Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry - Local Stores (2024)

Here’s Why You Should Always Shop Local And Not At Chain Jewelry Stores

Jewelry is precious. Your favorite jewelry pieces are some of your most prized possessions. You treasure them, and it’s only natural you’d like others to care for them as tenderly as you do.

If you relate to this feeling, then that’s exactly why you should be visiting your local jeweler instead of large chain jewelry stores. Local jewelers treasure their jewelry just as much as you do, they pour love into their craft, and create pieces which are truly unique works of art.

When you shop for jewelry at a big-name store, you are usually tended to by sales associates who have little to no expert jewelry knowledge or training. While they can definitely answer many of your questions, sales associates don’t fully understand each jewelry piece in depth or what goes into creating them.

At your local store, everyone's an expert on diamonds, gemstones, precious metals, and more - and, they’re excited to help you along your shopping experience and give you expert jewelry advice.

That way, you can be sure that anyone you talk to will be happy to walk you through everything you need to know about any jewelry piece you’re interested in before you decide. Your local jeweler will create a personalized shopping experience filled with productive information that will lead you to the right choice of jewelry for you.

Local jewelry shops often handpick the products they offer, from gemstones, diamonds, and metals, to finished jewelry pieces.

They’re usually GIA experts - they might even be the only GIA expert for miles - and they use their knowledge and experience to select their shop’s inventory. So, you know the jewelry selection they offer is truly exquisite!

After all, when you get a high-quality jewelry piece you love, they uphold their reputation for being an outstanding jewelry store which offers impeccable pieces. It’s a win-win!

You might be wondering whether all jewelry stores are the same, and the answer is no, not all jewelers are created equal.

To a big chain jewelry store, you’re just a number. Sure, you might feel like you’re getting good customer service, but it’s simply not personalized - with chain stores, it’s all cookie cutter advice. Simply put, you enter the store, a salesman pitches you a piece from the selection, you make the payment, and that’s it. There’s no zest - it’s a transaction.

At your local jewelry shop, full attention is given to you, and your jeweler is there to answer all your questions and help you find exactly what you’re looking for. If you prefer, you can even schedule one-on-one appointments, which are a far cry from the typical retail experience.

Besides that, your local store is interested in maintaining a long relationship of trust with you, so your jeweler will be much clearer about every aspect of the jewelry piece you’re getting, their return policy, custom options, and any other questions you might have.

Sure, jewelry pieces offered at big-name jewelry stores are beautiful, but they’re also mass-produced and sold at every single one of their locations. That means there’s a plethora of people out there with the exact same piece as the one you get from a chain store. Your precious ring doesn’t feel that special anymore, does it?

Local jewelry stores offer their own collections, which often can’t be found anywhere else. You get a handcrafted piece, which is made on a small scale by skilled artisans. And, for a truly unique piece, you can count on your local jeweler for a custom piece that’s made to order, designed especially for you, and which no one else in the world will own. Now, that’s exclusivity!

Local jewelry stores offer high-quality pieces which meet your budget - it’s the best of both worlds! That’s because big chains charge you a premium for their brand name, and not the fair cost of precious metals and gemstones combined with quality craftsmanship.

It’s important to remember that while chain jewelers might offer an occasional deal that seems too good to be true, that’s because it simply is. Big-name jewelers often buy gemstones, diamonds, and metals in bulk, meaning they get a better deal, but the product quality might be dubious. At the end of the day, quality is always better than quantity.

Buying American-made jewelry benefits your local economy. Your local jeweler is motivated to keep your dollar within your community, so it goes further when it’s spent locally.

Sales taxes fund your community, and provide vital services such as police and fire protection, street repairs, and trash collection. Not to mention, small jewelers support local non-profits, and locally made products help preserve your community’s uniqueness while creating more jobs.