Salisbury Jewelers Offer Valentine Diamond Deals

When it comes to diamond engagement rings, Valentine’s Day is second only to Christmas as the holiday for popping the question and sealing the deal. Five jewelry stores at Salisbury Township’s offer a variety of specialties to satisfy many budgets and tastes.

At , diamonds at all prices are high-quality gems from Antwerp, Belgium, where more than 80 percent of the world’s diamonds are cut, polished and sold.

, in business in the Lehigh Valley for 100 years, offers vast choices in new jewelry, as well as pre-owned diamonds sold up to 70 percent off the appraised value.

, a full-service store offering custom-made pieces and repairs, and two chain stores, and the round out the range of customer options, with choices in all price ranges.

Has the sour economy kept people from buying diamonds? Eric Loch says not, even though the cost of diamonds continues to climb, thanks to improving finances in countries like China and India.

In addition to cutting out the middleman, Loch’s has the only in-house gemological laboratory in the Lehigh Valley and prides itself on customer education. “I know diamonds inside and out,” says Loch.

Loch’s father, an engineer whose hobby was polishing gems, started the business in 1972 as a mail-order operation serving gem cutters around the world. The first store opened in 1984 in Emmaus.

“Round diamonds are still the king of shapes,” says Loch, and the square or princess shape is second. By choosing a less popular shape, he suggests, customers can get more diamond for their money.

In business for more than 100 years, Freeman’s Jewelers has two more locations in the Lehigh Valley and Palmer Park malls. For Valentine’s Day, Freeman’s engagement ring sale will put an estate diamond in a new mounting, at 40 percent off the mounting cost. “There is no such thing as an old diamond,” says Elaine Smith, graduate gemologist and Freeman’s vice president of sales.

Michael Abouafech has owned and operated Michael Jewelers in South Mall for 13 years. “We have a sale here every day,” he says. In addition to cases filled with all kinds of jewelry, he creates his own designs in gold and platinum, including “journey” necklaces, curvy pendants of blue and white diamonds set in white gold. He also repairs jewelry.

Not shopping for diamonds? Bead bracelets are popular gifts, and each Salisbury store sells different brands. Loch’s offers Trollbeads, the original since 1976. Freeman’s sells Chamilia beads with a limited edition “Heartbeat” for Valentine’s Day, and Michael’s has Zable beads. Like charm bracelets, bead bracelets combine baubles of glass, gemstones or silver into lasting memories.

And if you're not in the mood for jewelry at all, there's always South Mall's .