Crazy talk from a jeweler...or not?

[sydney]

Is this true?
I was planning to purchase a diamond on-line. I went to a reputable jeweler who said that I shouldn''t because of bad quality etc etc and that he won''t set a diamond that is not his because it can crack.
How common a problem is this?
He also said he would not appraise it.
He has lost a customer forvever who has a jewelry addiction and would have bought other pieces of jewelry from his store in the future.
Has anyone else had a similar experience? He looked exasperated and annoyed when I brought up on-line purchasing.

So annoyed!

 

[jaz464]

Unfortunatly, there are quite a few jewelers that will say things like this when a customer brings up purchasing online. I had a jeweler tell me that all diamonds bought online are fake!

IMO, jewelers that are not willing to change with the times will become more and more rare. Refusing to deal with someone that is cosidering purchasing online is not helping their business in any way.

I would give him/her no more of my business. Can you get bad quality diamonds online? Of course! You can also get bad quality diamonds from a B&M.

If you get a diamond online and a setting locally, you may have to do some searching to find someone that will set it for you, but most people can find someone. The most important thing is to make sure that the local jeweler will take responsibility for the diamond while he is setting it, in case anything were to happen. ANY diamond can chip while being set, though it is rare.

If you want to go the online route, I highly recommend checking out Whiteflash. You will find diamonds of very high quality, with lots and lots of information supplied about the diamonds.

And welcome to PS!

 

[Madam Bijoux]

I know someone who bought a loose irriadiated blue diamond online and took it to several local jewelers to get it set. All but one refused to set it because they said that irradiated diamonds are liable to crack or break while they were being set due to the heat involved in setting the stone.

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 6/26/2006 1:25:37 PM
Author:sydney
Is this true?
I was planning to purchase a diamond on-line. I went to a reputable jeweler who said that I shouldn''t because of bad quality etc etc and that he won''t set a diamond that is not his because it can crack.

Any diamond can "crack", whether or not he sold it. I do not blame him for not wanting to take liability on a diamond he did not sell, and he should not, but he also should not lie about the quality issues or make it out to be more likely that the diamond will crack just because it was bought on the net.

How common a problem is this?

VERY rare! Many diamond setters will go through a career without damaging a stone, but most will chip one or two in a lifetime of work. I am talking about setters working on stones of a half carat and up, rookies working on mele probably have a much higher "accident rate". Still it can happen and does, be sure to establish who will be liable BEFORE any work is started.

He also said he would not appraise it.

Silly him! There is good money in appraising for those willing to do it right.

He has lost a customer forvever who has a jewelry addiction and would have bought other pieces of jewelry from his store in the future.

Why? Why would you not just go with the internet vendor who got you what you wanted for less money? While I dissagree with him about how he handled your request, I would never suggest to him that doing this work will buy your loyalty. While it would be nice if this were so, I don''t see it as a reality unless he went way up and beyond your expectations in the quality of his service.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? He looked exasperated and annoyed when I brought up on-line purchasing.

It is getting to be a brutal world out there for the average retail jeweler. Margins are down, costs are up and sales are won and lost over $10. Service is becoming impossibly expensive to give (tried to hire anyone truly motivated and competent lately) and is often not rewarded with client loyalty. I am sure he was extremely exasperated and annoyed, he is sinking in a sea of mediocrity as he is unwilling or unable to adjust to the changing tides.

Wink

So annoyed!

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 6/26/2006 2:21:56 PM
Author: Madam Bijoux
I know someone who bought a loose irriadiated blue diamond online and took it to several local jewelers to get it set. All but one refused to set it because they said that irradiated diamonds are liable to crack or break while they were being set due to the heat involved in setting the stone.

Actually they are likely to discolor if the setter is not aware that they are treated and subjects them to heat. I tell my setters NO HEAT on any colored stone or diamond, treated or not!

Wink

 

[codex57]

Any good jeweler isn't afraid when a customer mentions online stores. I can understand not setting it for liability purposes (kinda weak, but at least there's a valid argument), but not appraising it is really odd and not a good sign. I worked with two jewelers who weren't afraid of online stores when I mentioned them to them. Weren't happy about them (but were upfront that the unhapiness lay in the online stores' advantage of lower overhead), but the two did what they could to show me it would be to my advantage to go with them. In the end, I did choose one of them (would have liked to bought from both, but the wallet couldn't take it) instead of a slightly cheaper online store.

If that jeweler really said that stuff, he's not a "reputable" jeweler. Course, I've heard some real crap from some Tiffany salespeople as well. Not all, just a couple. But they did work for Tiffany's which is a "reputable" jeweler.

 

[Modified Brilliant]

There''s enough business out there for both the B & M''s and online vendors to happily co-exist. Folks are always getting engaged.

The B & M store who doesn''t bend over backwards to please a consumer and to educate them properly is totally missing a great opportunity for future business.

www.metrojewelryappraisers.com