Fun @ Jared's

[MarionC]

Never heard of Jared's before PS. When leaving the dentist I spotted their store & stopped in.
It was really interesting to see three 1ct diamonds lined up - a Solasfera, a Leo & a Tolkowsky. My choice was the Tolkowsky, at least in this particular line up with their super lighting.
I learned that only Jared's can sell a diamond cut to true Tolkowsky proportions and all their diamonds are cut to Tolkowsky's original numbers.
The other thing I learned was that I could buy a 1.02 I/VS2 or a 0.95 I/SI2 for the same price, $7,600, because all Tolkowsky cut diamonds are the same, so they are sold by carat weight, not clarity, because that doesn't matter with Ideal stones. Both 1.02 & 0.95 are considered "a carat", so I would be getting a bargain if I bought the larger diamond.

disclaimer: If you are reading this post to gather information for purchasing a stone, please pass it by. This is just an interesting "moment at Jared's" that I didn't really understand. But everything was very pretty!

 

[Gypsy]

LOL. Yes, they are good at making baffling statements that leave knowledgeable shoppers/browsers with expressions that reflect utter dismay at how badly educated (and illogical) the staff are.

 

[msop04]

This cracked me up! That sounds exactly like some of the statements I've been told in mall stores and the like... I think it would be hilarious if we started a thread specifically to share our "random jewelry store" experiences. I bet it would be quite humorous!
Okay... any volunteers?? GO!

 

[qwedsy]

As I continue to learn more about diamonds I am more and more aware and amazed by the misleading stuff sales people tell us at stores.

Just the other day I felt like sampling some diamonds and went to a local jewelry store (where I actually bought my e-ring 2 years ago) and asked the lady if they had any cushion cut diamonds available. She took a long look at me like I was dumb and asked me to repeat the question. She then asked the store owner if she knew about this cut called "CUSHION" and she also quickly and firmly stated no. Then the sales lady told me that it's probably a brand name and therefore they don't have it. Nice. I guess I won't be making any more purchases there if the knowledge on their own industry is on that level all the way..

Last summer at a Scottish vintage jewelry store I was told they don't inspect and have the grades for the diamonds since "people just aren't that interested in those these days". Whoa. (I have to admit that nevertheless I decided to buy the 50's cocktail ring.. )

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh, boy. That just doesn't surprise me one bit. What I cannot understand is why stores hire people and do not train them at all, apparently. When my daughter was engaged and wanted to try on wedding bands with her e-ring (not to buy), we went to a couple of jewelers including Jared's. I told the sales person we wanted to see beadset diamond wedding bands with milgrain. Oh my gosh, you wouldn't believe what she brought us to look at!!!

 

[SgrPlum12]

A couple of months ago, a woman in a jewelry store who said she's worked there for almost 30' years told me that the AGS lab was below EGL. Her coworker tried to challenge her by saying that the AGS was actually quite comparable to GIA, and she adamantly disagreed with him, and then he just agreed with her (maybe to shut her up). I was disgusted that this "expert" who's been working in diamonds almost as long as I've been alive was so blatantly wrong. I mean, there is such a thing as the "Internet" that has all kinds of free information. If that's your career, wouldn't you want to be informed and do your research??

 

[MichelleCarmen]

They don't care about clarity? That explains why, when I went in there to have fun, too, they tried to convince me that an I1 would be as good as an SI1.

 

[msop04]

They don't care about clarity? That explains why, when I went in there to have fun, too, they tried to convince me that an I1 would be as good as an SI1.

OMG!

 

[Niel]

To the point a PP made about shapes... I went to a mall store a year ago to ask about half moons. She didn't know what I was talking about. Asked where I heard about them I said the internet. She then speculated what it could mean, then said "sounds pretty" and walked away.

 

[Dancing Fire]

To the point a PP made about shapes... I went to a mall store a year ago to ask about half moons. She didn't know what I was talking about. Asked where I heard about them I said the internet. She then speculated what it could mean, then said "sounds pretty" and walked away.

I would have shown her my Buttts!...

 

[manderz]

I overheard a sales associate telling a customer that a cushion cut was a fancy, new cut.

