Question about Hawaiian Heirloom Jewelry

[alloamie]

Anyone from Hawaii out there? or anyone with hawaiian jewelry - particularly bangles?
Anyone have hawaiian jewelry from Philip Rickard (www.philiprickard.com)?

i have a hawaiian bangle bracelet that i never wear b/c it is too wide for my taste (7mm). i was looking into getting it re-made into a thinner version. i stumbled across philip rickard''s website & thought i''d go to his store to check out his stuff since he has a 4mm bracelet on the site that i like.

i went into the store and the bracelet is $1300!! they do not price depending on gold-weight used or actual size of the client.
i must admit that the engraving was gorgeous, and overall quality was top-notch; compared to my bracelet that I got from a mom&pops store for $450...They won''t take any old jewelry to use as scrap metal in the bracelet to help with the cost.

Is having philip rickard''s name on the bracelet worth the extreme mark-up? i''m trying to justify the splurge, but the price really seems kind of outrageous for what it is...

hmm hopefully someone out there has some input for me. maybe some other recommendations that i could check out for a new bracelet? Thanks!

 

[Imdanny]

I''m not familiar with him. You might want to compare with http://www.rhhj.com/

This company is very well known here.

I''ll take a look at your website. Thanks.

 

[Imdanny]

Ok, I looked. Expensive.

 

[alloamie]

thanks for the response!
i checked out rhhj when i was shopping for my first bangle. they had the same selection as the place i ended up getting my bracelet from.

the philip rickard bracelets feel much weightier and higher-end. i guess they are the "tiffanys" of hawaiian jewelry. if you visit the site, you''ll see that he does the jewelry for gwen stefani''s jewelry line! sooo i guess his stuff comes with a designer price tag.

i''m bummed that i''m not able to hand over my old bracelet to put toward the new one. and i''m hesitant to pay so much for a gold bangle when i could possibly get a much more valuable bracelet (with diamonds!) for the same price...

 

[alloamie]

haha just noticed your second post: EXPENSIVE!!

yes indeed!! i wonder if any locals buy from him...his stores are located in royal hawaiian shopping ctr & ala moana...and the sales reps that were in the ala moana stores were all japanese-speaking. so i''m wondering if he mainly sells to japanese tourists?

but again, the quality is incredible...enough to make-up for the steep price tag? i''m not so sure!!

 

[Imdanny]

Hi! You were visiting or you live here?

 

[alloamie]

i live on oahu

 

[jewelerman]

The price differance has to have something to do with current gold costs (compared to when you bought yours)when I visited Ohau about 8 years ago a bangle like yours was about what you paid.Also a location at Ala Moana will bring up the price...What dont you like about your 7mm bangle?So many ladies would love a wider bangle like the one you have!...I found my only heirloom piece on Ohau...a mens 14karat yellow gold engraved band...at a small house converted to a shop on the beach....the owner gave me the band for $18.00...this was his only ring in stock and had my Initial on it!I believe the ring is older because of the style and depth of the engraving and the style of the hallmarks....anyway....let us know what you find!