Costco jewelry?

[mtjoya]

Hello Everyone,

I was at Costco yesterday and was scoping out the jewelry. Has anyone ever bought any jewelry from there? I thought some pieces were beautiful and very tempting...

 

[missy]

I never have but I have been tempted!! Just this past Friday I had my eye on a very sweet white gold star of david. It was very pretty. But for some reason I didn't get it. I don't wear any religious jewelry so that might have had something to do with my decision but I really liked it and don't have anything like it. I also wasn't sure the price was amazing.

There was also a Panerai at Costco! My dh and I were shocked. True it was one of their less expensive models but still, I cannot believe Panerai would be OK with that...

ETA: The good thing about Costco is that they have a very generous return policy and some of their diamonds are GIA rated...

 

[mtjoya]

Missy,

I loved several things. Like diamond earrings, a right hand ring and another wedding band . Yeah I have been surprised at some of the stuff that Costco has been carrying. I saw a vendor selling Gucci handbags.

 

[luv2sparkle]

I have bought several pieces from them and have been very happy with them. My first piece was a 5 stone ring and I still love it. The stones have very nice arrows and sparkle like crazy. I probably wouldn't buy my engagement stone there without very careful examination of the specs and price comparisons but any thing else I would buy there in a heart beat. Their return policy is awesome so if you get it home and decide it is not right you return it.

Before jewelry and metal prices went up, you could get a great deal there. I have three necklaces that I paid just a couple hundred dollars for. A pink sapphire flower pendant with diamonds up the chain, a heart key with diamonds, and a multi color sapphire pendant, oh
and a diamond (invisable set) heart pendant my hubby bought for an anniversary. I love the heart but the stones could have been cut better to fit on that one. But all in all, I think you can find some nice pieces there.

 

[Niel]

I can remember a guy came here and wanted to buy something from Costco and everyone was like "you can do better let's see the stats


Turned out the stone was egl graded but based off a gia cert. And once they got a hold of the gia number it turned out to have great numbers.

The "idea" of it brothers me more than the actual quality. Its just hard for me to wrap my mind around.

 

[kimmo416]

I bought my engagement ring there and am now returning it. There's no question they have beautiful pieces and you can great clarity and color for a steal, but the cut is a gamble. I got a 1.02 ct VVS2 F princess in a platinum halo setting (1.3 ctw) for $5700. It was an amazing price and appraised for more than double that. However, after doing research, I realized it wasn't cut great. It had a really large table and after doing some comparisons, didn't have the fire or brightness I wanted. I am now in the process of returning it and replacing it with my dream of chunky cushion. If you're not picky and willing to take whatever cut you get, definitely go for it. I would go back to Costco to buy things like diamond earrings or even a wedding band, but there just wasn't enough control for me to have my center stone from there.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Hi,
I've seen some cute things at Costco, but I'd only buy little fun pieces. Some stuff I'm fairly picky about...I wouldn't buy an eng ring or significant (like stud) earrings there, but, fashion stuff, possibly. I'd bring my ideal scope to make sure the diamonds were well cut. The lighting in there makes it hard to critique the diamonds.

 

[kenny]

I'd consider a Costco diamond if it was graded by GIA and had good cut, but the colored stones are almost certainly not natural in both material and color origin.
Nothing wrong with that; I just wish it was disclosed on some sign in the display.

Costco has a good reputation and customers trust they are getting top quality authentic products at good prices.
The public is poorly educated about how common treatment of colored stones is.
I feel Costco has an obligation to inform shoppers about colored stone treatments and that theirs are not fully natural.

I'll betcha 90%+ of buyers think their colored stones from Costco came out of the earth with that color.

 

[denverappraiser]

Costco is a credible outfit but they're NOT jewelers. They haven't a clue what they're selling and they don't claim to. You're relying 100% on the lab and you get zip in terms of value add or useful advice. It's almost exactly the same thing as buying from the generic online virtual sellers except that you get immediate delivery (sometimes) and, as pointed out, they have a better than usual return policy.

