My experiance with the jewlery shops in CA has always been very positve. My wife has bought thousand of dollars woth of jewlery in CA and it always apraises at home for much more than she paid. There is so much competion there that I would think that if anyone was taking advantage of customers that the word would get out and they would be out of buisness soon. There is some one who had posted on this board (Marty) who was in the buisness who might have specific references. Just make sure you come prepared to bargain. Don't accept the first price. There's another shop two steps away.

Bassman

Hubby bought mine at Imperial Jewelers. He and his family have always purchased there.

As the previous poster mentioned, never take the first offer, sometimes the second :).

I have also purchased a few pieces of jewelry from Imperial and was very satisfied. My two sisters also purchased from them with the same results. We initially got the referral from my cousin who housesits on St. Thomas every summer. Hope this helps.