Pawnbrokers Report Increase in Retail Sales but Eye Online Competition

The NPA announced today the results of the NPA 2017 Trend Survey. The survey, which was conducted in early 2018, focuses on industry trends as reported by pawnbroker members of the NPA for the 2017 calendar year. The NPA has compiled survey results since 2013 to explore long range trends and their implications.

Pawnshops are always trying to innovate and keep up with current trends. With retail growth is on the up, pawnbrokers are cautious of the future due to the success and rapid proliferation of competing online retail operations, such as Amazon, Google Ads, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay. 

Collateral pawn loans are the core of a pawnbroker’s business,and continue to successfully offer a platform from where borrowers can visit a brick and mortar location for a one on one experience. Gems N' Loans in southern California offers locations to the North County San Diego, Temecula and Orange County.

Before You Take a Payday Loan in Oceanside Read This

When looking for fast cash, a pawn loan is a secured loan, meaning you put up an item of value as collateral for the loan. for example, items like jewelry or electronics would suffice as collateral of value. The amount of the loan will vary based on state regulations and the collateral you pawn of course.

Ultimately, the loan that you are approved for will be a percentage of the item’s value after the lender accounts for storage, security and other costs. Repayment terms are typically from 30 days to a couple of months. If you default on the loan, you risk the item being sold to cover the balance. However, some pawn shops offer extensions in order to help the borrower in these cases where they might be running late.

A payday loan is a short-term, high-interest loan, generally for $500 or less, that’s designed to bridge the gap between paychecks. The quick cash infusion is nice, but when you apply for a payday loan, you may wind up getting more than you bargained for.

As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes on its site, these loans are typically for small amounts but give lenders access to your checking account or require you to write a check for the full balance in advance, which the lender can deposit when the loan comes due. Also keep in mind that the payday loans carry sensationally high interest rates, with some costing as much as 400%.

Learn more about collateral loans here!

We’ve Got Team Spirit!

In a world where cut throat competition and increasingly higher standards are becoming a way of life, achieving excellence and success is not easy. Although achieving success has never been an easy task, these are the times when dreams of success seem far more unrealistic or difficult that what they actually are. However, today the mantra one must adopt for the attainment of success is "teamwork and unity".

One of the nice things about working at an employee owned and operated business is the loyalty and commitment. Gems N’ Loans employees go above and beyond, we not only make the customer feel that coming into our business is a good experience, but one that they will want to return and tell their friends and family about. We offer absolutely outrageous customer service!

Come visit us today, we've got team spirit. Six locations to serve you in San Diego and Riverside County. Click here for all our locations.
 

Gems N’ Loans - Jewelry and Pawn Shop Oceanside

3 Reasons Why Gold Will Shine In the New Year

November Gold News Recap

Welcome to the December edition of the Scottsdale Bullion & Coin newsletter. Here you will find monthly news about the gold & silver markets, investing insights, notable posts from our blog, and more. As knowledgeable precious metals dealers, we are happy to share news and information with our valued readers and clients. As always, we are available to answer questions or help you make investment choices.

At Gems N’ Loans, we offer a variety of jewelry, gold, and personal loans to suit your financial needs. Our company has been serving North County San Diego for 23 years in this capacity. We offer customer service like no other shops around.

Major Market Movers

Presidential election: The unprecedented U.S. election resulted in what is being called a “Trump rally” for the markets.

Risk appetite: Investors and markets seem to be pricing in expectations that Trump’s policies will be good for the economy, and we are seeing more risky investments. Concerns for rising deficits don’t appear to be priced in to the markets yet.

Federal Reserve: The probability for a rate hike at the next FOMC meeting mid-December is set at 90%. Barring any major news, the market expects interest rates to increase before the end of the year.

U.S. dollar: The dollar hit 14-year highs this month due to risk sentiment and anticipation of new economic policies.

Happy Labor Day From Gems N' Loans!

Labor Day Swim Oceanside California

 Many Gems N' Loans customers often talk about the exciting events and places surround the Oceanside are. When they are pawn shopping in Oceanside or just passing by, they can also find other events and places to see in the area.

The Labor Day Pier Swim is as much apart of Oceanside as the Top Gun house, San Luis Rey Mission, Camp Pendleton and Pacific Coast Highway. It is prolific and has shown to have longevity even throughout years in which the whole country was struggling. The Pier Swim has, and always will, remain a Labor Day tradition.