 

[04diamond<3]

I have!!! My wedding band is from costco! I absolutely love it and will buy from them again. In 5 years my ring has stayed in tact. It's a shared prong half eternity 1/3 carat 18kt wg, and it's perfect! The stones are G VS1 and sparkly like crazy! They include appraisals with their jewelry, but you could always take your piece to a different jeweler to get an appraisal from them.

 

[Dancing Fire]

their 1ct rb IGI graded I VS2 ring sells for $6200 with a 6 prong PT setting. IMO...not really a great price.

i bought a few pieces of jewelry from Costco but none were over $500.

 

[kenny]

their 1ct rb IGI graded I VS2 ring sells for $6200 with a 6 prong PT setting. IMO...not really a great price.

Are you sure that listing does not also include a GIA report?

I haven't looked at every listing, but every one I have looked at (over a certain price) had both GIA and IGI paper (IGI for that tacky inflated appraisal value even respected PS vendors include. ).

 

[minmin001]

My mother bought a beautiful necklace from costco few years ago and it was Not for everyday wear. Since she haven't wore it at all I told her she should consider buy more of a everyday wear instead. She was able to return it after have it for years! I was very impressed with that part.

 

[Dancing Fire]

their 1ct rb IGI graded I VS2 ring sells for $6200 with a 6 prong PT setting. IMO...not really a great price.

Are you sure that listing does not also include a GIA report?

higher priced rings include a GIA report but their less expensive rings do not include a GIA report,not sure about their online orders...

 

[SoonerSage]

I am an amitted Costco addict. I love Costco and buy EVERYTHING there. Cars and diamonds included.

I have purchased non cert 1.5 ctw huggies. The apprasial says I and VS1 or better, but they look very white. I am also eyeing a 2 ctw 5 stone band, listed with same qualifiers. I also have a 1.25 ct ec three stone ring. I'm not sure on the total weight. It is certified F VS1. They have a generous retrun policy. All in all, I am happy with my purchases.

Oh, I also got a Tag diamond watch a few years ago for less than half of the price that I saw at a couple of B&M stores. While they are not an authorized dealer and the 2 year manf warranty may be voided, Costco will warranty for the warranty period, plus a year. (I think)

If you see something you like, get it. I wholly support this store, its employment practices, and fair prices.

 

[bcavitt]

Costco is a credible outfit but they're NOT jewelers. They haven't a clue what they're selling and they don't claim to. You're relying 100% on the lab and you get zip in terms of value add or useful advice. It's almost exactly the same thing as buying from the generic online virtual sellers except that you get immediate delivery (sometimes) and, as pointed out, they have a better than usual return policy.

I took a GIA class with one of their buyers and suggested that to her. Not only did I get flamed by her, so did most of the class!
I think the problem with Costco is more that they hire clerks, not salespeople for their stores (a function of wage) and those people don't know what their selling or how to sell it. We don't have a Costco locally, but from those I have seen the clerks remind me a lot of Service Merchandise when they were in business. They act like they know what they are selling, but not really.

Bryan Cavitt
Images Jewelers

 

[missy]

Costco is a credible outfit but they're NOT jewelers. They haven't a clue what they're selling and they don't claim to. You're relying 100% on the lab and you get zip in terms of value add or useful advice. It's almost exactly the same thing as buying from the generic online virtual sellers except that you get immediate delivery (sometimes) and, as pointed out, they have a better than usual return policy.

I took a GIA class with one of their buyers and suggested that to her. Not only did I get flamed by her, so did most of the class!
I think the problem with Costco is more that they hire clerks, not salespeople for their stores (a function of wage) and those people don't know what their selling or how to sell it. We don't have a Costco locally, but from those I have seen the clerks remind me a lot of Service Merchandise when they were in business. They act like they know what they are selling, but not really.

Bryan Cavitt
Images Jewelers

Ya know, I just have not seen this. I visit 2 different Costco establishments and at neither place do the clerks act like they know anything about the jewelry they are selling. Not at all. In my experience they are very upfront with the fact that they are just vehicles selling the jewelry and not knowledgeable about the jewelry they are selling.

 

[sparkly526]

I must agree that the clerks at Costco do not know anything. But that is OK. I just bought two days ago a beautiful pair of platinum 3 prong martini baskets with screwbacks. They are listed as .50 min and I and VS2 min. This costco I went to had a loupe right there so I used it and definitely agree they are in fact selling what they are claiming even with my amateur diamond education. The stone looked very clear and I agree the color wasnt a D but it was not a J either so I would guess H/I (comparing to other stones I own).

