Best Jewelry Shopping - St. Thomas or St. Martin?

[Sharon]

Which has the better jewelry shopping - St. Thomas or St. Martin?

What stores do you recommend?

This won't help you much but actually I think the best jewelry shopping HAS to be Acapulco!! (And not just because they'll serve free drinks while you shop, or even browse!) Of my experience St. Thomas -vs- St Martin, I'd say St. Thomas. But I usually stay away from the "big" stores and have found some good deals from the "little guys". No store names come to mind, but they'll seem endless. Be prepared for a hectic experience, I'm a consumate shopper but even I get on over-load in Charlotte Amalie. Be sure you shop around in the U.S. first before you go though so you have a good idea of your local prices on the items you want And don't forget to check QVC - I once bought a truly beautiful garnet tennis bracelet in St Thomas only to later find the garnet bracelet of my DREAMS offered by QVC at a lower price. Have a great time - I think my only more-favorite thing than cruising is jewelry shopping, and boy do I love combining the two!!

At Havensight Mall--Dazzles--Downtown Imperial Jewelers-3/4 of the way down the main street on the right side.Owned by the same family- The magic word is negotiate-negotiate-negotiate. P.S. My wife is very pleased every time we shop at either. Regards Jack

St. Martin is the best. Lots of great stores in both Marigot and Phililpsburg. Got some really great things at Little Switzlerland, Columbia Emeralds, Joe's and Boolchand's. The selection is super on both islands.

[Nanatravel]

The bargains are still better on St. Martin in Phillipsburg; Kay's will set stones you may buy on board ship in a setting in one hour. I bought an omega chain for the slide I had designed there and it was half the price that Omni wanted. Omni is pretty good too for gold. I often shop in St. Thomas at Havensight at Beverly's. Please let Jack know I will be stopping in the beginning of November. Please say hello for me! Great reasonable souvenir is the "Cruise Ship watch" only found at St. Thomas but shops are in Havensight & near Emancipation park downtown for about $20 each. Ask the shopping guide on your ship what the stop name is. I think it has Factory in its title.
Bon Voyage

I think St. Martin has been prices, however, my favorite shop for jewelry is Ballerina's in St. Thomas. They have a Ballerina's in St. Martin also (owned by the same family) but I seem to have better luck in the St. Thomas store.

[pamda]

I am not big on offshore jewelry shopping unless you really know what you're doing.

A few cruises back, another woman admired my somewhat unusual gold and diamond bracelet. She asked if I would go shopping with her when we hit Antigua because she wanted one just like it. We left the husbands at an outdoor cafe and commenced to hit all the jewelry stores. Finally, we found my bracelet's clone. For three times what I'd paid for it in the states. If I hadn't been along, she wouldn't have known if it was a good deal or not.

Maybe two years ago, a lady posted a wail on a cruise board. She'd been nailed by buying a piece that didn't appraise. (Maybe she'd had a few too many free drinks during her shopping expedition?) Together, we finally worked it through, but it was a hassle.

I love shopping and I love jewelry. OK, I'm obsessed. But other than silver in Mexico, I wouldn't buy anything offshsore. If I did, I'd pay for it with a credit card just to have the credit card company between me and the vendor.

pamda -- CM First Time Cruisers Editor and Jewelry Maven

I really found great prices, and nice people in Cardov in St. Thomas. Make sure
to check out the reversable rings, and go to the back of the store to the treasure
cove..alot of discontiuned items...so in turn you get great prices...never had
any problems with anything that I have brought home from there...