Queen of PAWNS

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

All Our Stores are Open:

BLACK FRIDAY, November 28th – 7 AM.
Our West Palm Beach Store - 5 AM.

Monday - Saturday 9am - 7pm

Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Rings Around Your Fingers

This week Queen of Pawns talks on rings. We have rings for men and women though here we’ll be focusing on men’s rings, as rings for men is often neglected. An important thing to remember is gold and diamond jewelry has a VERY high markup when buying retail. Of course Queen of Pawns is the best place for you to buy your high quality jewelry where you will not be paying retail. When buying second hand from Queen of Pawns saves you so much money!

One of the brands we carry is Chanel. The House of Chanel is one of the most noted and prestigious Couture designers in the world. Chanel was founded in the early 20th Century by Coco Chanel. She was the first designer to take fashion in a new direction away rather than from the more femininely designs of the “Belle Époque”. She was known for her keen business mind and distinguished taste. Coco Chanel rose to be a well known designer of fashion. She established a reputation for designs that were both comfortable and elegant. Her designs include those for clothing, as well as for jewelry and accessories.

One of the men's Chanel rings we carry is a 14 Karat, White Gold Channel Set Men's Wedding band ring weighing approximately 1.25 Carats

A cut of diamond called the Princess cut was first created in 1980 by Betzalel Ambar and Israel Itzkowitz. They are the most popular fancy cut, particularly for engagement rings. One such ring we have is a 14 Karat, White Gold Yellow Princess cut Diamond invisible set Men's Bond Ring 2.15 Carat.

Baguette-cut and emerald-cut diamonds have step cuts. These cuts are facets that look like steps rather than corners or triangles. These cuts have a bold shape that are great in diamond rings. One ring is a 14 Karat, White Gold Baguette Diamonds, Mens ring containing approximately 1.6 Carats.

One additional mens ring of note is a 14 Karat White Gold men's band ring containing three fine white diamonds weighing approximately 0.75 Carats.

For these rings and others, contact Queen of Pawns today.

Next week Queen of Pawns will talk on Chains and Necklaces. See you then.

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

All Our Stores are Open:

Monday - Saturday 9am - 7 pm

Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

“Happy Spring and Happy Mothers Day”

Happy Spring and Happy Mothers Day from Queen of Pawns. Sunday, May 11^th is the day and going to Queen of Pawns is a great way you can get a jump on it.

Located in South Florida and Central Florida, We invite you to come and visit any of our store locations nearest you to find the perfect dazzling jewelry piece for your mom.

You can choose from any of our fine jewelry pieces where our prices are competitive with what's going on in the gold market right now. While you’re there you may want to check out our electronics toys for yourself. Perhaps your mom would want one as well for staying in touch with a tablet computer or smart phone.

Take a look at the Queen of Pawns Jewelry section for some jewelry ideas. Better yet, visit Queen of Pawns for a great selection of rings, chains, charms, diamonds, pearls, sapphires, rubies and all sorts of stones. Having 18 karat 14 karat, 10 karat ... you name it !

See our locations at: http://queenofpawns.net/lakeworth01.html

For a little history of Mothers Day, it dates back to the original spring festival that it seems the Greeks paid tribute to the maternal goddesses. They utilized this occasion to honor the wife of Cronus Rhea, the mother of many Goddesses of Greek mythology.

Also ancient Romans participated in a spring festival, called Hilaria, dedicating it to Cybele, a mother goddess. This began some 250 years before Christ was born.

Quite a history is the origins of Mother’s Day. Although any day we can be honoring our Moms, Mother’s Day is a SPECIAL day to pay homage to it. What will you be doing for the moms in your life?

Queen of Pawns, again, is the best destination to buy gold for your mom and see what we have for yourself as well!!!

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

All Our Stores are Open:

Monday - Saturday 9am - 7 pm

Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Birthday Invitation

What does Aretha Franklin, Sarah Jessica Parker, Elton John, race car driver Danica Patrick, Olympic bronze metal winning ice skater Debi Thomas, and Queen of PAWNS have in common? On March 25^th we all celebrate the same birthday! What a great crowd, huh?

The candles on the cake add up to 19 this year! A big, special thank you to our loyal customers who have made it possible to live the dream here in Florida for 19 years. For our entire birthday month, all Queen of Pawns stores have been giving our customers surprise birthday discounts. We love surprises, and we thought you might too. You never know what kind of treasure you may find at one of our pawn shops and our low prices are worthy of a celebration of their own! Note that the month isn’t over yet. Be sure to check in with us before the month is through to score your own birthday surprise.

