Frequently Asked Questions About Necker’s Jewelers
Necker's Jewelers
Why Shop With Necker’s Jewelers?
For more than 130 years, Necker’s Jewelers has been the Quad City area’s source for the finest quality and the best prices on loose diamonds, diamond jewelry, and fashion jewelry. Today, we offer many choices that cannot be found anywhere else in our market. We have been voted the #1 jewelry store in the Quad City area since 2004!
Is Working With An Independent Jeweler Expensive?
Working with an independent jeweler like Necker’s Jewelers will actually save you money!
At Necker’s, we don’t charge a fee to help you customize a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. We will make sure that what you select will be appropriate, well-made, and aesthetically pleasing – all while working within your budget!
Because we hand select all of our diamonds and merchandise, we are able to pass on savings that a non-stocking store can’t offer. Our buying power and dealer status with the finest brands in the business give us a competitive cost advantage.
As professionals, we will guide you step by step through our process, saving you time and money – and ensuring that you find a piece you’ll love.
Whether you’re designing a custom piece or searching for something that meets your preferences and needs, our team of friendly, helpful staff is prepared to go the extra mile to ensure you’re happy with your purchase.
Diamonds and Diamond Jewelry FAQ
What Are The 4Cs?
The 4Cs of diamonds are the globally accepted standard for diamond grading, and they include cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. For jewelers, the 4Cs are essential to understanding and evaluating the quality of a diamond.
Cut
The true beauty of a diamond can’t be seen until it is properly cut and faceted. The angle between any two facets must be accurate to within very small tolerances to bring out the full fire and brilliance. Symmetry and polish are also critical to the sparkle in a diamond.
A diamond’s cut will determine the amount of sparkle and fire a diamond displays. The better the cut of a diamond, the more intense its sparkle and fire.
Color
This refers to the body color or interior color of a diamond, not the surface rainbow of reflected light. A diamond’s color is evaluated by GIA, the Gemological Institute of America, on a scale from D to Z, where D indicates a diamond is completely colorless and Z indicates some color is present. As a diamond’s color approaches the colorless end of this scale, its rarity and value increases.
Clarity
This is the degree to which the diamond is free of inclusions and impurities – often referred to as feathers, clouds, carbon spots, or included crystals. A diamond with fewer structural impurities will have a greater clarity, often resulting in an improved diamond appearance and sparkle.
Carat Weight
Each diamond is accurately and meticulously measured by carat weight. 100 points equals one carat, therefore 50 points equal exactly one-half carat, or .50 carat. An increase in a diamond’s carat weight sometimes correlates to an increase in the diamond’s size. However, diamond carat weight is not an accurate indicator of a diamond’s size. Two diamonds can have the exact same carat weight, but appear to be two different sizes because of they way they are cut.
How Does Necker’s Buy Diamonds?
Every loose diamond at Necker’s Jewelers has been hand selected by our expert diamond buyers and in-house gemologist.
We search the major markets of the world, eliminating the middleman and going directly to the major cutting sources. We take full advantage of our many decades of experience dealing directly with major diamond cutters of the world.
Our volume buying power and reputation give us a unique advantage and ability to offer you the best value possible. Always hand selected – NEVER online. Most importantly, our diamonds are ALWAYS sourced responsibly.
Why Should I Purchase A Necker’s Diamond?
At Necker’s Jewelers, our diamond experts hand-pick diamonds and then carefully grade them for color, perfection, finish, and proportion. To ensure our high quality standards are maintained, we grade each diamond twice before it is made available for sale.
We encourage you to shop and compare. The proof is in the sparkle, and you will be able to see how our high standards of quality and the way we select and buy our diamonds makes a difference on the quality of gemstones available in our stores.
Does Necker’s Jewelers Carry The World’s Most Perfectly Cut Diamond?
YES! Necker’s Jewelers is one of the jewelers selected to carry the World’s Most Perfectly Cut Diamond: Hearts On Fire.
About Hearts On Fire
Every single Hearts On Fire diamond is precisely cut to create unequaled beauty, optimizing the classic elements like brilliance, dispersion, and scintillation. Hearts On Fire is the only brand of diamond with the same quality of perfection in every cut for every diamond, making it uphold its title of “The World’s Most Perfectly Cut Diamond.”
Custom Jewelry Design FAQ
How Long Does It Take To Create A Custom Masterpiece?
Order lead times vary by manufacturer, but it generally takes about 3 to 6 weeks to complete. Add time to go through the selection process with your designer. If you are in need of things quickly, in stock items can be purchased almost immediately. Many customers utilize a combination of in-stock merchandise and special ordering or customizing to complete their masterpiece. Necker’s expert designers will help you through this process!
Why Is It Important To Give My Necker’s Designer A Budget?
We know that this can be a tricky part of the process because knowing how much jewelry will cost can be hard to gauge. However, setting a budget for your designer is critical for providing guidelines for us to ensure your piece meets your preferences and stays within your budget.
We work in jewelry every day and we have a feel for what things cost, and we can share this during our “discovery process.” As with all purchases, prices vary widely for different levels of quality and embellishment.
Before you get started, it is important to think about what you are willing to invest so that effort is not expended on your part designing a masterpiece or selecting a perfect piece that is outside of your price range. However, our skilled designers can create or select a high quality masterpiece with almost ANY BUDGET, so don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation!
What If I Really Don’t Know What I Like?
This happens more often than you think. Sometimes when you get exposed to the multitude of options, styles, and prices, you become totally uncertain. Our job is to help you discover what you like. We do this by listening, showing you options, and working with you to find or create something you’ll love.
What If I Don’t Like What Is Being Shown To Me?
Your opinion is the most important one! Let us know what you like or dislike, and we will keep working until we have something you love.
As designers, we know that your jewelry should reflect your personal taste and personality. It is our job to provide a masterpiece that reflects you. This process can sometimes take a few attempts, but we are committed to getting it right so you have the perfect piece!
I Have Many Existing Pieces Of Jewelry That I Want To Keep. Is It Possible To Use These In A New Design?
We are very sensitive to your possessions. The things you want to keep are always a prime consideration. If there is something you want to give new life in a new design, we will work with you to accomplish that. In almost every case, we can blend elements of existing pieces into a new design to create a look that is distinctively yours!
How Do I Select A Designer To Work With?
Necker’s Jewelers designers have an average of over 8 years of tenure at Necker’s. We work as a team and often collaborate with others on our staff to share expertise.
Read through our staff bios on our Meet Our Team page, give us a call, or simply visit our stores to meet us in person!
If for any reason, and at any time, you feel that the relationship is not working, we want to assist you in selecting a new designer – no questions asked, no feelings hurt.
If you have particular needs, senior management is available to discuss your needs and assist in recommending a particular designer to complete your masterpiece.
Jewelry Financing FAQ
I Can’t Afford To Do Everything I Want Right Away. Can You Help Me Prioritize?
Many people will need to develop a plan, especially for bridal purchases. One of the benefits of working with Neckers is that we can help you formulate a plan.
If you’re looking for financing options, we have multiple different terms, dependent on credit approval, including interest free financing. We also offer up to 6 months layaway with at least 20% down on your purchase. Please contact us or visit one of our stores to get more information.
