Curious! Do you consider the character of the vendor you’re purchasing from?

[elle_chris]

I absolutely avoid doing business with people (and entities) whose behavior and values I find offensive. I don't eat at Chick Fil A, I don't buy craft supplies at Hobby Lobby, I don't support any football team that employs (or has employed) Michael Vick, I don't wear Ivanka Chump clothes or shoes, and I'm sure the hell not buying an expensive gem or piece of jewelry from someone who I wouldn't otherwise invite into my home to sit at my table and share a meal.

Exactly this.

 

[whitewave]

I want my diamond purchases to be as mind-clean as the stones I buy.
It’s an expensive, very personal transaction and i have a low tolerance for “bad vibes”.

I agree with this. I sort of feel like a designer "infuses" their creation with an essence of themselves. So if the person is beyond distasteful and is offensive, I just don't think I would want to carry that around with me. Ya know?

 

[mochiko42]

I currently live in a Communist/socialist non-democratic society (without proper voting rights) so the one of the only tangible ways I can express my opinion is to vote with my dollars. Also, what happens in the US also affects the rest of the world (e.g. If Trump and Kim decide to nuke each other, people in my part of the world would inevitably bear the brunt of the suffering) but as a non American without voting rights, I can only choose which American vendors I spend my money with.

The mind clean thing that others have mentioned is important to me too. I don't want any sour sentiments associated with my purchases!

 

[737liz]

Thanks for asking this! Aside from vendor/cutter personal beliefs, I struggled for a decade with the way the rough was/is sourced. Our western vendors are pr savy and I hope also try to have ethical sourcing. But some other cutters and rough suppliers are far more 'transparent' on social media about certain practices. It appalls me. However I did a LOT of research (masters thesis) into the overall impact on development, and eventually changed my mind. But as for direct dealings with people who I most likely disagree with on social issues, I still flip flop. When it comes to some people being downright racist or sexist, I don't buy their stones anymore. I usually find this out because I'm trawling fb to find their page and come across personal posts. Some people, I can tell we would PROBABLY disagree on things. But if they are warm and friendly in their correspondence, I am likewise, because as far as I know my extrapolations are totally wrong. It would be strange to discuss much other than stones or jewelry, but I do offer up a bit of who I am. Where I come from. They can decide if they want to continue doing business with me. I guess I'm playing the long game. No one changes their mind if everyone who disagrees with them turns their back and doesn't engage. Sorry for the rambling. Clearly I'm conflicted.

 

[december-fire]

@hathalove , just thought I'd add that I'm not going to form a negative opinion of a vendor or anyone unless I'm sure of the facts and the whole story. Reading comments posted by the vendor, versus comments posted by someone else describing the vendor, are two completely different things.

I suspect that your concern is based on reading comments posted by the vendor, but just thought I'd clarify. Still loving all the PS-recommended vendors! Anything I've ever read posted by them has been professional and respectful!

 

[Polished]

In a vendor I'd be looking for: do I like their product and workmanship, are they honest. That's not to say that if I discovered they had a reputation for being difficult to work with I might choose someone who did similar quality work who was easier to work with. Dismissing a vendor on the grounds of hearsay evidence that they are racist or sexist wouldn't feel quite fair to me when I've never met the person and I'm never likely to.

I remember reading Stephen Fry on how he had struggled to reconcile his great love of Wagner's music when the man himself held very racist views. Eventually he realised he had to separate the man from the music and he didn't need to ban himself from listening to Wagner. I think this idea might tie in with John Lennon's thought that "you don't own anything that you've done".

 

[madelise]

I absolutely avoid doing business with people (and entities) whose behavior and values I find offensive. I don't eat at Chick Fil A, I don't buy craft supplies at Hobby Lobby, I don't support any football team that employs (or has employed) Michael Vick, I don't wear Ivanka Chump clothes or shoes, and I'm sure the hell not buying an expensive gem or piece of jewelry from someone who I wouldn't otherwise invite into my home to sit at my table and share a meal.

Ditto.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I absolutely avoid doing business with people (and entities) whose behavior and values I find offensive. I don't eat at Chick Fil A, I don't buy craft supplies at Hobby Lobby, I don't support any football team that employs (or has employed) Michael Vick, I don't wear Ivanka Chump clothes or shoes, and I'm sure the hell not buying an expensive gem or piece of jewelry from someone who I wouldn't otherwise invite into my home to sit at my table and share a meal.

Neither do I...

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Hmm, I can't think of any vendor I would characterize that way. I want honest business practices, high quality, and fair pricing. I don't require that the person have the exact same beliefs on every topic that I do. I do have favorite vendors who have superior diamonds and/or design/workmanship. But there's at least one I think is crazy, and I don't plan to work with that one.

 

[AprilBaby]

I wouldn’t know any vendor personally enough to know their opinions so it hasn’t been a problem so far and I have purchased from several PS vendors.

 

[Missy]

I no longer watch football, period. The NFL has known for decades how dangerous head injuries are and the horrible damage they cause yet chose to cover it up. Not to mention all the criminals they employ, all for the sake of money. It’s a barbaric, disgusting sport, and I hope someday people start to really see it for what it is.

I want to like this post a hundred billion times. Some people just don't give a darn and yeah football will always be popular despite it being a horrible disgusting barbaric sport. Because it brings in the money and nothing else matters compared to that... isn't that grand.