tanzanite aboard

[LSchrow]

i saw a few tanzanite pieces in the DCL shop last year, but decided against getting any.
soooooooo now i have lots of birthday money *burning a hole* , and was wondering how savvy tanzanite shoppers felt about the prices of the tanzanite pieces on board. (we'll be on the 4-day, & prob won't do any island shopping)
thanks!
laurie s

 

[moneypit85]

LSchrow
do i know a place for you to buy tanzanite! and at great prices.
Last Sept. husband and i spent many days in Nassau, went to town almost every day. Jewelery Mart was the place to shop and bargan, do not pay given price, ALWAYS bargan. So if you will be stopping at port it may be worth the trip. I was for me!!!!
Have a great trip and treat yourself.

Missy

 

[LSchrow]

thank you, missy!
not sure if i can get DH or DD to go back to nassau, tho. (both already told me *NO WAY* they're going back there ).
that's why i was hoping that the pieces were not *grossly over-priced* at the DCL store (i planned on using my CM discount, too - WOO-HOO!).
did you get any idea of how much more DCL was for comparable items?
thanks,
laurie s

 

[moneypit85]

Laurie S
Don't blame DH and DD for not wanting to go back to Nassau, the only reason we plan to get off ship there is jewelery and cigars. Never been on DCL to compair but family has. Was told the price is about 80-100 dollars more on ship. Which may be worth it not to upset the family by going on to Nassau. Hope this helps. Have a great time!

Missy

Oh by the way quality is the same, ship / shore
more variety on shore though.

 

[rmbreset]

I see this is an old pre 9/11 thread, but just FYI (my wife is in the Jewelery business) Osama bin laden and his family own and export most of the worlds tanzanite, you may want to purchase black coral or caymanite instead.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/WorldNewsTonight/tanzanite011214.html

 

[Bride2BeIn2003]

WOW how interesting. What a great article!!! I was looking forward to a tanzanite purchase myself, but now I will find something else. I am sure that there wil be many sparkling things to keep my interest!

 

[whytcrystal]

I am a bit confused. I was reading that it is illegal to bring black coral back to the states with you. Even as jewlery.

 

[whytcrystal]

I am a bit confused. I was reading that it is illegal to bring black coral back to the states with you. Even as jewlery.

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

Black coral is illegal to bring back into the U.S. To say nothing of the fact that it is incredibly destructive to the environment.

 

[Flik]

Thanks for that information. I saw a beautiful Tanzanite bracelet in Puerto Rico earlier this year. I have never seen Tanzanite before then; I didn't know if it was a decent price. So I didn't buy it.

I was looking forward to searching for Tanzanite while cruising with DCL in November. Maybe I'll donate some of the money instead.

 

[abitjaded]

Any of you with jeweler connections know what if anything is afoot to label jewels and gold with the country of origin? I was thinking of buying a diamond, then an article in a recent Nat'l Geo made me question the grisly origin of some of them. Seems, though, they can be laser etched to assure the stone's decent origin. A friend also has worked with some companies around the world on environmental impact statements to recover extreme fouling created by gold mining, some of his stories make me question the impact we make by buying gold, too. Colorado (my state) is full of Super Fund sites from the leftovers of 100-20 year old messes left, and other countries are well behind us in still allowing such environmental disasters. Coki Beach, due to it's protection from gathering, is the only place I ever saw black coral in situ, anywhere else we dove had been cleaned out. Anyone have any enlightening perspectives on what is safe to buy?