Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the questions that we regularly get from our clients. Not sure if this belongs in a Blog or not, but hey, just page down if this is not interesting to you...

We would also like to hear from you. Do you have any questions about how to buy a diamond or how to find a quality jeweler? If you have a question you would like answered, please send it to me at
Wink@WinkJones.com so that I can answer it for you.

Q: Why are you located in a little town like Boise?

A: I love to kayak, hike, camp, and just plain enjoy being out of doors and away from the maddening crowds, so do my wife and children. I think our lifestyle has a lot to do with us being so happily married for more than 30 years.

Q: How do purchases through you work?

A: Very easy. I can take your personal check, your credit card, or cashier's check. Once the funds are in my bank, I send you the product for twenty-one day inspection on diamonds and other gems. (Once you tell me the stone is yours, it IS yours! As a broker, I buy these stones for you, and do not wish to have to raise my prices by keeping a large inventory.)

Q: What is the guarantee?

Diamond Quality Guarantee – You can be assured of receiving beautiful, genuine, quality diamonds from Winfields. All our diamonds are “graded” by universal standards of clarity, color, cut and weight, and each gem you purchase from Winfield’s is accompanied by a grade and value certificated report from an industry recognized, reputable gem lab.

Authentic Colored Stones Guarantee– We unconditionally guarantee all colored stones to be accurately identified and weight and color description included. Stones are genuine unless specifically noted as synthetic or a simulant. Any treatments we are aware of will be noted. Stones such as sapphire and ruby, are heat treated unless specifically noted to be natural color and not heat treated in their description. Other stones such as blue topaz are found so rarely in natural blue that all blue topaz are considered irradiated to give them their color.

Recipient Inspection Guarantee – We want you to be pleased with your stone choice. Therefore we offer a pre-purchase inspection option. Upon receipt of payment security authorization, we are happy to send loose stones for your inspection. You have a twenty-one (21) day right to inspection and return and full refund of any deposits for any reason. Once a purchase decision is made, all sales are final and not subject to return or refund.

Total Satisfaction Guarantee – Gold and platinum jewelry carries a 100% “we’ll make it right or your money back” satisfaction guarantee on workmanship. Our craftsmen hold very high quality standards which we expect and you receive or we will remake the piece for you at no charge. Workmanship is warranted for one year.

Custom Made Heirloom Treasures Guarantee– We use only master craftsmen of the trade for custom made pieces. We offer the same 100% satisfaction guarantee on workmanship for custom pieces Workmanship is warranted for one year.

I also can help you with insurance through Jewelers Mutual, a company that works exclusively with jewelers. The rates vary state to state, but are usually lower than your homeowners. Once every two years you have the jewelry inspected by a store who works with Jewelers Mutual and resubmit your premium for another year's coverage.

Every purchase from Winfield's is accompanied by an appraisal that you can use either with Jeweler's Mutual, or with your homeowners if you prefer.

Q: How do I know you are going to be there tomorrow?

A: I have been here all of my life except for eight years with the Marine Corps that took me to Vietnam, and Brazil where I became enamored of the gem trade. I will be here as long as I live. You can check me out with the Better Business Bureau or the Chamber of Commerce, neither has ever had a complaint filed against me.

Q: Why are your prices so much better than others?

A: Because my thirty years in the trade have enabled me to find out who are the best suppliers, and to gain their trust and confidence. My word is my bond in a wonderful business that is still done on a handshake, and I am known both nationally and internationally by people I can count on to provide me with the best product at the best values, so that I can pass those tremendous values on to you!

Q: Why are you so easy to buy from?

A: Quite frankly, because I love what I do. I get up every morning excited that I get to help people like you pick out the glorious gem that will become the symbol of the love and honor with which you regard the recipient. Take a look at a few of the many testimonials that I have received and you will know what keeps my batteries charged!

Q: Can I legally buy from you withoiut paying sales tax?

As I write this I am not required to charge sales tax on any purchase that I send out of state. This does NOT excuse you from the requirement in your state to report and pay sales tax on your purchase if your state collects sales tax. Currently only an extremely small percentage of people do report their out of state purchases when filing thier state income tax forms, and there are still a few states that do not have sales taxes.

However, since there are literally BILLIONS of dollars worth of unpaid sales taxes at a time when state governments are desparate for funds I think you can expect some time in the near future that the states will begin to require that we vendors desclose who are clients are and what dollar amount was purchased. If this happens, it will NOT be optional for us to disclose, so please factor this in when making your purchases. You may get away with it for a few more years, but eventually you will have to start paying sales taxes on purchases on the internet.