Quinn’s Diamond Jewelers: "If you don’t know your jewelry ...
www.celebratehiltonhead.com
Darrel Quinn, owner of Quinn’s Diamond Jewelers in the Village at Wexford, weaves a tale to customers with a signature twinkle in his eye. Buying a diamond is like ...
Darrel Quinn, owner of Quinn’s Diamond Jewelers in the Village at Wexford, weaves a tale to customers with a signature twinkle in his eye.
Buying a diamond is like buying an elephant," said Darrel Quinn, owner of Quinn’s Diamond Jewelry in the Village at Wexford on Hilton Head Island. "You don’t know what you should be paying for elephants, and you don’t know what you should be paying for diamonds."
Next, Quinn told the story of his "new brain" (ask him!), before whipping out a box of Scooby Doo graham crackers shaped like dog biscuits, on hand for customers who might be "in the doghouse"—this from a man who once gave his wife pots and pans for Christmas and found a way out through his family’s jewelry business.
Quinn’s colorful personality might lead you to believe he doesn’t take himself too seriously. You would be right about that. But what he does take seriously is the quality of the jewelry he sells, the expertise he brings to the table, and the level of education and service he offers his customers.
Quinn, a master jeweler with 50 years’ experience in the industry, earned his business degree from the University of Illinois. After graduation, following his father’s advice to "get certified in everything," he earned a degree in jewelry repair as well as horology (the study of time) from Gem City College, and a degree in diamonds and diamond grading from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
Ready to pop the question?
If you are in the market for an engagement ring, Quinn wants to make sure you make an informed choice and get just what you want. "This business is all about love," he said. "When people come in here, they’re in love.
That’s one of the main reasons I like the engagement rings." Ring boxes with lighted lids are also a specialty at Quinn’s, making for a more romantic and dramatic presentation, he suggested. But his first objective is education.
"I actually show you what it takes to make a diamond and what determines its value," Quinn said. "If you buy a diamond from a salesman, he may not know." (Most jewelry store owners either buy into the business or work for somebody, but they are not certified, he explained.) "Just because you work for a doctor doesn’t mean you can go perform surgery, and working for a jewelry store doesn’t make you a jeweler. I take the time to show you 20 different characteristics about the diamond. I also show you what De Beers charges me."
As an example, Quinn brings out a glistening pear-shaped loose diamond, just over 4 carats in weight, available at Quinn’s for $67,000. The same diamond (SI2, F color) from De Beers would cost you $71,750, he said. "We are very conscious of our overhead. We are able to sell for a lot less because we don’t need the big margins."
