princesss
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2007
- Messages
- 8,035
So I went shopping with a friend today, and I (of course) had to get some quality jewelry oogling time in. I took my friend to my favourite estate jeweler in the mall and we had fun playing with their selection. They've got some OECs, and some great antique pieces that I just love. So I was explaining to my friend the difference between an OEC and a RB, and why you generally see FY in radiants, but why a FY EC is more rare (I got to try one on today! SO pretty!). Generally just having a good time, you know? And she said she really likes cushions and I asked her what kind of cushions she likes - chunky facet vs crushed ice (silly question - all she knew was she likes the cushion outline the best). So when we were leaving, I pulled her into Tiffany's to show her the Legacy and tell her about how that's different from other cushions.
Well, we had the singularly most unhelpful sales woman I've encountered in there. She made a huge fuss about pulling the Legacy out of the case, and said we had to go sit in a side room to see it (not sure why - I've looked at that same ring while standing at the counter). So we go into the side room and wait, and she comes in and hands it to us. We look at it, and I'm explaining that it's a step cut cushion and that it's a Tiffany's proprietary cut, and I make some comment about how I love the center stone, but I actually really dislike the setting, and it's such a shame, because I'd love to be able to own a Legacy, just not in that setting.
That's where the trouble really started.
She told me a Legacy was just a cushion, and I could just get any cushion and it'd be the same. "No," I said, "It's a proprietary cut that you can only find at Tiffany's."
"No, it's just a cushion. We sell cushion solitaires, you could just get one of those."
"No, the Legacy is a step-cut cushion that Tiffany's developed. You can't find them anywhere else, and you don't sell them in any other setting."
" Okay."
So she takes the ring back, and says, "Look, I'll show you a cushion."
"Okay."
At this point I want to see it just so I can point out the differences to my friend, who is absorbing the information she's hearing (unlike the sales woman who is out to prove to me how wrong I am). So we walk over to the counter with her, and she pulls a ring from the case and hands it to me.
"See, here's a cushion."
"No, this is an Asscher."
" Okay."
So, sensing a teachable moment, I show my friend the Asscher (and even correct myself on the terminology, since Asscher is a brand name), point out the windmills (which, I have to say, don't impress me at all after seeing pictures of the Octavia ), explain to her about why Asschers always look smaller than other stones of the same carat weight, hand the ring back, and we leave.
But the longer we're away from the store, the more the woman's attitude bothered me. Not only was she completely ignorant about the product she was selling, she was incredibly rude and dismissive of me when we disagreed (though I'm sure she thought she was taking the high road by not arguing). So about half an hour later, I get so fed up with the whole situation that I decide to go talk to the manager. I find the manager and explain the situation to her. I told her that part of my frustration was the misinformation (you should have seen her eyes when I told her a Tiffany's employee told me that a Legacy was just a cushion), and that part of it was how dismissive she was. I think it was right around the point when I told her about the sales woman giving me an Asscher and calling it a cushion that she asked if I was in the industry.
"No, I'm just an enthusiast."
"Do you want a job? I have a position coming up and I'd love to have you work for us."
"No, thanks."
"Do you have a job?"
"Yeah, I work in shipping."
"Have you ever thought about working for Tiffany's? You should seriously consider it. We'd love to have you."
So we finished out conversation, she thanked me for letting her know about the situation, and my friend and I left. My friend kind of laughed when we were leaving, telling me that only I could walk in to a jewelry store with a complaint and walk out with a job offer, but I'm pretty certain any PSer could do the same.
Well, we had the singularly most unhelpful sales woman I've encountered in there. She made a huge fuss about pulling the Legacy out of the case, and said we had to go sit in a side room to see it (not sure why - I've looked at that same ring while standing at the counter). So we go into the side room and wait, and she comes in and hands it to us. We look at it, and I'm explaining that it's a step cut cushion and that it's a Tiffany's proprietary cut, and I make some comment about how I love the center stone, but I actually really dislike the setting, and it's such a shame, because I'd love to be able to own a Legacy, just not in that setting.
That's where the trouble really started.
She told me a Legacy was just a cushion, and I could just get any cushion and it'd be the same. "No," I said, "It's a proprietary cut that you can only find at Tiffany's."
"No, it's just a cushion. We sell cushion solitaires, you could just get one of those."
"No, the Legacy is a step-cut cushion that Tiffany's developed. You can't find them anywhere else, and you don't sell them in any other setting."
" Okay."
So she takes the ring back, and says, "Look, I'll show you a cushion."
"Okay."
At this point I want to see it just so I can point out the differences to my friend, who is absorbing the information she's hearing (unlike the sales woman who is out to prove to me how wrong I am). So we walk over to the counter with her, and she pulls a ring from the case and hands it to me.
"See, here's a cushion."
"No, this is an Asscher."
" Okay."
So, sensing a teachable moment, I show my friend the Asscher (and even correct myself on the terminology, since Asscher is a brand name), point out the windmills (which, I have to say, don't impress me at all after seeing pictures of the Octavia ), explain to her about why Asschers always look smaller than other stones of the same carat weight, hand the ring back, and we leave.
But the longer we're away from the store, the more the woman's attitude bothered me. Not only was she completely ignorant about the product she was selling, she was incredibly rude and dismissive of me when we disagreed (though I'm sure she thought she was taking the high road by not arguing). So about half an hour later, I get so fed up with the whole situation that I decide to go talk to the manager. I find the manager and explain the situation to her. I told her that part of my frustration was the misinformation (you should have seen her eyes when I told her a Tiffany's employee told me that a Legacy was just a cushion), and that part of it was how dismissive she was. I think it was right around the point when I told her about the sales woman giving me an Asscher and calling it a cushion that she asked if I was in the industry.
"No, I'm just an enthusiast."
"Do you want a job? I have a position coming up and I'd love to have you work for us."
"No, thanks."
"Do you have a job?"
"Yeah, I work in shipping."
"Have you ever thought about working for Tiffany's? You should seriously consider it. We'd love to have you."
So we finished out conversation, she thanked me for letting her know about the situation, and my friend and I left. My friend kind of laughed when we were leaving, telling me that only I could walk in to a jewelry store with a complaint and walk out with a job offer, but I'm pretty certain any PSer could do the same.