Zales and an offended mom!

[luckystar112]

I''ve been thinking about wedding bands lately, so today I decided to stop at the zales outlet to try and get an idea of what different styles look like with my ring. Don''t worry, I would NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS get my wedding band at zales, but it was on the way home and I figured I could just pretend I was looking at high quality stuff. Yeah....that didn''t work.

SUCH bad quality. (And actually, the lights brought out the I color in my stone which surprised me and made me sad.

) The sales lady kept trying to get me to look at the contour bands, although I had made it clear that I was looking for a regular ole'' diamond band. However, I did find out that the basket on my setting is going to rub against any band that isn''t channel set...which really bummed me out because I''m not a fan of channel set bands.

I guess I''m going to have to keep looking until I find something I like...which means I''m going to have to talk to more fake ladies about more junk jewelry and decline more jewelry credit cards. So not looking forward to it. I think I''m going to stick to family owned jewelry stores from now on.
Oh, I looked at some bezel studs while I was there too. .20ctw....full of inclusions....$350!!!!!!!!! ERD and bluenile have .50ctw studs for $600. I could get .25ctw prong set studs from whiteflash made with ACA diamonds for almost $100 cheaper.

Anyway, I was talking to my mom on the phone after I got back and I was going on and on about the awful things that I looked at while I was there, and how their jewelry is all junk and poorly made, so I hope she never shops there......and I completely forgot that her e-ring and wedding band are from zales!!!!! I could tell that I made her upset. She said, "My diamond is colorless!!!!" Poor lady.

She hasn''t got a clue. She yelled at me and told me I was stupid when I told her we were getting my e-ring online. Luckily she doesn''t wear any jewelry besides her rings. I feel bad though. She made an excuse to get off the phone pretty soon afterward.

 

[bee*]

I went into Zales also when I was in NY and I definitely agree with you on the earrings-I was looking at the .3 ct earrings and I was always wondering if I would be colour sensitive and I definitely was in there-they were so yellow! I had explained about the different colours to my bf and he wasn''t sure what I meant so I brought him in to show him and he definitely got what I was saying then. Just apologise to your mum and say that the ones that you were looking at definitely aren''t to the same quality that hers is.

 

[laine]

Date: 8/21/2007 7:50:02 PM
Author: bee*
Just apologise to your mum and say that the ones that you were looking at definitely aren''t to the same quality that hers is.

That could be a valid point; the quality of lots of things sold in stores today is not the same as that sold in the same store 25 years ago (I''m thinking Craftsman tools here), so it may very well be the case that her jewelry is clearly not the same quality they sell today--if they still sold things like hers, you might be willing to shop there (or not, but it might make her feel better).

 

[luckystar112]

Very true, Laine...but she only got married five years ago, and just updated her set last year!!!

 

[Munchkin]

Doh! I have a knack for saying things like that when I truly don''t mean to hurt someone''s feelings.

On a happier note...I bought two wedding bands. One shared prong diamond and a thin, simple platinum band. I had them both blessed so that no matter what combo I wear i am wearing a true wedding band. The simple band also acts as a ring guard when worn between my ering and eternity. That prevents the girdle from eating away at my ering setting. Perhaps that would work for you?

 

[Miscka]

Yikes!

That is so something I would do. I would try just saying to her that you put your foot in your mouth, you are sorry, and you genuinely are happy that she has a good set that she loves. And then leave it alone!

On a side note, I LOVE your setting, I have been looking at a similar one at JA for awhile, and I am sad about your take on the WBs! I am not a channel set fan either. Will you please keep us posted on what you find? And dont worry about the stupid lighting in the store, your I is stunning!

 

[luckystar112]

Well, good news is that she sent me an email with wedding invitation ideas, so she must have let my rudeness roll off of her shoulders. Phew

I''m still not sure what I''m going to do about a wedding band, but I''m getting closer! I really wanted to buy the band through ERD, sort of as a token of my appreciation...but now I''m thinking that since I live so close to whiteflash that I may just make an appointment with them to try on (and most likely purchase) their 3mm scattered band. I think that it may be the best of both worlds because it satisfies my need for bling without being channel set. I also think it''s the perfect amount of bling as to not distract from my center stone or bring out the I color. Plus, I think it''s flatter, so it may potentially fit flush underneath the basket! I don''t think it will be a big deal if it rubs up against my e-ring, since the diamonds are protected in the bezels. So, that''s what I''m 90% sure I''m going to end up doing...then I''ll just buy the .50ctw bezel studs from ERD as a present to myself in a few months, thereby fullfilling my token of appreciation.

The only thing with getting the WF scattered band, is that I don''t think it will ever give me the option of changing my solitaire out with something different, but I think I''m okay with that!

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

I ended up in a very similar situation lokoing at someones wedding set they bought from the mall. Once I learned there was nothing to do to fix it and I had hurt her feeilngs I waited a little while and then apologized to her. I told her that (she had a problem with her emeralds and baquette diamonds) I had learned a good bit about rounds but I dont know anything bout those shapes so, I really cant say anything and I am really sorry, obviously jewelers know alot more than me (of course I didnt mention the people she was talking to at the mall were not what I woudl call jewelers, even if they are technically) so she should trust them, and I am just an idiot. In your case, maybe you could wait until a good moment between the two of you and mention that you were looking at earrings and lower priced merchandice and it was those things that got you really shocked. apologize and just tell her that Zales, like any buisness in the mall, carries some very high quality rings and some very poor quality earrings and rings, but for the moeny she spent and because it is her wedding set hers are of course much higher quality than the earrings you were looking at and you were just being rude and mean! thats what I would do , but def make sure you apologize later!

and i hope the WF ring works out, it will be beautiful! very good buisness that for sure--perhaps even ideal...?

 

[Pandora II]

I''m going to be the voice of disagreement here.

Whilst I wouldn''t go out of my way to criticise someones choice, if I am asked my opinion I am always honest and I never backtrack.

I would hate to gush over someone''s horrible diamond and have them go and buy another overpriced piece of rubbish.

If I''m asked for my official opinion, before I even see a piece I warn them that I will be brutally honest. If I''m just shown a ring - ie in a friend who has just got engaged, I''ll just say it''s very nice.

If people were more educated, the jewellery industry would have to up their standards - which would be a good thing!

 

[devientdrow]

I am the only one out of my friends and family who has looked into diamond buying on my own and purchased online. My cousins both have rings from Helzburg, my other friend from a store like Zales, 2 friends from Jared and the last from Smyth (which is awesome here in MD) honestly I don''t know crap about the specs on thier stones or what they paid for them but to the naked eye they look pretty to me. I''m sure they overpaid for what it is, but if they love it then I love it with them. I think the idea someone had about telling her you were referring to the lower priced merch is a good idea. No one wants to feel bad about their stone!

Don''t worry about the lighting. When I had my wedding band cleaned at Jared I noticed my normally awesome diamond looked dark and cloudy and all thier diamonds looked sparkly and great. I pointed it out to my hubby and he said and I qoute " It''s the diffused lighting in here, above us. The cases have direct lighting, above us is only diffused. They want you to come in here and look at your own diamond and say ''ewww my diamond looks so HORRID compared to all of THESE diamonds'' and buy of thiers. " He''s so smart hahaha I''m sure the lighting was the same in Zales.

 

[luckystar112]

I think if the subject of jewelry comes up again, I may try to apologize one more time...but so far she hasn''t mentioned and she hasn''t been acting any different. I just feel bad because she didn''t ask me for my opinion of her ring (I really think she could care less) but that I went ahead and called all of Zale''s stuff "junk"!

Devientdrow.....that''s good to know about the lighting!!!