Here is the tricky part...the cut : (
There is just no way to know how their uncertified stones are cut, I emailed a diamond person of theirs in WA and she said that their certified diamonds consist of good, very good and excellet, but most cuts are very good and excellent and many "good" cuts are rejected so they do have some standards, and she even sent me the mumbo jumbo on percentages and all that. But sadly it will not apply to my studs because they are uncertified. But I bought them for the following reasons:

1> They look damn good, they really do sparkle, they do not throw off the same sparkle as maybe an ideal cut stone but they sparkle alot and I have been analyzing them under the same lights at home, gym everywhere i wore my ideal f cut stones and they are def not sparkling the same but you know what they are sparkling better than I expected them to, even when i was driving with the sun roof open I was staring at them and they were throwing off sparkle left and right, so I really truly believe if they were cut poorly they wouldnt look like that. They look so good under the loupe too but theres no way of knowing polish, etc.

2> Return policy!!!! Costco has one of the most liberal return policies I can think of and I know that if I change my mind for any reason or found something better they will take it back no questions asked, i tucked my receipt in my jewelry box nice and safe.

3> I wanted something I can wear every day and the size was perfect and because they are screwbacks I can sleep in them etc, The major selling point for me was that this was a 3 prong basket and not a true martini so it will sit on my ear but not dig in and rip my slender pierced ear to shreds, NONE of the online vendors I searched offered that as an option, and neither did the costco website it was 4 prong so when I saw it in the store I couldnt believe my good luck I had been speaking to all the online vendors and none of them had it, and the other thing was a very slender post!!! I wanted a skinny pair of posts so that my ear wouldnt look like the grand canyon after my earrings were in for a week. I bought a beautiful pair of plat studs that I loved but after a week of wearing them they ripped my ear open and I had to return them : ( they were ideal cut and perfect in every other way. I had lost hope that anyone would have a post that was way below .70 mm which is what the prior studs were and I found this setting and knew it was for me, so in reality I may have sacrificed a little bit in color and I know it isnt an ideal cut but it is a clear sparkly stone that sits on top of my ear without ripping it apart, the diamond should be secure since it is in platinum and with the earring being so light and not as clunky and heavy as the prior set they are a dream to wear and perfect for every day, and I didn't have to go crazy and pay an arm and a leg to find some jeweler to make me a custom set of earrings if it were even possible..so overall I am very happy with my .50 sparklies, but I would do alot more homework before I bought pendants or anything big bucks from them, yes its good to have a certified stone and this is my first time buying one blind but i dont believe the stone will lie and from looking at it it is definitely not a dud and I couldnt be happier, so if you do your homework and can get a deal there I really dont believe it is a sub standard cut so you may be as happy as I am, and I don't have to keep paying fed ex and fees to ship things back it was as easy as buying it right along my cases of poland spring water. And with a home run return policy I cant go wrong, literally two years from now I can return them no problem who else allows that?? nobody.
I should mention that I paid $949.00 plus tax so it ended up being about $1016.00 all in all I think I did ok, and sorry about the lengthy post but I have been doing so much earring research that I feel like I wanted to share so much....and I should mention I didnt go there to buy diamonds i went to buy water and happened to pass by the case and see these : ) lucky me last pair

 

[denverappraiser]

The Costco return policy on jewelry seems to have been modified somewhat recently. It now voids your return ability to modify the piece in any way, including sizing.

They've added the following:
When returning unique jewelry items, or items containing a 1.00 ct center diamond or larger, Costco warehouses may require additional time to verify the diamond, in which case a refund will be approved upon positive verification and as long as the item is not damaged or changed in any way (i.e. resized or reset). This process may require two to five business days.

It's not clear if ordinary wear would count as damage under the above and, if so, how much is acceptable, but it's a giant opportunity to decline refunds if they want. They're still a good store but what was once their strongest feature has been distinctly diluted.

 

[delight]

What matters most is you are happy with what you get at the end of the day. At that price point, I won't expect really high quality stuff though.