Service with a Sneer (from the Main Blog) Question

[jillybean]

My husband and I didn't have much money in the early years of our marriage.  I never had an engagement ring, just a gold band.  On our fifth wedding anniverary he surprised me with a half-carat diamond solitaire.  It had tremendous sentimental value because his father, who died when he was three, had given it to his mother as an engagement ring.  It was really a beautiful quality diamond, which the *nice* salesman had told us that when we dropped it off to have it appraised for insurance purposes.  When I went to pick it up, the old bitty who waited on me screeched acroos the store, "Sue, get me that ring with the little diamond."  I was much more shy then and just slinked out of the store.  That would not be my reaction today!

Did you and I run into the same old biddy?

Unfortunately, there seem to be enough to go around.

[gramma dishes]

A young couple I know went into a 'famous' jewler's and were basically treated even worse than some of the stories here.  They couldn't get any sales person even remotely interested in helping them at all.  Some openly sneered at them and implied that if they were too poor to buy a "decent" ring set, then they shouldn't be getting married.

They left, the girl in tears.  They went to a smaller local jeweler down the street and were very open and honest that they had very little money to spend.  The lady there smiled and said "Yes, that's true of many young couples, but I'm sure we can find something for you that's just right!"  They ended up purchasing a simple ring.  It may have even been a cubic zirconia, I'm not sure.  They also bought wedding bands and they did get married. 

Fast forward a few years and the husband had a wonderful job and a much higher than average income (for the age group).   Her husband went back and bought her a whopper sized diamond.  He continues to this day buying her jewelry for her birthday, Christmas, anniversaries.  I'm sure you don't have to guess which jewelry store he ALWAYS patronizes.

[VltGrantham]

It just doesn't make sense to me.  Everyone knows, particularly in the jewelry industry, that a diamond's value is falsely inflated because of the control put on them by the privately held corporations that control most of them.  The mark-up is ridiculous and whoever started that whole "two months" rule should be flogged.

I saw no reason to buy another diamond when I already had two nice ones coming to me.  What sense on earth does that make?  I'd eventually like to have one ring made of them, but I have no idea how to do it because my grandmother's ring has 3 stones, round cut, and my Mom's has 1.  I love to tease DH that his wedding band cost more than my set--because it's true.

I guess the question is - does the store want to sell something or nothing?  You either have a choice to help us find what we're looking for, without the commentary, or you lose our business--not just today, but for always.

[gmatoy]

What about all the women in the world who really don't like diamonds on their own bodies? I really, really admire your diamonds, but if you let me put it on my body, it will go "flat" in 30 seconds or less. I have NO idea how or why that happens, but it does. Pay good money to get those results? No, thank you.

[gramma dishes]

^^^  What does that mean?  (diamonds going "flat")

[Sootikin]

They lose their sparkle.  I've tried on beautiful diamond rings and they look like dull pieces of glass on my fingers.

[violinp]

Wow. I've never had jewelry appraised or anything, but if someone had told me that the diamond ring I have was worthless, etc., I would have read them the polite version of the riot act. That "worthless" ring was my grandmother's engagement ring, and it's one of the few things I have left of her.

[kkl123]

A late friend of mine was a certified gemologist, a diamond grader.  No matter what she was brought -- and it could have been a piece of bottle glass in a tinfoil setting -- she had a comment about how interesting the piece was, or how well integrated the setting, or... something.  Then, because her job was to value, she'd discuss the size, color, inclusions, and then come up with a number... but always followed that immediately with more apparent praise for the piece, whatever it was, and a remark about heirlooms and family history.

Me, I wear a fairly plain band my husband and I designed together, no stones.  I don't take my ring off, I use my hands a lot, and I'm outside a lot.  Plus, I don't care for diamonds, even diamonds we know aren't blood diamonds because they've been in the family too long.  As the niece of a ring designer, I fear I'd let loose with both barrels at anyone who sneered at my ring.

[gramma dishes]

...   That "worthless" ring was my grandmother's engagement ring, and it's one of the few things I have left of her.

And that alone, regardless of the supposed  "quality" of the stone, makes your diamond priceless! 

[AmysAuntie]

It just doesn't make sense to me.  Everyone knows, particularly in the jewelry industry, that a diamond's value is falsely inflated because of the control put on them by the privately held corporations that control most of them.  The mark-up is ridiculous and whoever started that whole "two months" rule should be flogged.