This year we have a birthday wish - if you have had a great experience at Queen of Pawns, would you mind letting us know? We would love to hear from you! You can comment here on the blog, by email (info@QueenofPAWNS.net), Facebook or the old fashioned way - on a piece of paper. It would be such a sweet birthday gift!

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

All Our Stores are Open:
Monday - Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Friday, March 7, 2014

Spring Forward

Daylight saving time (DST) or “summer time” is upon us. Yes, spring hasn’t even arrived yet and there is already talk of it being summer time. So, tonight, or rather tomorrow at 2 am, it is time to “spring forward” your clocks. Don’t get confused - it’s only summer time in terms of telling time and not the season. That doesn’t clear things up any, does it? This is making us dizzy. Let’s start over...

Daylight saving time (DST) starts Sunday, March 9^th. Remember to “spring forward” and turn your clocks one hour ahead. The official time change occurs at 2 am, but if you don’t happen to be awake at that time, just know that when you do wake up Sunday morning, you have basically lost an hour.

Here’s some fun facts about DST: You may have noticed that we called the event “daylight saving time.” It is a common mispronunciation for people to say “daylight savingS,” (with an S). This mispronunciation is so common that it goes unnoticed. We’re not sure that it really makes a much of a difference in the big picture - but it could win you a round of trivia.

As of 2007 the United States has infallibly changed our clocks by springing forward the second Sunday of March and “falling back,” to standard time the first Sunday of November. The only places within the United States that do not acknowledge the time change are Arizona, the Navajo and Hopi Indian Reservations which include Arizona and part of Utah and New Mexico, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Here in Florida, because of our southern location, DST is not very useful nor does it have much affect on how we use our daylight hours. For that reason, there is political opposition to DST in our state.

All we know for now is that beyond daylight saving time, the best savings in Florida are at Queen of PAWNS. Whatever the political debate is on DST, we think nothing is more satisfying than adjusting the time on a new-to-you luxury watch from Queen of Pawns. (We believe we have our priorities in order, don’t you?) Speaking of time, once again we are noticing how time flies, because March is our BIRTHDAY MONTH! It will be 19 years on March 25^th since we opened our first store in Florida. All month we will be having surprise sales and radical discounts on our top quality merchandise. Be sure to stop by, say, “Hi,” or “Happy Birthday,” and have some fun “springing into savings,” at Queen of PAWNS.

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

407201 3930

All Our Stores are Open:
Monday - Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Get Your Valentines Jewelry at Face Value

Cartier, Gucci, Bvlgari and Tiffany - all designers we love at Queen of PAWNS, and jewelry we sell based on pennyweight. What is a pennyweight, you ask? Read on and we’ll explain in a moment.

With all due respect to designer jewelry, when it comes to reselling, there is an inherent depreciation. The jewelry is just as spectacular as it was brand new, only as a resell item, there is no overhead of marketing. When we purchase precious items, we pay market value of the materials within each piece. We inspect diamonds and gems, determine authenticity of the metals and take into consideration any obvious signs of wear and tear. One of the most reliable methods we use to determine the authenticity of, gold for example, is the nitric acid test; performed right in front of the seller. (See our previous post, “Don’t Be Fooled, Know Your Gold, Part I”.)

Not to create confusion, but luxury watches are another story. Certain designers and manufacturers have established standards and quality in the construction of their watches that have come to be expected from them. Names DO make a difference in the world of luxury watches. That said, Queen of Pawns has gorgeous, luxury watches, of all kinds, at unbeatable prices. For more insight to what makes a watch a luxury item, see our post, “How Watches Tell Time.”

Now about pennyweight.

Once we determine the percentage of alloy and authenticity of a precious metal, we can then find the current market value after using a scale that measures in pennyweight. One pennyweight equates approximately 1.555 grams. It is a common weight used amongst jewelers in the valuation and measurement of precious metals. It’s abbreviation is usually dwt. On a daily basis we are familiar with the market value of metals and gems. Jewelry is put in our showcases priced accordingly, with only a small percentage more to cover our expenses.

The good news is, at Queen of PAWNS, you can have the designer jewelry without the designer price tag! Keep this in mind as you shop for your Valentine these next few days. Get the “Wow!” without making your wallet say, “Ow!”

