Caribe Jewelry Museum & Factory
Caribe Jewelry Museum & Factory
Caribe Jewelry Museum & Factory
4.5
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Caribe Jewelry Museum & Factory and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
919 within 5 kms
Attractions
188 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Sholas007New Orleans, Louisiana146 contributionsInformative Place that was an Unexpected High Point of the Trip to Cartagena.Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable and personable. She took us through the history of emeralds, how they are processed, how they are graded and the ways in which they are incorporated into jewelry. The tour was just with my travel companion and I, so there was time to ask questions and the pace of the tour was one that we set. When we arrived the location was relatively un-cluttered, but while we were there a group from a cruise ship arrived and things got compressed. In the end, there is a jewelry showroom with strong retail offerings at a wide variety of price points. So there is an element to the tour that is a calculated expense to connect with visitors to drive sales. But, that reality did not feel pushy, high pressured, or gratuitous. This is a great use of an hour (or more if shipping ensues) and a reason to see the downtown area of Cartagena. The location is secure and well air conditioned. It is accessible for those that cannot walk.Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 2 January 2024
- Maysa M39 contributionsGreat learning opportunity on the Emerlads of Columbia !Great overview of understanding emeralds in Columbia and how they are mined and polished. A great learning opportunity for stone and jewellery lovers! You enter the museum and get a tour of the emerald process and see various types of emeralds in their raw and polished forms. Afterwards you are given the opportunity to browse the available stones (in gold and silver) and can decide if you would like to buy or not. There is no pressure to buy which is nice ! Our tour was in English and our tour guide George was great. They are ready to answer all your questions. If you decide to buy they resize your ring for free and prepare all the paperwork needed for tax recollection (if you are foreign). Definitely recommend visiting !Visited January 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 9 January 2024
- Aprylgem5Norfolk, Virginia475 contributionsSmall but Very Nice Historical & Shopping Experience.I stumbled upon the museum although I had received recommendations. While walking down the street I was asked if I wanted to come in for a free tour. The museum was much smaller than I expected, but still contained very interesting information. Our guide was bilingual which helped as my Spanish is meh. I did end up purchasing a ring at the end of the tour. There were various price points for the jewelry. The staff were very accommodating. After my purchase, they offered my group beers and coffee. I even took home some pieces of raw emerald in addition to my purchase.Visited May 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 2 June 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
2,100 reviews
Excellent
1,321
Very good
501
Average
189
Poor
49
Terrible
40
marilynnann
Conway, AR5 contributions
Jan 2020
I had a goal of buying an emerald while in Columbia. I was first in Bogota where I looked, but wasn't confident with the stores at the emerald market or the other stores I visited. I'm so happy with the emeralds I bought at Caribe New Town. First of all, they have a workshop in the store where they can customize your purchase. That was not the case at my other stops. I had seen great reviews for this store before my trip, and I too had the impression the staff was honest. Jessica and Melbis were SO EXTREMELY helpful. In fact that applies to everyone there. I met the owner too. They made me feel like they had all the time in the world to devote to me, and showed me things with unending patience. I found a gold and emerald band I loved, and a beautiful loose emerald. The color of the emeralds from the Muzo mines are beautiful! They offered to set the emerald in a band to match the other band I had chosen. When I asked them what it would look like, they told me I would need to "trust them". Well I did and they made that ring for me the same day. I held my breath until I could see the final product, and WOW I'm so happy! I arrived in time to watch them polish and finish the ring which I filmed as a fun memory. I LOVE my two ring set so so much, and it's different from anything I've seen in the states. Plus it has the added benefit of having a wonderful memory attached. I just got my appraisal back - moment of truth - and these rings appraised for 2.3 times what I paid. That makes me even happier! So I HIGHLY recommend Caribe. Heads up, we learned the hard way when applying for the VAT at the airport that there is a limit to the VAT back you can receive as an American and I think it was $1000. I'm wondering if we had split the purchase between my husband's credit card and mine if we would have received the balance. I'm not sure, but maybe. We haven't yet received the VAT credit, but it takes awhile.
