A Jewelry Lover’s Guide to Shopping While On Vacation

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had more than enough of winter. Just like the Melissa McCarthy commercial - I want to go anywhere! Whether you’re traveling the show circuit or you’re escaping the barn for a little luxurious R&R, it’s always fun to hit the shops and see what beautiful pieces of equestrian jewelry you can add to your collection.

Use these tips to find the best deals, have the most fun, and protect yourself from getting scammed:

Research, Research, Research: Every destination city has its fine jewelry culture, and it’s well worth the time spent online to discover what is exciting and worth investigating. For example, if you’re headed to Palm Beach, FL, this is a city that’s devoted to diamonds. Large stones are extremely popular here, and you’ll see a lot of contemporary design. Having this preliminary research done can help you frame your expectations accordingly.

Find the Best Deals: During your research, check out what designers are working in your destination city. Do they have showrooms? Can you get an appointment and see what is new? Many independent jewelry designers and artists will be highly accommodating, if you reach out to them in advance. Be sure to let them know if you’re looking for something in particular, such as horsehead jewelry, polo themed jewelry, or Hermes-style bracelets.

Have the Most Fun: Be open to searching for jewelry in unusual or out of the way locations. Street fairs, art festivals, and other cultural celebrations often have jewelry vendors - a good way to get one of a kind, unique pieces handcrafted by contemporary artists. It’s always a bit of a thrill when one of the artists you’ve collected this way goes on to gain greater prominence in the field.

Avoid Getting Scammed: People want to have fun when they’re on vacation, but you can’t just slack off when it comes to protecting your finances and personal information. Use your common sense: if a price is too good to be true, it’s not true - for example, you’re never going to get a 6 carat pink diamond for $1,200. Monitor your bank & credit statements for any fraudulent charges - the sooner you discover the problem, the more help you’ll receive from the financial institutions in correcting it.