is not possible to say what an individual insurance company will or will not do, our experience (and that of others in the jewelry trade) is that insurance companies routinely accept the appraisals as accurate descriptions of and representations of the replacement and/or retail value of the jewelry item in the event of a loss. It should also be stated that in some policies it might be necessary to ‘schedule’ the jewelry item and perhaps pay a slightly increased premium to cover all loss situations.

You have said that my satisfaction is guaranteed, how is that accomplished?

When your jewelry is personally delivered to you, if you are not completely happy with it, for any reason, the transaction is cancelled, and you will have no cost or obligation whatsoever.

Once I have decided upon the stones and the setting, how long before I can receive the finished jewelry?

Generally, it takes about two to three weeks; however, a particularly involved or extensive piece might take a little longer, as can also be the case a month or so prior to the very busy time periods of Valentine's Day, Mother’s Day and Christmas.

Should I insure my jewelry?

That is a personal decision, but if you want financial coverage for mysterious disappearance and theft and any other situations that could cause a loss, you have a choice to either insure or self-insure. If you do elect to insure, the insurance company will typically request a copy of any appraisals and a detailed description of the stone(s), and that information is provided in the appraisal.

We are getting married in three months and can’t afford the type of setting that I know my bride would like to have, but we expect to be able to afford it at some point in the future. Will you accept trade-ins?

We will give you 100% credit for the price that you paid for any jewelry purchased from My Private Jeweler, Inc. if/when you decide to acquire a more expensive piece from us.

Do you extend credit or financing for purchases?

No, however, we do accept most credit cards.

In designing and purchasing a custom piece, do I have to make a deposit?

No, I am comfortable with your intention to proceed. With My Private Jeweler, Inc.'s satisfaction guarantee, a deposit would be meaningless as you are not obligated to pay anything until you have received the finished piece and are completely delighted with it.

Do you offer, artificial or manufactured diamonds?

No, their quality is not satisfactory, and their resale values are very challenging at best. For basically the same reasons, I do not offer or recommend diamonds that are classified as less than J on the GIA rating scale of D to Z+. Semi-precious stones are different as the overall cost is lower, there are often attractive price differentials, and it takes an extremely well- trained jeweler to tell the difference. and. With semi-precious stones, I will educate you about the differences ahead of time so you may take them into account in your decision making.

Do you have any general recommendations as to the metals used in settings?

The main recommendation I have to offer is not to be tempted by anything other than 14 or 18 karat gold (higher is too soft and lower does not hold its appearance), and good jewelry grades of silver and platinum are all suitable metals in designing attractive and high quality jewelry.