Written 25 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, Marilyn. We are glad to know you enjoyed our educational experience during your visit to our store. Our staff is very well qualified and will be always at your service weather you visit our Emerald Museum or any of our stores. Thank you very much for your purchase and your confidence in our products. You can be sure you have taken the best of our emeralds. Welcome back anytime!
Written 26 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
midwaytoheaven
Midway, UT3,048 contributions
Jan 2020
All the Cruise Ships recommend this shop and well as all the taxi cab drivers for good reason, commissions paid to everyone from your purchase. Expect to overpay for everything. Yes you can buy in confidence that this is the real stuff, just know the markups are huge here, perhaps 300 to 1000%.
BOTTOM LINE: Looking costs nothing unless you fall in love with something then it will cost you dearly! This company has multiple local stores. MY RATING: 7/10
BOTTOM LINE: Looking costs nothing unless you fall in love with something then it will cost you dearly! This company has multiple local stores. MY RATING: 7/10
Written 16 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello. Thank you for visiting. For us it is very important to know all the details of your experience, therefore we invite you to write to us at the email correo atencionalcliente@joyeriacaribe.com e info@joyeriacaribe.com. We will take into account your observations to continue growing and offering only the best to our guests and visitors. Happy day.
Written 22 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sholas007
New Orleans, LA146 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable and personable. She took us through the history of emeralds, how they are processed, how they are graded and the ways in which they are incorporated into jewelry. The tour was just with my travel companion and I, so there was time to ask questions and the pace of the tour was one that we set.
When we arrived the location was relatively un-cluttered, but while we were there a group from a cruise ship arrived and things got compressed. In the end, there is a jewelry showroom with strong retail offerings at a wide variety of price points. So there is an element to the tour that is a calculated expense to connect with visitors to drive sales. But, that reality did not feel pushy, high pressured, or gratuitous.
This is a great use of an hour (or more if shipping ensues) and a reason to see the downtown area of Cartagena. The location is secure and well air conditioned. It is accessible for those that cannot walk.
When we arrived the location was relatively un-cluttered, but while we were there a group from a cruise ship arrived and things got compressed. In the end, there is a jewelry showroom with strong retail offerings at a wide variety of price points. So there is an element to the tour that is a calculated expense to connect with visitors to drive sales. But, that reality did not feel pushy, high pressured, or gratuitous.
This is a great use of an hour (or more if shipping ensues) and a reason to see the downtown area of Cartagena. The location is secure and well air conditioned. It is accessible for those that cannot walk.
Written 2 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TripNines
Gilbertsville, PA112 contributions
Feb 2020
I actually did not visit, but viewed their online site. No outstanding items... not that I could afford one, but what they were showing was what you could expect to find and pay less for in a mall jewelry store. At a privately owned store, you could probably pay even less if you chat it up with manager/owner. Best to buy at shows and dealer (usually open to the public) conventions.
A ring #49502 featured a very included pear shaped 1.55ct stone in white gold surrounded by about 18 1-point medium grade diamonds. I would guess the intrinsic value of the material to be less than $300. Caribe's price, $3080.
A ring #49502 featured a very included pear shaped 1.55ct stone in white gold surrounded by about 18 1-point medium grade diamonds. I would guess the intrinsic value of the material to be less than $300. Caribe's price, $3080.
Written 5 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Mrs Tripnines
It is certainly very unfortunate that your experience comes from such a light overlook of what we have to offer.
We are confident there are plenty of malls, shops, and other stores where you find all sorts of qualities and services. We are not sure which kind of quality you are used to, but we can assure you that our pricing and quality is accurate to the kind of product we sell.
An often situation that occurs is our customers having theirs jewels appraisal at their home country and finding they are often worth even twice what they spent in the country of origin. Our entire business is based of this.
