Does anyone else go into a B&M store, see a guy....

[AnneinGA]

picking out a diamond with an IGI cert, or some other "in store" cert (or no cert at all), and want to scream inside and go tell him about education and PS?

I was in a little B&M yesterday near my house, getting a couple of Pandora charms for my MIL's birthday,and the owner of the store had a couple of stones and a loupe and a light and was "showing" this guy all the things he should look for in a diamond. "Cut? This is a beautiful cut... see how much it sparkles?" [me<--- "aarrrrgggghhhhh"]

I had originally talked to this vendor about my ring (wanting to give all I could to a local business) and when they told me about a stone that I was interested in (two carat, $25K, no cert ("why do you need a cert?")) that the clarity of a stone was a SI1/SI2 and color was "around a" J, I decided to go elsewhere.

Now when I am in a jewelry store, and I see the types of garbage that is relayed to these unsuspecting gentlemen, it makes me crazy; I just want to slide up to them an put a card from an online PS vendor and say, dude, for your money you can get so much better of a stone if you just get "ed-u-ma-cated".

Truth is I was one of those "dummies" before PS. I knew about the 4C's but not anything about the details and the HCA, which I have to thank PS and the lovely posters for helping wtih.

I was just wondering if any of you have the same gut reaction when you see this sort of stuff.

 

[Steel]

These days if you told somebody to look at PS.com for other options and they read the current shenanigans I wager many hapless/new jewellery buyers would gladly take their chances with Zales or any other B&M than risk entering the drama den.

 

[PinkTower]

Depends on the store. Today is small business day, and I am making a strong effort to support small business during this holiday season.
I am paying more for some things, granted, but I am willing to do so.

Also, with a ring, I think it depends on the setting. I wear a delicate handcrafted pave platinum engagement ring of 1/2 pointers. The setting is perfect, but it requires maintenance. I have bent it once and lost three stones in two years. Each time, I simply went to my local
jeweler and he cheerfully did the repairs while I waited, at no charge. He guarantees his work for life.

If you have to pay for shipping and insurance on a pave ring every time you need a repair, you will negate any initial savings in re- shipping and insurance for the repairs in only a matter of a couple of years.

Also, Steal makes a point which is entirely different from my way of thinking about repair work, but it is equally important.

 

[atroop711]

These days if you told somebody to look at PS.com for other options and they read the current shenanigans I wager many hapless/new jewellery buyers would gladly take their chances with Zales or any other B&M than risk entering the drama den.

snort! Yes it's been very different around here

 

[PinkTower]

These days if you told somebody to look at PS.com for other options and they read the current shenanigans I wager many hapless/new jewellery buyers would gladly take their chances with Zales or any other B&M than risk entering the drama den.

snort! Yes it's been very different around here

Love your avatar. I did not recognize you.