Where To Buy Fine Jewelry In The Carribean?

Q: I'm addicted to shopping and love jewelry. Does anyone have any tips for finding good jewelry at good prices? I'll be sailing in March with stops in St Thomas, Barbados, Cartegena, and Aruba.

A:My husband & I went to Aruba last year & I got a GREAT deal on a ring there. It is a 14k gold ring with a 3k tanzanite that is the prettiest color with diamonds on either side and opals on either side of the diamonds. It was designed very similar to a Kabana ring. Just gorgeous. It's so huge I call it my "SuperBowl" ring. I looked at the same ring in a local jewelry shop that sold the Kabana rings & I believe it was around $8,000! I paid $1,500 at this other store! It's not Kabana but you'd never know it by looking! When I was there the salesman offered to give me a great price on earrings to match. I was

too cheap at the time & said no but I have KICKED myself ever since. I have not been able to touch his prices on similar earrings in the states! Right now the name of the store eludes me but I will look in my files for my receipt & post another message. When we were in Aruba I found this place by asking a cab driver. I told him I didn't want a touristy place that catered to the cruise ships because they had lots of those with very high prices. They are the stores that are the most highly visible of course. Anyway, the cabby told me a couple of places but I do remember they were right next door to each other and they were back off of the main road by the cruise ship port.