When buying jewelry it is important to understand who you are buying from and how much you are spending. I always feel comfortable buying from a jeweler who I know and trust. I would rather spend a little more on my jewelry as long as I know who I am buying from. Several people have asked me whether or not I prefer jewelry stores in the mall or a galleria or online jewelry stores. The location of the jewelry store does not make a big difference as long as you know the jeweler.
The jeweler I buy from is a family friend who I know would never give me a bad deal. On the other hand, his selection may not be as good as a larger jewelry store. But that is OK. You and I only have a limited amount of money to spend on jewelry. If you are interested in silver jewelry, your budget will go farther than if you are buying platinum or gold jewelry.
Understand that you will never find the perfect piece of jewelry. For example, if you are looking at diamond earrings, you have to balance cut, quality, clarity and color (to name a few). If you have a budget of $1,000, you may be able to buy a larger diamond but you may have to sacrifice cut and quality. On the other hand, if you are willing to sacrifice size, you can find a diamond with better color and quality.
We all know that our budget is one of the biggest determining factors of our purchase. As previously mentioned, silver jewelry is cheaper than gold jewelry or platinum jewelry, all else being equal. The biggest mistake a person can make is to sacrifice quality for price. We all want to get a good deal because we think we can get more for our money. But if we don't know who we are buying from, we can get burned. And if you don't know a jeweler on a personal level then ask one of your good friends to recommend one in the area. It will pay off in the short run and a long run.