I heard a different sales associate tell a customer, as she was cleaning her e-ring that, "I love your butt diamond! It's beautiful!"

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh, my gosh, y'all are too funny!!!

 

[SandyinAnaheim]

The reason I decided to buy online was precisely because of all the strange locals we have out here. The very first place I went to in early December when I started reading PS was Robbins Brothers. This was before I had ANY idea what I liked and didn't. But I had already read enough that when the high pressure "specialist" came in to convince my fiancé and I that a .9 SI1 I for $11.5 was unbeatable, I was able to thwart her sales pitch handily. I have a feeling their consumer base is predicated upon impulse purchases, not people who question and want to learn more. Most of these "mall" stores don't like an educated consumer... and I aim to learn more by the minute.

 

[Meezermom]

My dh and I walked into a Jared's just to look around (this was several years ago). I spotted a pair of earrings that I had a question about and asked to see them. The sales lady takes out the earrings and instead of letting me look at them, she puts them in her own ears. We said: "see ya". Yech.

 

[Amour_Et_Diamants]

This is too funny!

This local jeweler told me (completely straight faced) Their in house certification was better than GIAs and to be aware that GIA only accepts your average diamond for grading. This was when I asked if they carried any GIA or AGS graded diamonds. really???

 

[Amour_Et_Diamants]

That and they had never heard of buying a diamond online, but it is probably illegal.

 

[MarionC]

The salesperson at Jared's is a Certified Diamontologist. I looked it up and it's "someone who is certified by the Diamond Council of America". When I looked THAT up, it said that it's an organization that certifies Diamontologists.

Any diamontologists here?

on the "pretty straight forward" side of things - they did offer me a cappuccino...or was it kool-aide? while I browsed, which was nice of them.

 

[fritzi]

When DH and I were first shopping for my e-ring, we walked into a chain mall jewelry store and asked if they had any e-rings set in platinum and the lady looked at us completely confused. We explained how we wanted the setting to look like white gold but be in platinum instead. After listening to the crickets chirping in her head, she said she had not heard of it so they must not have any. We immediately excused ourselves and never went back. We could not have been the first ones who asked for platinum. So bizarre.

 

[Karl_K]

Really want to have fun...
Walk in and if they aren't busy, it is mean to take time if they are busy.
Ask to see a ring and ask about the grade, then whip out a loupe and hold the loupe over the diamond at arms length and look at it with a contemplative look and say hmmmm looks like an azs5 to me.
I have never done this but I have thought about it many many times!!!!! lol

 

[Amour_Et_Diamants]

When DH and I were first shopping for my e-ring, we walked into a chain mall jewelry store and asked if they had any e-rings set in platinum and the lady looked at us completely confused. We explained how we wanted the setting to look like white gold but be in platinum instead. After listening to the crickets chirping in her head, she said she had not heard of it so they must not have any. We immediately excused ourselves and never went back. We could not have been the first ones who asked for platinum. So bizarre.

Literally laughing out loud--- nope never heard of it

 

[ericad]

Haha, these are great! Years ago I went into one of these chain stores with an OEC, just to browse settings. The associate was so impressed, had never seen an old cut in person before ("I've heard of these!" he exclaimed), and ran to show his manager. His manager told him to show me some "better quality diamonds that aren't yellow" to see if perhaps they could sell me a round brilliant instead. When we went over to the table to look at some loose diamonds, the associate leaned over and whispered to me, "I'm just gonna show you these to make my manager happy, but your OEC is amazing and you should go get it set someplace else, this place totally sucks."



I felt like I was a hostage negotiator, or something, waiting for the associate to blink me a message. Lol, hopefully that poor young man moved on to better things, since he genuinely did seem to have more knowledge and appreciation than even his own manager!

Actually, he reminded me of that flight attendant from a few years ago who told the passengers to f-off, pulled the emergency slide, grabbed some bottles of booze and bailed. Hahahahaha!

 

[Niel]

I stopped in a year back to have my husband to be at the time try on gold wedding bands. I was trying to sell him on rose or yellow. (It worked BTW lol). I wanted to see 18k

Anyways the jeweler at Jared's told me "people in america don't wear 18k gold" I questioned that and she got offended because she's "been doing this for 20years!"