The piece you mention is one of our most special ones. We would love to host you at our museum as an opportunity to educate about what are the factors taken into consideration when pricing our stones. All emeralds MUST have inclusions, it is in fact the best way we make sure they are real, unlike diamonds. Other factors like size, shape, color or cut are just as important as making sure they are real. We understand you might not know this, as you’re not a certified gemologist, as our staff is.
You can however rest assure, that the 35 years of experience and reputation that we have build is based specially on fair pricing and excellent service, thus making us the only Jewelry Store and Museum in Colombia to be granted with the International Quality Management System Certificate IQ NET.
We do have an entire world to educate, and we thrive everyday to do so.
Let us know when you’re in Colombia,
Best regards
Written 10 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ann K
124 contributions
Feb 2023
The museum is so small I didn't understand all of the hype. It really is nothing takes about 5 minutes to walk through and look into the "exhibits" Calling it a FACTORY? really hard stretch!
Nice shop nice jewelry I would imagine you would have to KNOW what you are looking at as far as pricing. seems its more about selling.
Nice shop nice jewelry I would imagine you would have to KNOW what you are looking at as far as pricing. seems its more about selling.
Written 23 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Ann K,
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. We're sorry to hear that you did not find our museum to be up to your expectations. We strive to provide a unique and enjoyable experience for all of our visitors and are disappointed to hear that we fell short in your case.
Our Emerald Museum boasts over 450 square meters of exhibition space, which are housed in our headquarters and main branch, and it is packed with valuable information about emeralds and our jewelry-making process. We take pride in our museum and believe that it offers visitors an opportunity to learn about the fascinating world of emeralds and the craftsmanship that goes into creating our jewelry.
Regarding pricing, we understand that it can be challenging to understand the value of our products without prior knowledge of emeralds and the jewelry-making process. That's why our staff is always on hand to answer any questions and provide guidance in selecting the right piece of jewelry.
Once again, we apologize for any disappointment you may have experienced during your visit. We appreciate your feedback, and we'll use it to improve our services and better meet our visitors' needs.
Written 11 April 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sweetmangomania
Brisbane, Australia107 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
Note this is mainly a shop with museum attached. There are two locations - larger one (original) in Boccogrande and the smaller museum and shop in the Old City. Impromptu tours are possible any time if you walk into the store as any of the salespeople can take you through. The museum was interesting but I was mainly there to make a purchase. The shops were relaxed - no one pushing you to buy. I went to all three stores (there is a third shop in the old city) and found the designs to be a little plain and poorly displayed - not much of the display cabinets were well lit, and in fact some lights in the shop weren’t even on which made the cabinets look dark. Overall the prices seemed ok but I found nicer designs in other stores.
Written 27 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
"Thank you for sharing your thoughts on our establishment. We appreciate your visit and feedback. It's great to hear that you found the impromptu tours available and that our staff in the store was accommodating. We apologize for any inconvenience regarding the museum's display and lighting; your observations are valuable for our improvement. We strive to offer unique and appealing designs, and we regret that you didn't find them to your taste. We hope to have the opportunity to better meet your expectations in the future. Thank you for choosing us."
Written 29 February 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Maria D
Chicago, IL11 contributions
Nov 2021 • Couples
We stopped by the museum and was great! Then we walked in town into one of the stores I didn’t see anything I liked then Aixa and Ibeth let me know that they could custom make something for me. And sure they did within two days I had a handmade 18 k gold bracelet with Colombian emeralds. They even send me pictures of the progress.Loving it all ready!
Written 28 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maysa M
39 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
Great overview of understanding emeralds in Columbia and how they are mined and polished. A great learning opportunity for stone and jewellery lovers! You enter the museum and get a tour of the emerald process and see various types of emeralds in their raw and polished forms. Afterwards you are given the opportunity to browse the available stones (in gold and silver) and can decide if you would like to buy or not. There is no pressure to buy which is nice ! Our tour was in English and our tour guide George was great. They are ready to answer all your questions. If you decide to buy they resize your ring for free and prepare all the paperwork needed for tax recollection (if you are foreign). Definitely recommend visiting !