 

Gems N’ Loans - Jewelry and Pawn Shop Oceanside

 Why Pawn Shopping is Fun and Affordable

 

 Since the recession, more and more Americans have been turning to pawnshops to pay the rent.For many people this may be a mistake.Pawnshops have come under scrutiny for predatory lending practices.  These shops hold onto people's valuables for three to four months, using them as a guarantee against a loan while typically charging a three to four percent interest rate. Often the valuables are worth much more than the cash loan. For customers with bad credit and no bank account, however, pawnshops can serve as an important lifeline.

Gems N' Loans being a pawnbroker intends to be a moneylender, a financier of sorts. Pawnbroking is the most established type of buyer credit. Pawnbrokers augment money credits secured by stock which is promised. The borrower has a settled measure of time to return and reimburse the advance and reclaim their vow, or their stock is relinquished and sold.

Here's a short rundown of a portion of the shrouded opportunities in the pawnbroking business, and a portion of the energizing advantages that one would acknowledge in looking for a vocation as a pawnbroker. It will clear up numerous misguided judgments that you may presently have.Being a pawnbroker intends to be a moneylender, a financier of sorts. Pawnbroking is the most established type of buyer credit. Pawnbrokers augment money credits secured by stock which is promised. The borrower has a settled measure of time to return and reimburse the advance and reclaim their vow, or their stock is relinquished and sold.

Learn more!

Pearl - June Birthstone

Pearl is the authority birthstone for the month of June as embraced by the American National Association of Jewelers in 1912. It is additionally the birthstone for the Sun Signs of Gemini and Cancer. See the birthstone tables for extra references to this stone. Crisp water pearls are given on the first wedding commemoration. Pearls are likewise given on the third, twelfth and 30th commemorations.

A natural diamond, pearls are shaped inside mollusks, for example, clams and mussels. They are shaped when an aggravation, for example, a modest stone or bit of sand gets inside the mollusk's shell. A radiant substance, called nacre, is emitted around the item to ensure the delicate interior surface of the mollusk. As endless supply of nacre coats the aggravation, a pearl is shaped. Light that is reflected from these covering layers delivers a trademark luminous radiance. This procedure of building a strong pearl can take up to seven or eight years.

The most important pearls are consummately symmetrical, moderately vast and actually created. They have a shining radiance which is called arrange brilliance. The main clam beds lay in the Persian Gulf, along the shores of India and Sri Lanka, and in the Red Sea. Chinese pearls come chiefly from freshwater streams and lakes, though Japanese pearls are found close to the coast in salt water.

There are numerous sorts of pearls:

normal pearls (made without human impedance),

refined pearls (made when an outside substance is purposefully embedded into a living shellfish. This strategy was initially utilized as a part of 1893),

ornate (pearls that have sporadic shapes),

Biwa pearls (a sporadic molded pearl which shapes in the freshwater of Lake Biwa, Japan),

rankle (pearls which become joined to within the shell),

dark pearls (dim to dark pearls),

freshwater (pearls which frame in new water mollusks and look like puffed rice),

Mabe pearls (developed rankle pearls ),

seed pearls (little, minor pearls utilized as a part of Victorian gems and sewn on garments).

Pearls fluctuate in shading from white to those with an indication of shading, regularly pink, to chestnut or dark. Every hue will rely on upon the sort of mollusk and the water where the mollusk lived. Since the nacre is natural, pearls are exceptionally delicate to great warmth, acids, dryness, and mugginess. Consideration ought to be taken while putting away them.

Pearls are very "delicate" and extent somewhere around 2.5 and 4.5 on the Mohs size of hardness. They ought to be shielded from compelling wear.

Common pearls have been gathered from the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Manaar (Indian Ocean), and the Red Sea for a large number of years. The shorelines of Polynesia and Australia create essentially refined pearls. Both freshwater and saltwater pearls are developed in Japan and China. Freshwater pearls happen in the waterways of Scotland, Ireland, France, Austria, Germany, and the USA (Mississippi)

Oceanside Pawn Shops - Browse Our Inventory - Pawn Shop Oceanside

Gems N' Loans 40% of Diamonds! Bargains and Pawnshopping

 

Often, a customer will shop for a diamond using a traditional jeweler, even if they eventually purchase online. The buyer is able to see various diamond sizes, shapes, and qualities first hand; allowing for a more informed and confident online purchase. In some cases, the customer may decide to purchase from the local jeweler based on their service and selection. In either case, when shopping for a diamond at a traditional jeweler, keep the following in mind.