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

All Our Stores are Open:
Monday - Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Keep the Party Going!

The winter holiday parties are past us and that sometimes leaves us wanting more. What do we have to look forward to? Queen of PAWNS has an answer and that would be VALENTINE’S DAY! Keep the party going with a fun Valentine’s Day bash. There’s just enough time before the holiday for you to plan something spectacular. We’ve got a few ideas for a successful event...

Create a themed party, for example: Awkward Prom Night - invite your guests to wear their worst bridesmaid dresses or tackiest formal wear they can find at a thrift store. Or, have everyone dress as a character from a favorite movie such as the Wizard of Oz, Indiana Jones or James Bond. Then, have a related movie playing in the background with the sound turned off. Browse through our movie collections at the Queen of Pawns nearest you for ideas and inspiration.
Set the ambiance with white, red and pink string lights. Fill martini glasses with red, white and pink jelly beans. Sprinkle rose petals. Grab a friend who is talented with the camera and set up a photo booth, but call it the “kissing booth.” Need a tripod for your photo booth? Give us a call, we probably have a few in our inventory.
One word: Karaoke! Pick up a karaoke machine at Queen of Pawns and clear a “stage” area in the corner of your living room. Be prepared to break the ice and step up as the first performer in case everyone else starts off shy.
For parts of the evening when karaoke isn’t king, be sure to have your playlist loaded and ready. Boost your sound system with stereos, speakers and iPods from Queen of Pawns.
Have a sundae ice cream building station, complete with bananas, candy sprinkles, nuts, cherries and home made whip cream.
Have a bowl of plastic “bling” waiting right by a mirror. This sort of thing can be picked up at any party superstore, and sometimes even at dollar stores. If you can’t find adult sized plastic bling, gather costume jewelry from friends and thrift stores beforehand. But for the real thing, come to Queen of Pawns and we’ll help you pick out something unforgettable for the one you love.

If you are waiting for the right time to give a special gift to your special someone, this might be the perfect opportunity. Show them and everyone at the party how much you care with something luxurious from Queen of Pawns. Now is a good time to start your shopping and just a reminder, if you need a layaway option, we got you covered. Let us know how we can help make this Valentine’s Day the best one ever.

Recently, some of our customers showed how much they care by donating new, unwrapped toys to the “Toys For All,” toy drive that we participated in with Azteca Americana 43. With our customers’ help, the toy drive collected over 1300 toys! On Saturday, January 11^th, those toys were distributed at a community celebration in Clewiston. The smiles shined like beacons as children opened their gifts. It was a fantastic event, complete with food, activities and live music performances. Everyone loves a good party, Queen of PAWNS extends a very heart felt thank to those who helped make the “Toys For All,” toy drive and the community party such a success.

What a fun day!
Here, party goers lined up at the QoP tent for free hot dogs.

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

All Our Stores are Open:

Monday - Saturday 9am - 7 pm

Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Sunday, January 12, 2014

New Year, Clean Credit

A new year is a great impetus for doing something good for yourself. We’re not talking about the cliche gym membership or unrealistic diet plan, Queen of PAWNS suggests taking a little time to give your finances a look over and make-over. Sometimes, lack-luster credit can affect things as simple as renting a home or getting a new job. Here’s some tips to tackle this project, one step at a time.

FIRST - Get your free credit report.

There are a couple things to be aware of when getting your free report.

The FTC website is the only reliable online source. To get a free credit report online, the only recommended site is annualcreditreport.com, which is maintained by the FTC. Other websites with similar names are not to be trusted. If you prefer, you can also get a free credit report by calling 1-877-322-8228.
Never give a credit card number for a free credit report. If an organization is requesting a credit card number for whatever reason, they are not to be trusted. A FICO score is different from a credit report and you will need to pay for that.
All credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) offer one free credit report per year. We suggest you spread these requests out over 12 months. Go to annualcreditreport.com and request one report from, for example Equifax. Four months later, get another report on the same site from Experian and four months after that, request a third report from TransUnion.

Before going any further, scour your reports and dispute any information that is inaccurate, giving special attention to late payments and collections.

Acquiring your credit reports is also an important step in protecting yourself from identity theft. This is a topic we discussed in a previous post, Let’s Talk About Identity Theft.

Now, time to CLEAN UP.

