I am getting my GF some earrings she wanted for xmas. Peridot Trillion cut stud earrings, 1/2 karat each. I am completely ignorant to that type of thing.

i have seen so many terms about brilliance of the stones what what not. Any advice on how not to get ripped off and what to look for? Google has 10,000 tips and was hoping someone here had some knowledge.

Go to Jared! :p

:devil

Actual advice would probably center around staying away from those overpriced chains like Jared because you are not only buying the gem but also buying all of the airtime for those commercials and paying the salaries of countless executives completely disconnected to the actual producing and retailing of the gems.

There are countless boutique jewelers in Miami (dunno where you live specifically), just look for the dudes rocking the beards and payot and you're in the right place and be prepared to haggle a little bit. You can probably talk them down to about two-thirds the list price, maybe better if you bring the cash in hand.

Go industrial! Cheaper, American made, superior quality, and guilt free! (guaranteed to not be a blood gem!) Desiring "the real thing dug out of the ground" is like desiring baby seal fur. Noting that it isn't a blood gem makes it closer morally to a farmed mink pelt. :)

*"Blood gem": Gem recovered via slave labor to fund African genocide.

Also: F@#$ de Beers.

Also: F@#$ de Beers.

Word.

Shopped around and KAy jewelers had them for $150, which makes me never want to shop at Jareds or Zales again because they wanted $300+ for the same thing.

The irony there is that Kay Jewelers IS Jareds.

That is pretty funny.

You should have went to Jared's!

:devil