Gems N Loans is North County San Diego’s largest gold buyer and jewelry reseller for 20 years. Trade in your unwanted or broken gold and platinum jewelry.

For most people, buying a diamond is a new experience, but that doesn't mean it should be overwhelming. Understanding a diamond's quality characteristics is straightforward and simple.

Gems N’ Loans teaches how diamond characteristics influence appearance, and which are more important than others. In just a few minutes you'll know everything you need to know to find your perfect diamond.

 

Bargains and Pawn Shopping Oceanside California Gems N' Loans

Trade in your old, unwanted, or broken gold and platinum jewelry and save even more on anything you buy! We pay the highest prices in North County for your gold and platinum no matter its age or condition. Online and mail-in gold buyers have been identified as dishonest. Sell gold and platinum at one of our 4 locations to a business that has been in town for over 20 years, has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, has GIA certified Accredited Jewelry Professionals (AJP), Graduate Gemologists (GG) and Graduate Jewelers (GJ) on staff to assist you.

Having applied for and received a pawnbroker's license from the State of California to offer pawn loans in exchange for personal jewelry, Gems N' Loans, is pleased to expand its services as a pawn loan specialist in the area of gold, jewelry, diamonds, fine watches, diamonds, and gemstones of all types.

“North County’s largest public gold dealer” Your gold is evaluated, tested and weighed in your presence on scales certified by the County of San Diego. Don’t deal with the “fly by nights.” With gold at a 10 year high, now is the perfect time to sell! We are giving crazy amounts of cash for gold in any condition, including scrap gold and dental gold. In fact, we may give you more money than you paid for it.

Gold is worth 3-5 times more than it was about ten years ago. Don’t mail your gold to some outfit as seen on TV, not knowing how much your gold is worth or how long it will take to get a check. Stop into any of our Gems N’ Loans locations today and get a free appraisal and cash in your hand within minutes!

Aquamarine - March Birthstone of the Month

Aquamarine comes from the Latin word meaning “Sea Water.” Medieval sages prescribed water touched by Aquamarine for a host of ills, including those affecting the eyes and lungs. Brazil is a major source for Aquamarine.

Since early times, aquamarine has been believed to endow the wearer with foresight, courage, and happiness. It is said to increase intelligence and make one youthful. As a healing stone, it is said to be effective as a treatment for anxiety and in the Middle Ages it was thought that aquamarine would reduce the effect of poisons.

Here at Gems N’ Loans we take our gems seriously and Aquamarine is no exception! Throughout the month of March we are offering 50% off the Birthstone of the Month, some exclusions may apply. Come in today and take a look at our selection.

Pawnshops 101: MYTH vs. FACT

Here at Gems N' Loans we want to clear up some of the myths people have about Pawn shops. Pawn shops have been utilized by many different cultures all around the world throughout history, yet a lot of people do not know as much about pawnshops as they should. If you have never visited a pawn shop because of all the misconceptions you may have heard, we want to clarify some of the most common pawn shop myths:

MYTH: Pawning items can be complicated.
FACT: Gems N' Loans makes the process simple and convenient. Our friendly and educated staff can answer any of your pawn-related questions.

MYTH: Pawn Shops don’t offer good loans.
FACT: Gems N' Loans always work with our customers to provide the best loans possible for all quality items. Come see what we can do for you today!

MYTH: Pawn Shops only offer stolen goods.
FACT: Gems N' Loans work closely with local law enforcement to ensure that no inventory items are stolen.

MYTH: Pawn Shops Keep Most Items That Are Pawned.
FACT: Gems N' Loans will never sell your pawned item before you pay back your loan. We want to give you more than enough time to pay off your debt.

Have you heard any other myths about pawn shops? Find out the truth by contacting the experts here at Gems N' Loans. You can check out our website at www.gemsnloans.com or call us at any of our six locations.

What is The Pawnshop?

In the most simplistic terms, a Pawn Shop is a business that engages in collateral-based lending. Given this, it also sells items that have been left by borrowers and most Pawn Shops buy items outright for sale. The practice of collateral-based lending has been around since ancient times, but became a popular enterprise in Italy in the Middle Ages. In the beginning, pawning was practiced as an act of charity by the Franciscan Monks who lent money on tangible goods without charging interest. It has been reported that this enterprise was picked up on by the famous Italian banking family, the Medici's who then turned it into a for-profit business.