I saw no reason to buy another diamond when I already had two nice ones coming to me.  What sense on earth does that make?  I'd eventually like to have one ring made of them, but I have no idea how to do it because my grandmother's ring has 3 stones, round cut, and my Mom's has 1.  I love to tease DH that his wedding band cost more than my set--because it's true.

I guess the question is - does the store want to sell something or nothing?  You either have a choice to help us find what we're looking for, without the commentary, or you lose our business--not just today, but for always.

Might I suggest tracking down a good jeweler who does work in-house, rather than sending out.  We did design work for quite a few of our customers--in many instances incorporating their design ideas and working together on the final design.  Occasionally, we couldn't come to a meeting of the minds on certain projects, but very few of those customers didn't come back for other things.  It's all about the willingness to TRY to do something that pleases the client.

[icfrugal2]

Piratelvr, if you brought your claddagh ring into my store, the LAST thing you would have heard would be anyone denigrating it.  The claddagh is a lovely symbol and one to be proud of.  Don't let anybody tell ya otherwise. 

It is absolutely one of my favorite jewelry designs, ever.  Actually I wear two everyday.  This is my wedding ring: http://www.claddaghringking.com/images/RZ105.gif
And this is one I got from QVC, designed by Stephen Walsh's company, with a piece of Connemara marble in the center. http://www.kaboodle.com/hi/img/b/0/0/b9/f/AAAAC6pSKyQAAAAAALn_Ng.jpg?v=1268885209000

I first learned of what the ring stands for when one of my aunts got married, and even if I was 16, I knew that was the design I wanted when I got married.   And being 1/2 Irish myself, I'd much rather have that than a huge honkin' diamond ring.

""""And being 1/2 Irish myself, I'd much rather have that than a huge honkin' diamond ring."""""

Hey nothing wrong with "huge honkin' diamond ring.  Of course my mother gave me the diamond and I am at least the 3rd generation to wear it and it will go to my niece when I am gone. 

[magicdomino]

A Volvo salesman once told my brother that he'd do better at the Subaru dealership down the road. My brother was speechless and just left the lot.
...

The salesperson was intending to put down your brother.  In most cases a Volvo costs more than a comparably sized and equipped Subaru, so the implication was that your brother probably couldn't AFFORD a Volvo and that was supposed to make him really, really want one so he could impress people! Don't you know how important it is to impress people with your super expensive car?   

Pish, they all look the same if you hit them with a semi.

(Said by my mother when I tried to talk her into buying a Mercedes.     )

[It's good to be Queen]

I attended a meeting in Beverly Hills last year.  I got there a day early and decided to window shop Rodeo Drive.  I wandered in and out of lots of famous, super-expensive stores.  I really expected to be ignored by the sales people, but almost without exception the very nice salespeople all asked me if I need help and showed me any merchanise I was interested in.  I was chatting with a sales person in the Chanel boutique who was showing me purses that cost upwards of $1,000.  She was really nice and the store was slow, but I told her that she really didn't have to bother, that she must be able to tell that I was probably not a Chanel customer.  She told me that you never know about anyone who walks into the boutique and that the person who comes in wearing the outfit from Macy's could actaully be quite wealthy and prepared to spend $$$$ in the store. 

[violinp]

A Volvo salesman once told my brother that he'd do better at the Subaru dealership down the road. My brother was speechless and just left the lot.
...

The salesperson was intending to put down your brother.  In most cases a Volvo costs more than a comparably sized and equipped Subaru, so the implication was that your brother probably couldn't AFFORD a Volvo and that was supposed to make him really, really want one so he could impress people! Don't you know how important it is to impress people with your super expensive car?   

Pish, they all look the same if you hit them with a semi.

(Said by my mother when I tried to talk her into buying a Mercedes.     )

Hah! 

[lurkerwisp]

Did you and I run into the same old biddy?

Unfortunately, there seem to be enough to go around.

I ran into more than one of the tribe of them myself.

One especially memorable horrid old bat salesperson informed me that they wouldn't have anything that would not make my engagement ring look terrible in comparison, and kept suggesting that I ask DH, who was right there with me, to get a bigger engagement ring to go with the band.  I was livid.  He was embarrassed.  We left.

This must be a hereditary problem, as my mom also told me about her coworker who exclaimed, "It's so teensy tinsy!" when Mom showed off her engagement ring.

It's so foolish of a salesperson to be so insulting like that.  I don't know why they do it.