 

[msop04]

The reason I decided to buy online was precisely because of all the strange locals we have out here. The very first place I went to in early December when I started reading PS was Robbins Brothers. This was before I had ANY idea what I liked and didn't. But I had already read enough that when the high pressure "specialist" came in to convince my fiancé and I that a .9 SI1 I for $11.5 was unbeatable, I was able to thwart her sales pitch handily. I have a feeling their consumer base is predicated upon impulse purchases, not people who question and want to learn more. Most of these "mall" stores don't like an educated consumer... and I aim to learn more by the minute.

This is sooooooo true. Whenever I have even asked a question or very nicely (serioulsy, I was super nice! ) corrected them, I have gotten the evil eye and some really huffy attitudes!

 

[msop04]

That and they had never heard of buying a diamond online, but it is probably illegal.

Of course it would be... so you'll just have to buy from them.

 

[Merefrank]

Wow, these are some funny stories, but I am finding them aggravating and I'll tell you why ! I own a small business but usually have a part time job as well for cash and social interaction. I have applied to EVERY jewelry store in town and never even received an e-mail or call back !

I have a very professional resume and in my cover letter I explained how as a Realtor I assisted in helping people make one of the biggest purchases of their lifetime. I learned how to listen to their needs and want's and very much enjoyed helping them find something within their budget. ( or something like that, I'm on my phone now, I was more eloquent in the letter, lol). I also mentioned that while I was certainly not a G.I.A trained gemologist I had a passion for fine jewelry and likely more knowledge than the average man on the street and I would be thrilled to be given a chance to interview.

I even went into one store to follow up, and this rude "manager" who looked more suitable to Walmart's sporting aisle was completely rude and dismissive !

Guess I'm not tacky or dumb enough to work for the Maul Jewelry shops !

 

[Tourmaline]

This thread cracks me up!

 

[msop04]

I stopped in a year back to have my husband to be at the time try on gold wedding bands. I was trying to sell him on rose or yellow. (It worked BTW lol). I wanted to see 18k

Anyways the jeweler at Jared's told me "people in america don't wear 18k gold" I questioned that and she got offended because she's "been doing this for 20years!"

Yeah, that's the answer they always give at Jared! It kinda makes you wanna say, "...and in thirty years, this is the best info you can give me?"

 

[msop04]

Wow, these are some funny stories, but I am finding them aggravating and I'll tell you why ! I own a small business but usually have a part time job as well for cash and social interaction. I have applied to EVERY jewelry store in town and never even received an e-mail or call back !

I have a very professional resume and in my cover letter I explained how as a Realtor I assisted in helping people make one of the biggest purchases of their lifetime. I learned how to listen to their needs and want's and very much enjoyed helping them find something within their budget. ( or something like that, I'm on my phone now, I was more eloquent in the letter, lol). I also mentioned that while I was certainly not a G.I.A trained gemologist I had a passion for fine jewelry and likely more knowledge than the average man on the street and I would be thrilled to be given a chance to interview.

I even went into one store to follow up, and this rude "manager" who looked more suitable to Walmart's sporting aisle was completely rude and dismissive !

Guess I'm not tacky or dumb enough to work for the Maul Jewelry shops !

I think they want someone with absolutely no prior knowledge other than "oooohhhh, shineeeey!!" so they can "teach" them exactly what they want them to know/say... which is usually a bunch of crap and lies. The last thing they want is for someone to know what they're talking about, so they will never question them or even really know the true quality (or lack of) their inventory.

 

[woofmama]

DH & I popped into Jared last weekend so I could try on five stone rings. I'm having one made by BGD but wanted to see the different setting styles in person. They had one five stone in a u prong in a 1.50 tcw. Horrible clarity diamonds! I immediately made a comment about that and was told by the sales guy I "had a good eye"! Ummm unless you were blind anyone could see the diamonds were dried spit. He gave up and handed me over to another sales person. She was actually pretty knowledgeable and pulled out the bands with the high clarity Tolkowsky(spell) cut diamonds. Some of those were reasonable quality but nothing like what a PS vendor has.
Both sales people were quite mesmerized by my Sholdt setting, btw.