What are the 4 C's I should know about when buying a diamond?
The value of a diamond is based in the jewelry industry on what we call the 4 C's. They stand for carat weight, cut, color, and clarity. The price of a diamond can vary greatly based on these factors. At Cecil's Fine Jewelry, we like to sit with the customer and explain the 4 C's in detail. This assures the customer feels confident they are getting the quality of diamond they are paying for. We take great care in hand selecting all of our loose diamonds. To see a variety of sizes and shapes available, please come visit the store.

Should I buy a diamond or engagement ring on the internet?
This is never a good idea! You are about to make the biggest decision of your life, don't make the biggest mistake of your life at the same time. The ring and diamond you purchase tells her how you feel. So why would you purchase something you cannot even see? In this day and age of computers and photo editing, you cannot assure that what you see in a picture is what you will get. When purchasing diamonds on the internet...just say no! The internet is a great resource in collecting general information, but when buying an item as precious as a diamond, one cannot capture the true beauty of the gem with a picture. Our sales associates go to great lengths to educate you on any piece of jewelry you are interested in purchasing. The internet will never be able to provide you with that personal "Cecil's" touch!

Should I insure my jewelry, and does Cecil's sell insurance?
Unfortunatley in life, sometimes bad things happen! If you are a victim of theft, house fire, etc., you want to make sure that you get insurance on your most valuable investments. This can be done with a standard jewelry appraisal, which we offer as a free service, at the time of purchase. At Cecil's, we cannot sell insurance directly to the customer, this being a conflict of interest, although we do offer information on jewelry insurance. To learn more about insuring your valuables Click Here. We do feel insurance is a very important part of any jewelry purchase, and a smart way of safeguarding your investments.

What is a diamond grading report?
A diamond grading report, sometimes called a certificate, is a complete and detailed explanation of a diamond's key characteristics. They are as follows: cut, weight and dimensions. Many loose diamonds are graded by a laboratory independent of the jeweler so that purchasers can view an unbiased opinion of the diamonds unique characteristics and furthermore feel confident that their diamond is indeed of the quality that was represented. A certified diamond's quality is guaranteed by the laboratory, and is obviously more valuable than an uncertified diamond. Our stones carry reports through GIA (Gemological Institute of America), EGL (European Gemological Laboratories), or AGS (American Gem Society). All of our stones are "conflict- free". This is one more reason a grading report on the diamond is important, it assures that the diamond you purchase is indeed conflict free.

Can I take gems out of old jewelry to make new jewelry?
Absolutely! Maybe you have a piece of jewelry that you no longer wear because it looks outdated, or you inherited a ring that has beautiful stones in it, but it is really not your style. At Cecil's Fine Jewelry we have a wonderful custom jewelry designer on site. Just bring in your jewelry and our designer can collaborate with you on what kind of jewelry you would like to create with the existing stones. We work hand in hand with the customer throughout the creative process to assure your new piece of jewelry captures your desired look. For more detailed information on our jeweler, please visit the Cecil's Team page and click on C.Y. Sheng.

Can I wait while my appraisal or repairs are done?
No! The only services that are available at the store in the "while you wait" category are jewelry cleaning, watch batteries, and watch link adjustments. An accurate appraisal requires a careful evaluation of the item followed by the necessary research to estimate an accurate value. As with appraisals, jewelry repair at Cecil's is done through a process that requires several quality assurance check points. If your father was having open heart surgery would you stand over the doctor's shoulder while he was operating? Our jewelry professionals at Cecil's feel the same way. Allowing them do their jobs in a controlled environment without customer interuptions assures that you get the best quality services available.

Does Cecil's offer financing or payment plans?
Yes, Cecil's does offer these services. Financing is done through a third party vendor, GE Capital, or Wells Fargo. The customer is required to fill out a short application form, provide a valid driver's license, and one other form of identification, i.e. major credit card, military i.d., etc. We can run the application at the store and provide the allotted credit amount limit, while you wait. Another option for our customers is lay-away. We require 20% down payment on the desired jewelry to be purchased. If the item is over $1000 the customer has up to 6 months to pay off. There is no finance charge associated with our lay-away plan. We accept checks, cash, and all major credit cards. For more detailed information about financing through GE Credit, please call our store and ask for a sales associate.

How much does it cost to size a ring or repair my jewelry?
Much like having your car engine worked on, a mechanic cannot quote you a repair price over the phone, until he looks at your engine. Jewelry is the same way. Prices on repairs and sizing can flucuate for many reasons. The type of metal used, amount of labor time invested in fixing the piece, and any parts or extra gold that needs to be ordered, can all be variables that will affect the price of the repair. Our minimum repair cost is $20, and depending on work needed, it goes up from there. If you need a ring sized, or a piece of jewelry repaired, please bring it into our store and a sales associate will be more than happy to quote you a repair price before any work is done.

Does Cecil's buy back jewelry or used gold?
Cecil's does not buy back any used jewelry or offer consignment services of any kind. We do not purchase gold either. The only time a gold trade-in is considered is when a customer is altering a piece of existing jewelry or having a custom piece created by our Master Jeweler. We will, at that time, give the customer credit for gold they are trading in towards the purchase price of the new piece.