Written 9 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aprylgem5
Norfolk, VA475 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
I stumbled upon the museum although I had received recommendations. While walking down the street I was asked if I wanted to come in for a free tour. The museum was much smaller than I expected, but still contained very interesting information. Our guide was bilingual which helped as my Spanish is meh. I did end up purchasing a ring at the end of the tour. There were various price points for the jewelry. The staff were very accommodating. After my purchase, they offered my group beers and coffee. I even took home some pieces of raw emerald in addition to my purchase.
Written 2 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jen78703
Austin, TX1,491 contributions
Feb 2020
This was included with a walking tour. You are assigned a guide and walk through a small mine exhibit. It's certainly interesting and it's air conditioned so makes for a nice break. There are also bathrooms readily available. I enjoyed seeing all the emeralds on display. Once the tour is done you're lead into the showroom where they have loads of really gaudy emerald jewelry for sale after the tour. Nothing sleek and modern- not to my taste at all.
Written 26 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Do you need to book a tour or can you just turn up and visit the museum.
Written 2 December 2023
Do you have an elevator. Are you wheelchair accessible
Written 2 March 2020
I did not see an elevator, and the refugees are so rude splitting you up and holding tablecloths in front of your face, because of this I got separated from my friend and husband. I know they need to make a living but it is very scary, I would not recommend you to go around unless you have a tour booked. It is a lovely city and I was fortunate enough to see a guide from the same company I was with and he walked me to my guide.
Written 3 March 2020
Road116900
Estero, Florida
Do you sell emerald eternity rings with or without diamonds?
Written 16 October 2019
Hello, Road. You can see our different models in the online shop on our website.
Written 1 November 2019
fakeemail2018
Burlington, North Carolina
Do you sell raw samples or unset cut cabochons of the rocks for rock and mineral collectors? What are the typical prices for these cut and raw unset gems?
Written 14 October 2019
As I recall, there was a good assortment or raw stones.
After we shopped here and didn’t purchase, I would strongly suggest you purchase here . Best prices and selection.
Written 15 October 2019
I visited your store in Cartagena on 12/4, 2017. I purchased a pair of eerald earrings, and a matching pendant.
I lost my carryon bag, left in a cab while in Meddillin and in my bag was the receipt with the gem descriptions, cost, etc. I would like a copy of my recipt for my records, insurance etc.
CAn you email me a copy ? thank you
Deborah Hedley
Written 13 June 2018
Hi Deborah, yes we can! please let us know your address.
Written 14 June 2018
Qualquer valor da entrada no Museu das esmeraldas? E quais os dias e horários de funcionamento?
Written 7 March 2018
Não é pago, e é um passeio muito interessante. achei as jóias com um bom preço e as esmeraldas são todas certificadas.
Written 8 March 2018
Can you give a price guide for an emerald ring please? Do you have baguette emeralds?
Helen
Written 22 August 2017
Hi, Helen! Please visit us at our website Caribe Jewelry, there your can find the online store. You also can request any emerald in particular.
Written 22 August 2017
Hola, Marta. Es muy importante que a la hora de limpiar tus joyas, jamás uses detergentes o productos abrasivos. Usa siempre agua, un jabón suave y un cepillo de cerdas suaves. ¡Bienvenida siempre a caribe Jewelry!
Written 30 June 2017
I would like to know more about your jewelry making classes that you mentioned in a reply to a review...Please let me know the days, times, cost, and any other details that you have about these classes.
Thanks
Written 27 March 2017
Hi! We will gladly share the info about our Jewelry Making Clases. Please visit us here: jcemerald. co
Or send us an message in our Facebook page: Caribe Jewelry.
Welcome!
Written 27 March 2017
Showing results 1-10 of 20
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing