By Lois Pasrernak

There is no denying that the Caribbean is a shopaholic’s paradise. The islands are a mecca of luxury gifts, precious jewelry, prestige watches, myriad perfumes both classic and modern, even the finest china and crystal—from Lalique and Baccarat to Herend and Daum. The Caribbean is also a world center for gemstones, including loose diamonds, tanzanite, black coral and one of the newest and rarest— ammolite, made from the remains of fossilized sea creatures.

Throw in local rums and other island-distilled spirits, coffee and cigars, and you have the makings of heavy-duty shopping—without the duty. With no sales tax and most items selling at duty-free prices, shoppers can find luxury goods that cost 10 to 40 percent less than in the U.S. And the selection in the Caribbean is often much more extensive than in the malority of stores in the Stares.

Most visible are the big-name luxury stores found throughout the region. Diamonds Intemational, with one of the largest and most respected collections of loose diamonds in tire world, and its sister company Watches International can be found on islands ranging from Barbados to Cozumel. Little Switzerland. with its well- known red bags, is headquartered on St. Thomas but has a presence on most of the other major tourist islands, too. It houses one of the finest collections of jewelry, watches and fine crystal in the region. A wide array of branded jewelry and emerald designs are the highlight at Colombian Emeralds, another multi-island chain.

Whether its Rolex, Cartier, Breitling, Tag Heuer, Daum, Johnny Walker, Monte Cristo, or Givenchy, the Caribbean has some of the best shopping for luxury goods on Earth! Make the most of it while you're here...