Area jewelers educate local buyers

Nothing brings a sparkle to a woman's eye like a gift of jewelry. Whatever the occasion, fine jewelry is both an emotional and financial investment.

To protect both that emotional and financial investment, it's a good idea to know a little bit about jewelry. It's certainly true that all that glitters is not gold -- at least not solid gold.

The most important step in protecting a jewelry investment comes before the purchase. Mike Mills of Mills Jewelry and Awards in Sikeston, Mo., notes that choosing a jeweler with a sound reputation is more important than ever.

"I've been in the jewelry business for 25 years, and I have seen a lot of change. For instance, there are a lot of diamonds out there now that wouldn't have even made it to the market five years ago. And only someone with expertise in diamonds can tell you if the diamond is a good buy. Price doesn't necessarily mean quality," explained Mills.

Charles McGinty of C.P. McGinty Jewelers in downtown Cape Girardeau agreed.

"I would say that consumers are best to shop with a family owned and operated jeweler where there is an educated sales staff," said McGinty. Chain stores often lack experienced, knowledgeable sales people. And when there are experienced sales people on staff, McGinty suggests being open to their help.

"Often people enter a jewelry store without a clear idea of what they want. That's where experienced sales staff who are knowledgeable about jewelry can be a tremendous help. They can guide you to the piece that is right for you," said McGinty.

And, at McGinty's, if the perfect piece can't be found, it can be custom made. McGinty's specializes in high-end designer lines that focus on quality and style and on custom pieces.

"We have really worked very hard to make downtown Cape a destination location for shopping," he said. "We want customers to find pieces here they would find no where else. Then we're sure they'll want to return."

Jayne Ervin of Jayson's Jewelers and Ervin's Metal Smiths agrees that a local, well-established jeweler is an integral part of the community.

"Jewelry is a very personal thing with people. Particularly when you are talking about refurbishing antique jewelry, which is an area of specialization for us," said Ervin. She noted that recently a ring came to their store that had been purchased two generations ago. "Jewelry often tells a family's story."

With that idea in mind, Jayson's Jewelry stresses heavy mounting, beautiful stones and great workmanship to create something that can be proudly passed down through the generations.