Valentine’s Day is approaching quickly and many men are still on the lookout for that perfect gift. As Marilyn Monroe said, “diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” Something gold or sparkly is sure to be a winner with women young and old. Jewelry may seem like an unobtainable option during this difficult economic season, but some resourceful men are buying quality gifts at a fraction of the cost. They are avoiding over-priced jewelry stores and are instead shopping for great bargains at pawn shops.
Pawn stores know about jewelry; they see plenty of it and can carry a wide variety. Many carefully check their jewelry for quality and even offer guarantees. People who are financially struggling might go to a pawn shop to trade in a perfectly good item that they simply don’t need—a diamond, for instance—providing an opportunity for some lucky guy to purchase a beautiful jewel for a fraction of what he would pay at a normal jewelry store.
Jewelry stores might mark up their items 25 to 50 percent more than pawn shops, but the merchandise isn’t necessarily any better. Pawn shop owners report that jewelers frequently come in and buy jewelry from them to resell at a higher price. Women who turn up their noses at used jewelry might not realize that their jewelry-store ring contains a diamond that came from a pawn shop. Smart Valentine’s Day shoppers will pay less because they know that diamonds last forever no matter where they are purchased.