Butterfield Jewelers

[Sledneck27]

Ok, I didnt buy anything from these guys, I dont even know where theyre located. I started this thread because a section of thier website pi$$ed me off something FURIOUS!!!!

Here, give this section a read, Butterfield Jewelers: Diamonds on the Web.

I realize theyre just trying to proctect thier little piece of the jewelry world, but what really got to me was this assertion, "The sad truth is that the only people who are buying diamonds on the web are the people who know the least about diamonds." . WHOA THERE BUDDY!!! I did a TON of research, and likely got a better deal than they would EVER be able to offer. You know, its fine to try and protect whats yours, but come on!!!! Youre insulting potential customers!

 

[Ellen]

Not surprising, at all.

I got an even bigger kick out of the 12 other reasons not to buy on the internet. Funny.

 

[Skippy123]

Funny, they are from my town. Glad you found PS!!! I am happy I found PS

 

[marcy]

Does that mean we shouldn''t buy anything from them on the web? Why do they have a website then?

 

[shminbabe]

Two things on their ''12 reasons'':

a) they kind of got it backwards...yes, i do think it''s worth gambling about $500 to save about $5,000, not the other way around.

b) poor grammar. in one of their ''reasons'' they say ''it''s'' when it is properly spelled ''its''.

it''s a bit of a hassle, internet diamond shopping, but from what i''ve learned here and what i''ve seen in the store, what they are offering is junk, even during their big ''diamond sale day'' - - i''d still have to search and hunt and call in stones the same way i do here. how many stones will butterfield or any jeweler bring in for me? if i give my depth and table parameters they often don''t even get crown height data unless they call the stone in! and then, idealscope or ASET images? only one jeweler I know in town will have such images available...maybe. so. ask butterfield all that.

it''s called competition in a changing marketplace, butterfield and all.

jeannie

 

[denverappraiser]

Interesting. They give some good advice, but it applies to all jewelers, not just those who advertise online.

There’s quite a bit of trust being extended to the jeweler in the typical transaction and some aren’t deserving of that trust. Choosing a dealer who stands behind their products and who provides accurate and useful advice is an important part of the deal.

The center diamond isn’t the whole program. The typical customer also wants a mounting, some assembly labor, an appraisal and an insurance policy. There is some good incentive to bundle some or all of these things from the same supplier and, when they come from different sources, it’s important to make sure that everything works together properly. It’s also worth noting that there are some inherent conflicts of interest in these areas, especially when it comes to the appraisals and lab services.

There are non-gemological parts of the deal that can be quite important. Tradeup programs, business continuity, customer education, warranties, convenient display are all important concerns. There are others as well.

Expert assistance is very useful and the experts get paid. This expertise can be in the form of ‘independent’ appraisals, in the value added by the retailer or their suppliers, in laboratory services or some combination of these things but it’s all part of the cost of buying diamonds whether or not they are separately billed or are included as part of the bundle.

For most people, diamonds are a visual purchase and it’s necessary to actually look at them in order to finalize the deal. It’s best if you have the opportunity to look at them in a variety of circumstances and lighting conditions.

The top level Internet advertising dealers address every one of these issues and, in several cases, do it far better than the storefront jewelers. At the same time, there are plenty of b&m stores that score extremely poorly on these very issues. It’s not the method of advertising or the location of the store that makes one better than another. It’s the character of the people behind the counter/keyboard that makes the difference.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[Ellen]

Date: 7/22/2007 9:43:27 AM
Author: denverappraiser
Interesting. They give some good advice, but it applies to all jewelers, not just those who advertise online.

The top level Internet advertising dealers address every one of these issues and, in several cases, do it far better than the storefront jewelers. At the same time, there are plenty of b&m stores that score extremely poorly on these very issues. It’s not the method of advertising or the location of the store that makes one better than another. It’s the character of the people behind the counter/keyboard that makes the difference.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

Exactly. And that''s why I found this so humorous. To me it''s written as if these rules don''t apply to B&M''s, where I personally have had almost exclusively bad experiences.

 

[gg21]

Date: 7/22/2007 2:22:58 AM
Author: shminbabe
Two things on their ''12 reasons'':

a) they kind of got it backwards...yes, i do think it''s worth gambling about $500 to save about $5,000, not the other way around.

b) poor grammar. in one of their ''reasons'' they say ''it''s'' when it is properly spelled ''its''.

it''s a bit of a hassle, internet diamond shopping, but from what i''ve learned here and what i''ve seen in the store, what they are offering is junk, even during their big ''diamond sale day'' - - i''d still have to search and hunt and call in stones the same way i do here. how many stones will butterfield or any jeweler bring in for me? if i give my depth and table parameters they often don''t even get crown height data unless they call the stone in! and then, idealscope or ASET images? only one jeweler I know in town will have such images available...maybe. so. ask butterfield all that.

it''s called competition in a changing marketplace, butterfield and all.

jeannie

I think you kind of shot yourself in the foot on the poor grammer comment.

 

[shel]

I think you kind of shot yourself in the foot on the poor grammer comment.

Although you did misspell grammar.

 

[gg21]

Nice huh?

 

[shminbabe]

Date: 7/22/2007 3:38:28 PM
Author: gg21

Date: 7/22/2007 2:22:58 AM
Author: shminbabe
Two things on their ''12 reasons'':

a) they kind of got it backwards...yes, i do think it''s worth gambling about $500 to save about $5,000, not the other way around.

b) poor grammar. in one of their ''reasons'' they say ''it''s'' when it is properly spelled ''its''.

it''s a bit of a hassle, internet diamond shopping, but from what i''ve learned here and what i''ve seen in the store, what they are offering is junk, even during their big ''diamond sale day'' - - i''d still have to search and hunt and call in stones the same way i do here. how many stones will butterfield or any jeweler bring in for me? if i give my depth and table parameters they often don''t even get crown height data unless they call the stone in! and then, idealscope or ASET images? only one jeweler I know in town will have such images available...maybe. so. ask butterfield all that.

it''s called competition in a changing marketplace, butterfield and all.

jeannie

I think you kind of shot yourself in the foot on the poor grammer comment.

i don''t think of it as grammer so much as my own "e-mail shorthand". or laziness. whichever you prefer

jeannie

 

[luckystar112]

First- Call me crazy, but didn't shminbabe use "it's" correctly in her posting. It's= it is. Right? So that would be right, wouldn't it?

I'm an English major and I haven't got a clue.

eta: Oh...I'm a dork. She didn't capitalize. lol.


Second- I think this guy has got a point about buying online. At least the vendors that don't post on pricescope. Because the vendors here don't fall into any of their excuses not to buy online. So, obviously, if you go with a reputable vendor you are safe. On the other hand, I wouldn't buy off ebay. And if James Allen's site was still called "Dirt cheap diamonds" I doubt I would have browsed their site either. lol.