Buying "real" fine jewelry is so intimidating.

by Ellen Warren Shopping Adviser found February 7, 2008 at chicagotribune.com

It's hard to work up the nerve to walk into a fancy store or a designer's showroom if you're not sure there's anything in there you can afford.

  And how do you know whether you're getting the genuine article and not fake stones or low-grade metal?

With Valentine's Day just a week away -- one of the year's most popular jewelry-giving occasions -- I'm here to give you some guidelines to help you shop with confidence.

For starters, yes, even if you're on a budget there is high-quality jewelry out there, priced for frugal buyers.

Even at the iconic Tiffany & Co. (tiffany.com) I found pearls, sterling and some 18-karat gold items priced at $500 or below -- sometimes well below.

In her showroom overlooking Millennium Park (8 S. Michigan Ave., ellieco.com), designer-gemologist Ellie Thompson has unique pieces set with gemstones priced in the $200-$300 range. And department stores like Nordstrom (nordstrom.com) and Macy's (macys.com) carry lines, especially in sterling silver, that are well-made and well-designed at prices starting below $100 for designers such as Illinois native Lois Hill.

To make sure you're getting the quality you want, there are some simple precautions. Most important, buy from someone you trust.

"Do a little research. Talk to a friend -- or several friends" for recommendations, says Helena Krodel, spokeswoman for the Jewelry Information Center (JIC), a fine jewelers' trade group. Also, check the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org).

With gold hitting record prices, you'll get more size and heft for your money by sticking with sterling silver. Be sure to check that the silver piece is stamped 925 (or .925) and gold with the number of carats (10, 14, 18k) -- and both should be stamped with the manufacturer's mark.

Thompson says signs of "real care and consistency in manufacture" include no pits or rough spots, firmly set stones and substantial clasps.

The only time I've gone wrong with a "fine jewelers" purchase is when I stupidly violated the cardinal rule: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

When I got bargains on a gold ring at an English antiques mart and a gold bracelet at a Tijuana jewelry store, you can guess what happened. The "gold" soon turned black and I realized I'd been had.

While I'd like to recommend an easy way to test for real gold and silver, experts I talked to say it's not practical for the average consumer. The same goes for small gemstones, which is why you should buy from a trustworthy source.

A low price doesn't necessarily mean you're being duped. You can buy $99 diamond stud earrings set in real gold, but you'll likely be getting diamonds that are small and heavily flawed in flimsy gold settings.

Designer Thompson offers solid advice when she tells her clients to think about saving up a year or two of events and buying a single good piece of jewelry to cover birthday, Mother's Day, anniversary and Christmas. Instead of diamonds, rubies or emeralds, consider more affordable stones like citrines, amethysts and pink sapphires.

No matter what the Tiffany piece you buy, it makes a wow presentation in its suede pouch, nestled inside a signature blue box with a satin ribbon. And many of the exclusive designer items by Paloma Picasso, Elsa Peretti and Frank Gehry can be had for under $500.

Over the last decade, many designers and stores have been offering more budget-minded pieces hoping to build long-term relationships with younger clients who can move up to heavy gold and sizable diamonds as they -- and their incomes -- grow up.

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Five 'musts' of a jewelry wardrobe:

*Diamond stud earrings

*Strand of pearls

*Chandelier earrings

*A classic watch

*Hoop earrings

Source: Jewelry Information Center

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Instead of diamonds, rubies, blue sapphires and emeralds, choose ...

Red: garnet

Pink: topaz, rose quartz, sapphire

White: pearls, moonstone

Blue: topaz, lapis lazuli, iolite

Purple: amethyst

Green: peridot, chalcedony

Yellow: citrine

Brown: topaz, labradorite

Source: Ellie Thompson, Jewelry Information Center

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shopellen@tribune.com