As the holiday season approaches, consumers shopping for holiday gifts are tempted by fantastic offers of "discounted" prices on fine jewelry. Lately, an ever increasing number of consumers have become susceptible to the mail order and discount promotions in advertisements, commercials and street peddlers.

    Be wary of promotions for "genuine" name-brand or counterfeit watches for as low as $10.00, or familiar name brands that normally sell for $2,000 - $5,000 offered at unbelievable prices as low as $50.00. These watches are not genuine, carry no manufacturer's warranty and have little value. Usually, certain "brand-names" are stamped on the dials of the counterfeits by promoters. To avoid this scam:

1. Be wary of extremely low-priced items.

2. Look for correct spelling of brand-names and karat gold mark.

3. Ask for a warranty.

4. Make jewelry purchases from local, reputable jewelers.

    The public is also being bombarded by exaggerated jewelry ads and promotions. The Department encourages consumers to question whether these are true discounts by asking the following:

• How much merchandise was ever sold at the "regular" price?

• For how long?

• Was the "retail"..."former"..."reference" price purposely inflated and then lowered to lure you into thinking you're saving money?

    Nothing guarantees the business will answer truthfully, but most will. If you suspect misleading discounts, watch the business for a while without buying. Remember "always on sale" equals "never on sale."

    There is nothing wrong with legitimate discounts, but deceptive pricing offers you no bargain. Another promotion offers colored gemstones for as low as $4.00. Be aware that there are degrees of quality in gemstones, with cut, color, clarity and weight being the four factors that determine their price. The $4.00 emerald, for example, is not gemstone quality and often not even worth the so called $4.00 "bargain price."

    Promotions offering a .25 pt. diamond depend on consumers NOT reading the promotion carefully. At first glance, a consumer expects to receive a .25 ct. (carat) diamond, or 1/4 carat. However a .25 pt. (point) diamond means 1/400 carat, or nearly the size of a grain of salt.

    Also, when buying gold remember that "layered" gold or "gold kote" means that there is only a very thin coat of gold bonded to a base metal, and this thin layer will probably wear off with use.

    When buying gold jewelry, always look for a karat mark such as 10K, 14K, or 18K, with a manufacturer's trademark. Make sure the trademark appears on a part of the chain besides the clasp. Sometimes, if only the clasp is marked 14K, the chain may not be real gold. Anything less than 10K cannot be legally marked or sold as real gold. Layered gold cannot have a karat mark unless it is qualified "14K gold-filled" or "14K gold electroplated."  When purchasing sterling jewelry, look for the quality mark 'Sterling" or ".925".

    REMEMBER. Don't be dazzled by discounts. To avoid being "ripped-off", shop around, compare quality and service as well as price, and ask questions before you buy. For more information contact the Jewelry Information Center at 800-459-0130.