Pawn Shops have grown by leaps and bounds in the United States - especially in the last 5 years. We are very familiar with the famous Pawn Shop in Las Vegas depicted in the hit reality television show Pawn Stars. A Pawn Shop in Georgia is credited with the beginning one of the first online pawn shops and a Pawn Shop in Los Angeles recently helped police nab a burglary suspect by following the trail of stolen goods. And, if you're looking for a Pawn Shop in Florida you don't need to look far as the latest consensus shows Dade County Florida having more pawn shops than any other country due to the flailing economy. Pawn Shops are a fixture of the American business landscape and will surely continue to grow be so for centuries to come.

Pearl - June Stone of the Month

A new month brings a new Stone of the Month. The Stone of the Month for June is Pearl. From the courts of ancient emperors, to the royalty and celebrities of today, pearls have been adored as a sign of wealth and exquisite taste. Pearls are unique as they are the only gems from living sea creatures and require no polishing to reveal their natural beauty. 

The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth but many other shapes of pearls occur. To offer pearls to a loved one is to present her with the very finest of nature’s gifts. It is, quite simply, ‘The Queen of Gems’ – nothing else can come close. Forever elegant, forever in the highest fashion circles. 

Here at Gems N’ Loans we take our gems seriously and Pearl is no exception! Throughout the month of June we are offering 50% off the Stone of the Month, some exclusions may apply. Come in today and take a look at our selection.

Diamond - April Stone of the Month

A new month brings a new Stone of the Month. The Stone of the Month for April is Diamond.

Diamonds have four major characteristics known as, “The four C’s, carat, color, clarity & cut. Diamond is derived from the Greek word meaning: proper, unbreakable and unalterable. It is thought to be discovered in India over 6,000 years ago. 

A small number of natural diamonds fall outside of the typical white-yellow-brown color range. They can be pink, blue, purple, red, orange or any color. When they are a pleasing shade they can be extremely valuable and are given the name “fancy” diamonds. 

With a hardness of ten on the Mohs Scale, diamond is the hardest natural substance. Diamonds are so hard that the only tool that can be used to cut a diamond must be made from another diamond.

Here at Gems N’ Loans we take our gems seriously and Diamond is no exception! Throughout the month of April we are offering 40% off the Stone of the Month. Come in today and take a look at our selection.

What's Your Style?

The Tudor Rose Brooch, 1830-40

Antique (over 100 years old) 
Elaborate bodice ornaments, stomachers, chatelaines and earrings that almost reached the shoulders showcased luxury and display, which was very much the fashion style of the 18th century. Cushion and rose-cut diamonds glittered under candlelight and were mounted in silver to maximize whiteness. This insatiable demand for jewelry continued into the 19th century and prompted experimentation in design and the introduction of a variety of new styles, ranging from the austere neoclassicism of the Napoleonic era to the exuberant mid-century naturalism and later revivalist trends. Toward the end of the century, the jeweler's palette softened to the more delicate shades of fin de siècle designs. Ornate parures, or matching sets of jewelry, and hair ornaments such as tiaras with ostrich plumes were very popular in the late Victorian era (1837-1901). Large bracelet designs, often with portrait miniatures at their centers were also common. And, of course, the large expanse of cleavage afforded by the then highly fashionable evening gowns provided the perfect backdrop for elaborate necklaces. Colored stones also began to feature in fine pieces such as velvety Kashmir sapphires, grass-green demantoid garnets from the Ural mountains in Russia and precious black opals from Australia. It was common to remodel pieces into the latest designs so few original jewels predating the mid-19th century are sold at auction. Whenever these rare pieces do appear at auction, they are avidly pursued for their design and historical importance.

Art Nouveau Russian Ring, 1904

Art Nouveau 
Art Nouveau existed for a brief moment but left a lasting impact on jewelry. Pieces from this era are treasured for their original design rather than intrinsic value. Named after Siegfried Bin's (1839-1905) avant-garde Parisian shop La Maison de l'Art Nouveau, this style followed an amalgam of new design principles and innovative materials. The world of nature flowed in sinuous curves inspired by the asymmetry and economy of line of Japonism. René Lalique, the master of the genre, used exotic, fragile materials such as molded glass and enamel for aesthetic value. Designs featured dreamy flora and fauna such as lilies and lotus blossoms, serpents, swans and the female in the guise of a dragonfly. The style's free-flowing forms were a deliberate reaction to the rigidity of machine-made and mass-produced jewelry.