Keep Credit Card and Loan Balances Low.

Your debt to credit limit ratio - which is the amount you owe as a percentage of your outstanding limit - accounts for 30% of your credit score. To put it simply, don’t run up a big balance. If you have nearly met your credit limit, call your card company and ask for your limit to be raised. If you qualify for a larger limit, it will decrease your credit limit ratio, thus improving credit score. Be careful not to use that extra credit though. Ideally, use no more than 25% of a credit card’s limit.

Pay On Time.

35 percent of your credit score is based upon your timeliness for paying ALL your bills. Not just credit cards. So pay on time, even if it is only the minimum.

Older Is Better.

If you must charge, use an old card. 15 percent of your score is determined by how long you have had an account. The older your history the better, as it builds a lender’s confidence about your financial habits. Don’t cancel unused cards - this wipes their history from your record. Just put them in a safe place and keep track of all your accounts.

Keep a Healthy Mix.

Yes, older credit cards are important to keep open. At the same time, keep open credit lines or loans to a minimum. Managing a wide range or mix of credit account types wisely - from credit cards to installment loans (such as auto loans, personal loans and mortgages) shows responsibility. It can also shift a FICO score up a bump. Your mix of credit cards, retail cards and installment loans account for 10 percent of your score.

If You Must Apply, Do So Strategically.

10 percent of your credit score is determined by your pattern of applying for new accounts. It doesn’t bode well in the eyes of potential lenders when you apply for a lot of credit - to them, it looks like you could drown yourself in debt. Be strategic in your reason for acquiring new credit. When applying for car, home or business loans, keep all applications within a two week period. This strategy will bundle all those applications together and count as only one request on your record.

Stay In Touch.

Communicate with your credit card companies, lenders and other debtors. If a bill cannot be paid on time or you have run into unusual circumstances such as illness or natural disaster or you simply want to see if there is an option for lowering your payments, call your companies, you may be pleasantly surprised. Also, if you have been a good customer, don’t be afraid to ask about protocol to request a goodwill adjustment. This could result in the mark of a late payment being removed or something of the like.

At Queen of PAWNS, we care about our customers. As a pawn shop, we are here to be of financial assistance when we can. In addition to offering solutions for fast money or shopping for affordable luxury items, it is our hope that discussion topics such as how to keep your credit tidy will be useful in helping you keep your financial life a little more optimistic.

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

All Our Stores are Open:

Monday - Saturday 9am - 7 pm

Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Saturday, January 4, 2014

In a World of Change, Some Things Are Consistent

“Change is constant,” this we all have heard before. We thought it would be fun to take a peek at some American cultural changes since our first Queen of PAWNS store opened in 1995.

President Bill Clinton was living in the White House. A U.S. postage stamp cost 32 cents and a gallon of gas was just over a buck. The technology of DVD’s are first announced and how can anyone forget, the George Forman “Lean Mean Grilling Machine,” was released. Claudia Schiffer and Elle Macpherson were the world’s fashion icons, and one of the funniest lines of the time was Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi’s, “No soup for you!”

Since 1995, we opened four more stores, and just these past couple weeks another great change took place...our Kissimmee location is now open Sundays! Colossal, don’t you think? We thought it was worth a mention that all of our stores are now maintaining the same hours of operation. Monday through Saturday, doors are open from 9am until 7pm and Sundays 10:30am to 3:30pm.

On the counter point of change, there are several things that remain the same, day after day, year after year. One thing is our 10% pawn, another is our consistent, superior customer service and one more we should point out is that Valentine’s Day always lands on February 14^th. You weren’t expecting that little reminder, were you? If you are considering something extravagant for someone you love, like a pair of diamond earrings or a luxury watch, come in and see us. At Queen of PAWNS we understand all too well that even with our amazing and affordable prices on top-of-the-line merchandise, it happens that even the best of us need a little more time to budget for slightly higher ticket item purchases. That’s why we have our free layaway plan. Now is the time to start your Valentine’s Day shopping and if you find the perfect gift that says, “I love you,” but also want to be responsible with your monthly spending, then layaway is an ideal solution. With only a 10% deposit of the ticket price, we can hold on to your gift for 60 days or until the balance is paid.

Let us know how we can help, because even though the rest of the world is spinning in change, Queen of Pawns is reliably accommodating and Valentine’s Day is assuredly on it’s way.

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida