Does Amazon Sell Real Jewelry? (Quality, Reviews + More)

These days, Amazon is one of the biggest retailers on the planet, and they sell just about everything. Books, clothes, and jewelry are just a few of the things they offer, but the sheer breadth of choices and the prices they offer do raise one question – is it real, high quality merchandise?

Amazon fine jewelry is required to meet certain quality standards – including FTC guidelines – and sellers who wish to offer Fine Jewelry must go through an application process to ensure they meet Amazon criteria.

This article explores the quality of Amazon Jewelry.

Does Amazon Sell Real Jewelry?

Amazon actually sells two different designations of jewelry – Fashion Jewelry and Fine Jewelry.

Whichever Category the jewelry falls into, it must meet certain conditions, or it will not be permitted to be sold, and too many problems may result in the Seller’s license being revoked.

What Is The Difference Between Fashion Jewelry and Fine Jewelry?

Fine Jewelry is made with precious metals, precious stones or semi-precious stones. It can also include precious metals plated with other precious metals.

Fashion jewelry has no precious metals or stones, unless it is a precious metal plating over a base metal core, like gold-plated titanium or tungsten.

Fine Jewelry Materials Include:

Gold, silver, platinum, silver, and vermeil

Diamond, garnet, amethyst, tourmaline, moonstone, malachite, topaz, sapphire, emerald, ruby, and natural stones, such as pearls.

Natural stones in quartz, tiger-eye, opals, and peridots are also included in these materials.

Fashion Jewelry Materials Include:

Brass, copper, cobalt, pyrite, titanium, tungsten, bronze, pewter, nickel, or stainless steel.

Lab created versions of precious stones.

Agate, Amber, Chalcedony, Turquoise, Sunstone, Carnelian, Imitation Pearls, Obsidian, and Rhinestones.

Fashion jewelry also includes Jewelry made with materials such as leather, horn, bamboo, coral, ceramic, glass, wood, and shells.

These are a few of the materials used in each of these categories, though a more comprehensive list can be found when applying for a license to sell jewelry through Amazon.

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What Are the Conditions for Selling Jewelry On Amazon?

There are several conditions to be met when selling Jewelry on Amazon. The basic conditions include:

– Compliance with industry standard marking requirements and tolerances when declaring the quality of product, including karat for gold pieces, or gem standard quality grading.

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Gold:

– Gold fineness must be clearly disclosed. Gold fineness is also defined by the ‘karat’ designation, with a designation of 10-karat or higher being required to be considered ‘real’ gold.

– Designations of 6k or 8k may be listed as ‘gold’ but may be subject to testing to verify that they are not ‘gold plated’.

Silver:

– Sterling silver must assay at a minimum of 92.5% sterling.

– Silver or silver alloy items must have their silver fineness, or silver content, clearly disclosed in terms of parts per 1000. Silver jewelry should be marked with the number associated with that fineness.

– Clasps or connections are not subject to assay evaluations.

Platinum:

– Anything sold as pure Platinum must be assayed at no less than 950 parts per 1000, or 95% platinum.

– Platinum that does not meet this standard must be labeled with its fineness in parts per 1000, such as 750Plat or 800Plat.

– If the platinum alloy falls below the 500Plat mark, additional information must be included, primarily the main components used in the alloy and their percentages. For example, if the secondary component is copper, the stamp might say 500Plat/415Copp.

General Specifications:

– All stamps must be accurate and accompanied by a trademark or the name of the manufacturer.

– Plated precious metals must be labeled as such, and include the components of their construction.

– Plated base metals with a precious metal coating do not require a stamp.

– Items with multiple metals must have a description that includes which components are made of which metals.

– Metal weight and metal purity must be accurately disclosed

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Basic Specifications For Construction:

In terms of the overall construction, items to be sold on Amazon must:

– Be free of cobalt, Nickel or other allergens to be labeled Hypoallergenic. They cannot be called hypoallergenic if they are not made of a metal that is proven to be allergen free, such as tungsten or stainless steel.

– All units must meet industry standards for surface finish and gemstone guidelines.

– Connectors should be able to withstand a moderate amount of pressure. with ring prongs being at a recommended thickness of 0.8mm or more.

– All jewelry should be made with a well finished appearance and no missing parts

– Jewelry should NOT be smaller than listed and should be within a quarter inch of listed size for bracelets or necklaces, and within 1/8 of the size measurement for rings.

– Polish and finish for all items should be uniform, free of tool marks and scratch marks, and without trapped lint under the prongs.

Basic Specifications For Stone Settings:

– Loose stones are considered a defect and not acceptable.

– Prongs and other connections will be tested for security and sturdiness and should hold up under testing.

– No gaps between stones, or stones and settings

– Stones should be level and smooth, in accordance with the design. Bezels should also be smooth and even

– Channels in designs should be even and smooth, and stones should fit in smoothly without gaps.

– Findings and pendants should be of appropriate size and weight, and pendants should allow gems to be free-swinging.

Basic Criteria for Stones, Semi-Precious and Otherwise:

– All stones should follow international grading standards of the GIA

– Color tones cannot exceed two tones of saturation

– Documentation and Certification for grading, as well as all materials and treatments must be supplied. Only permanent treatments are accepted.

– Creation methods for created stones and cultured or imitation pearls must be fully disclosed as part of the documentation, prior to the name of the gem.

– Geographic Origins can only be documented if they can also be verified through official gemstone seller documentation.

– No obvious scratches, chips, cracks, or other defects are acceptable.

– Only proper and symmetrical cutting is accepted.

– Accurate listing of traits, weight, clarity, and cut for all stones must be provided.

Criteria For Diamonds:

– Diamonds must be conflict-free

– No laser drilling, fracture filling, or clarity enhancements are permitted.

– Color and weight will be measured against GIA Master Stones.

– Diamonds must have a minimum of 17 polished facets.

– No major or easily visible defects.

– Must have a certification of authenticity or an official grading report from the GIA, IGI, AGS, or GCAL.

In addition to all these specifications, Amazon is allowed to request independent third-party testing to verify the quality of given products.

How Does Amazon Criteria Determine if Their Jewelry is ‘Real’ Or Not?

The specifications for Amazon jewelry do ensure that you’ll get a certain level of quality in your purchase, which makes it ‘real’ in that sense.

When compared to industry standards for ‘real’ jewelry, Amazon jewelry authenticity produces variable results.

When is Amazon Jewelry Not Considered ‘Real’ Jewelry?

Anything labeled as Fashion Jewelry does not meet the minimum standards of ‘real’ jewelry.

It does not have the minimum required amounts of precious metals, or any gemstones to elevate it to the level of ‘real’ jewelry.

Fine Jewelry – at least gold jewelry – that does not have a 10-karat or higher rating does not fulfill industry standards of ‘real’ gold,

Gold that does not have a grading of 14-karat or higher does not meet industry standards for ‘fine jewelry’.

Gold that does not have a stamp of 18-karat or higher does not generally match the quality offered by retailers like James Allen.

When Does Amazon Jewelry Classify as ‘Real’ Jewelry?

Anything that qualifies as Fine Jewelry by Amazon Standards has the potential to match industry standards for ‘real’ jewelry.

For simple gold accessories, anything with a rating of 10-karat qualifies as ‘real’ gold, and 14-karat or higher officially qualifies as ‘real’ jewelry by industry standards.

In terms of gemstones, the question becomes a little more complicated and is often based on the grading of the stones.

What Sort of Gradings Are Considered Good for Fine or ‘Real’ Jewelry?

Gemstones are graded for cut, clarity, color, and carat, with final designations given from AAA to D.

– AAA is an exceptional gem, nearly flawless, and usually reserved for precious stones like emeralds, rubies, and sapphires.

– AA and A ratings are good quality with nice transparency and few if any visible inclusions, as well as a good color.

– B-rated gems have minor inclusions and a less-than-optimal color.

For fine jewelry, grades below B probably don’t qualify for fine or ‘real’ jewelry, according to industry standards.

Amazon does not have a specific grade they demand, but they do require the industry grading to be fully disclosed for all jewelry being sold.

Are There Other Issues To Consider In Terms of Gemstone Grading for ‘Real’ Jewelry?

To be sure, you’ll want an independent grading with AGS or GIA certification. Otherwise, there’s a risk of getting biased grading, and a less satisfactory product.

What Sort of Reviews Does Amazon Jewelry Get Compared to Industry Standards?

Different buyers have different opinions, and here are some of the top comments:

Jewelry Shopping Guide Opinions:

Amazon is one of the favorite retailers patronized by jewelry lovers. However, to find real jewelry among the lower-quality items, you’ll need to make informed decisions.

Amazon has items with industry levels of quality and purity, you just need to know what you’re looking for, and make sure to get third-party verification where possible.

Bottom line, you can get high-quality jewelry for reasonable prices, as long as you’re market-savvy.

Diamond Pro Opinions on Engagement Rings And Other Items:

Amazon has lower quality stones in general, and results in rings of lesser quality, even though they’re also priced accordingly.

For once-in-a-lifetime purchases like engagement rings, you can find better quality stones and metals, sometimes for better prices, at reputable jewelers like James Allen or Blue Nile.

For jewelry like earrings, cufflinks, and tennis bracelets, Amazon offers reasonable quality items at reasonable prices, and you can probably find real jewelry that’s affordable and elegant.

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Final Thoughts:

Amazon jewelry covers a wide range in value, but it’s possible to find real jewelry if you know what you’re looking for.

Just be sure you’re looking under ‘Fine Jewelry’ to start with and make sure you pay attention to the information provided regarding quality and purity.

As long as you keep a sharp eye out for proper levels of metal purity and gemstone quality, you’ll find plenty of real jewelry on Amazon to purchase for friends, family, or yourself.

References

https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/external/

https://amzn.to/3q5mr9r