Gems tv

Luk_on_the_brightside

Hi,

Has any body bought through gems tv? im just wondering if these really are bargins or a big con

Cheers

vivatifosi

Hi,

I haven't bought recently, but I have in the past. I find that the stones I bought were good quality, but the settings were cheaper than you get elsewhere - quite thin gold etc. Though to give Gems their due, they do tell you what the gold weight etc is and they do have some more substantial pieces. Gold is so expensive at the moment I wouldn't blame any jeweller for making their settings a bit more flimsy!

You also need to watch what you are getting. The really expensive Paraiba tourmaline is from Brazil for example, whereas Gems' paraiba (and QVCs and pretty much everyone else's) is from Mozambique. This isn't to say it isn't beautiful and you would never get such big gems from Brazil as the mines are exhausted and the best bit long since snapped up. Similarly they say "padparascha coloured" sapphire instead of "padparascha sapphire". Again to me this isn't a problem, you just need to be aware of what you are buying.

By way of comparison, I bought a Tanzanite pendant, duty free while on holiday in the Caribbean for $499 US and managed to match this with a ring from Gems for £210. So it was like getting a tax free price in the UK.

My advice would be to watch the different programmes for a bit and find out what prices things go for before taking the plunge. I also find things go for less money when there are fewer people watching, so make your purchase either when everyone is at work or in bed to get the best value.

juliejuly4

Hi there,

My daughter and I have both bought a few pieces from Gems last year. We've been very pleased with what we've bought, both in terms of stones, gold weight and workmanship.

Their customer service is excellent too, questions answered honestly (to our q's anyway), and no quibble returns are speedy concluded.

They also have website, might be worth having a look - they have now extended to fixed price as well as auction items.

Unlike many TV or werbsites, they don't charge your card until dispatch (I waited over a week recently AFTER my card was charged for an item to be dispatched with another site).

Have to say, I think their prices have gone up a little, but I heard somewhere that gold generally had increased in price.

kickstart_3

Yes i have bought some nice rings , no problem with returns , even if you just dont like it when it comes !

anniewoo

I have bought quite a few pieces of jewellery from Gems and I have been happy with everything.

Just a reminder that their rings only come in size N,so if that isn't your size,you will have to pay extra to have it altered.

Lippycow

I have bought 2 rings and a pendant from gems,i paid £70.00 for a triple sapphire ring so i took it into Goldsmiths to be valued(thought i would pick a well know jewellers cost £40.00) came back with a valuation of £415.00:T

Then took in a ruby and alexandrite pendant paid £65.00 and came back with valuation of £385.00:T

The third ring a large ruby i have yet to get valued.

I have also returned a pendant that i didnt like and was refunded with no problem,the secret with gems it watch between 1am and 2am when its quieter and less competition.

babymoneyblagger

I have got many pieces of gems jewellery, I have lots of tanzanite which is my fav, I only wear my wedding ring for everyday and like to wear my gems for special occasions - I have never had a gem fall out of a piece, just watch the wording to what you are buying like vivatifosi said, I don't buy anything that is over £100 (morganite ring is most expensive £99 that I brought) so I cannot comment on the more valuable items. I like gemstv, great customer service, no problem is too small for them.

Mistreated

My shopping experience with Gems TV USA started off well but declined very quickly. On the Gems TV broadcast, they continuously promote the "30 Day Money Back Guarantee, return for ANY reason, and their risk free shopping." If you follow this policy and have a high rate of returns, Gems TV will block your account. They penalize / punish the customer. I followed their 30 Day Money Back Guarantee, and did not realize my account was blocked until I called to place an order. This is a shopping network...so I was so surprised that they no longer wanted my business after I spent a few thousand dollars. Their 30 Day Money Back Guarantee is limited. Where is that mentioned on the TV broadcast? This is so unfair! I contacted the Gems TV Corporate Office, but was ignored. Talk about the worst shopping experience ever. I am glad I found out how they treat their customers (very poorly) and what this company is all about, their bottom line. Buyer Beware! I have taken my business elsewhere where I am valued as a customer.

CFC

Lippycow wrote: »

I have bought 2 rings and a pendant from gems,i paid £70.00 for a triple sapphire ring so i took it into Goldsmiths to be valued(thought i would pick a well know jewellers cost £40.00) came back with a valuation of £415.00:T

Then took in a ruby and alexandrite pendant paid £65.00 and came back with valuation of £385.00:T

The third ring a large ruby i have yet to get valued.

I have also returned a pendant that i didnt like and was refunded with no problem,the secret with gems it watch between 1am and 2am when its quieter and less competition.

This will tend to happen with any piece of jewellery when valued. If you bought it in one jewellers and took it to another for 'valuation' purposes you'll always find the price quoted is twice what you paid for it. Especially if it's an 'insurance valuation.' and the quote is then for an identical copy, handmade as a 'one off'

A more certain way of getting the feel of how good value a piece is to ask the jeweller how much they can get you a similar ring for because your friend wants one. Or ask how much they'd offer for it second hand, then quadruple that as a very rough guide.

Lippycow

CFC wrote: »

This will tend to happen with any piece of jewellery when valued. If you bought it in one jewellers and took it to another for 'valuation' purposes you'll always find the price quoted is twice what you paid for it. Especially if it's an 'insurance valuation.' and the quote is then for an identical copy, handmade as a 'one off'

A more certain way of getting the feel of how good value a piece is to ask the jeweller how much they can get you a similar ring for because your friend wants one. Or ask how much they'd offer for it second hand, then quadruple that as a very rough guide.

Thanks for that but i only wanted it valued for insureance anyway,and i picked Goldsmiths as they charge £40.00 weather the jewelly you are having valued is worth £400.00 or £45.000 it stops a piece being over valued as alot of jewelers charge a % of the value so the higher they value it the more they earn.

V_tricky

Hi,

I had a quick look on google, and came up with this thread - obviously don't know whether what paul nolan on that thread says is true, but it seems plausible.

If you're just after a bit of something you can wear as you would wear costume jewellery (and if you look at some of swarovski's prices, you can definately call most of gemstv prices the same league) then you should be okay. If you're looking to spend hundreds or (eek!) thousands of pounds, you would be much better served either buying from birmingham's jewellery quarter if you can get there (although there are many many big money players there, they do also have a few shops which sell items for cheap) or perhaps get something made?



edited to add: the other important thing that a lot of people seem to miss, is that gems tv do periodically say on the channel that the start price is NO reflection of the value of the item, and shouldn't be considered as an rrp. See their terms & conditions on their website - here's a clicky link, copied with their own bold for emphais:

Keep in mind that the starting price in any game is merely the price that GemsTV has selected to initiate the game and does not necessarily represent the fair market value, suggested retail price or other generally used or accepted selling price for the item(s). All on-screen prices will be stated in Pounds Sterling and include VAT.

also worth noting in their t&c's on the same link:

"GemsTV reserves the sole and exclusive right to decide the number of pieces to be offered in any particular TV game. By offering a particular number of pieces in a specific TV game, we do not in any way imply that there is a scarcity or an abundance of these items.

Although the number of pieces offered in particular TV game is always limited to a specified number, that number may not necessarily be all the pieces we have in our inventory."

also

"All orders may be cancelled, free of charge, at any time prior to shipment; provided, however, customers who repeatedly cancel orders prior to shipment (and/or repeatedly return products without a good reason) may be excluded from participating in future GemsTV games. This policy is intended to be fair not only to you, but also to other customers who are participating in GemsTV games."