Pâte de Verre Pendant

Belle Epoque (1895-1914) 
Around the time of the Art Nouveau school (1895-1910), another movement of artistic refinement spread to greatly affect the creation of mainstream jewelry. Platinum, malleable yet strong, was used to create jewels of unequaled technical excellence and put the unrivaled craftsmanship of the House of Cartier at the forefront. The light-hearted start to the new century inspired lavish yet delicate jewels to complement the fashion of the hourglass silhouette and pale-colored fabrics, with diamonds and pearls reigning supreme. Flowers, bows and ribbons with a lace-like quality featured in what came to be known as 'The Garland Style'. Neck ornaments were most popular: delicate chokers with necklaces worn below, simple strands of natural pearls, lavalières (with pear-shaped drops) or négligé pendants (with two drops of unequal length).

Clear Paste Stone Earrings,1920

 Art Deco (1915-1935) 
The excesses of the Art Nouveau and Garland styles (1895-1914) gave way to the bold, simplistic stylization of Art Deco. The new woman was emancipated: sporty, active, heavily made-up and smoking in public. She left the pastels of the Belle Epoque behind for tunic dresses in bright, opulent colors inspired by Fauvist artists and Orientalism. Those vertical lines were echoed in elongated jewels—sautoirs and pendant earrings swung to the new rhythm. Bandeaus worn low on the forehead and bare arms adorned with band bracelets completed the androgynous look à la garçonne. Gemset wristwatches, cigarette cases and power compacts, the latter two considered so-called nécessaires de soirs, became pieces of jewelry decorated with inlaid hardstone, diamonds or enamel on lacquer. Abstract geometric compositions and vibrant colors matched the innovative use of colored gemstones carved as flowers and leaves in the Indian style, thus fusing East and West, form and color, in a synthesis of pure art and lasting luxury. The period also saw a major technical innovation—Van Cleef & Arpels' invisible setting allowed gemstones to be closely set together without the use of prongs, so that no metal could be seen on the surface. The 1930s saw the sublime perfection of white Art Deco, as the 'functional' approach and angularities of the machine age crystallized into stark, sober statements of inflated size and scale. Abstract and industrial shapes became almost architectural in form and highlighted white expanses of platinum, diamond and rock crystal or allowed for just one color contrast such as ruby or sapphire. Sleek geometry gradually softened into more sculptural, three-dimensional shapes displaying the beginnings of volume and movement to complement the returning curves of femininity.
  

Silver Pinwheel Brooch, 1950

Retro (1940s-1950s) 
Wartime austerity curbed the whims of fashion and taste, as materials were hard to come by. Masculine, square lines were counterbalanced with bold 'cocktail' jewels, which were striking and dramatic. Designs substituted small and sparse precious gems with large semi-precious alternatives such as aquamarines and citrines. Broad expanses of polished gold in all its colors replaced platinum. Diamonds were very rare. Jewelers revealed a fresh approach to themes of flora and fauna and created naturalistic fantasy amid the devastation of war.

Lucite Necklace, 1970

The 60s and 70s 
Miniskirts and hot pants signaled the rebellious mood of the time and the use of unconventional materials. Although classic, sumptuous jewels were still in demand, now contemporary pieces were inspired by events like the first man on the moon. Color contrasts and bright opaque materials like turquoise and coral echoed fashion, while jagged contours, such as marquise-cut diamonds and prominent claw settings, challenged the flow of traditional lines. Uncut crystals appeared in jewels in organic sprawling forms. Harry Winston and Laurence Graff set the "grand luxe" approach that concentrated on superb stones. This approach was in response to the growing interest in the quality of gemstones prompted by the introduction of diamond grading certificates in 1957. In the 1970s attention turned East. Designs of the major houses had a distinct Indian flavor. Gold was very popular, particularly the intricate designs of Buccellati. In view of an increasing demand for more casual jewels, the great jewelry houses responded with "boutique" lines, offering seasonal collections to reflect the fashionable styles, shapes and colors of the time.
  

Green Tourmaline Necklace, 1990

Contemporary 
Polished gold and sleek lines complemented 1980s power dressing epitomized by Bulgari. Colored diamonds came into high demand with concerns about quality and origin of gemstones peaking in the 1990s. Daniel Brush and JAR reached new levels of excellence in design and technique. As contemporary jewelers continued to push the limit of their craft, antique and rare designs from the past became highly desirable and more collectable.