It was worth a try!

[Allisonfaye]

So, I was trying on my strapless dress the other day to finalize the hem and the saleslady commented that I needed a diamond necklace to go with it. I first said ''I KNOW''!! I am sure my husband will agree but unfortunately, I am on a jewelry purchasing moratorium until 2010.

So I was over at Neiman Marcus today where I had purchased the ruby ring and the diamond bracelet and...my saleslady was there so it gave me an

idea. I asked if she wanted to lend me a diamond necklace (Academy Award style) for the evening AND when all the ladies inquired as to where I got this gorgeous necklace, I would say NEIMAN MARCUS. She wasn''t buying it. BUT she was laying on the hard sell to me big time. lol

By the way, I bought O magazine and I noticed that Oprah''s friend Gayle''s daughter is wearing the same gown I bought to Oprah''s Legends ball last year. Aha! So it was LAST years'' style.....like I care.lol

 

[FireGoddess]

It certainly was a good try. Guess you have to have a certain level of fame before they lend you jewels.

Darn.

 

[IrishAngel7982]

How come you have to have an excess amount of cash to be allowed to borrow diamonds? Are the extremely wealthy more trustworthy?

It was a valiant effort Allison!

 

[sumbride]

Maybe if you went to a smaller local jeweler you''d have better luck. Neimans probably has a corporate policy against such a thing, but excellent try!

 

[Mara]

recently we were visiting an estate jeweler and he was telling us some horrible stories about the pieces they lend out to the celebs...apparently they have no regard for their jewelry or the lend and stuff comes back with stones missing and broken clasps, and this and that...they can take months to return something...blah blah. but i guess the ''press'' they get is worth it or else they would not keep doing it. it always make me kind of laugh because i always think, come on, like anyone is going to be all ''OH you got that necklace at fred leighton? i''m going there TOMORROW to buy it!''....if it''s a celeb saying that then they will just get it LENT to them rather than buy it, and what regular people tend to choose their jewelry based on celebs wearing it? if you have that much $$ you probably have your own type of unique taste and wouldn''t want something just because a celeb has it on (esp if you are old money, a celeb wearing it would be too nouveau riche!).

of course, it''s more about the ''brand name'' exposure, aka just knowing that fred leighton lends to the stars kinda thing but i really wonder if this is just an old school thing that has been around for so long re lending of the jewelery and no one really ever measured the effectiveness of it as a marketing ploy. i''d like to see an ROI report on how much sales were generated based on the lending when all the repair etc is factored in !!! hehe.

 

[Kaleigh]

Wasn''t it Sharon Stone that was lent a very expensive piece and refused to give it back?? This was a few years ago I think??

 

[Allisonfaye]

I was thinking more about it and I think NM should do it. It would only be a win-win for them. First of all, they know me. I have purchased two items from them so they know they get repeat business. It would guarantee a customer for life. Also, they should consider the possibility that I will wear it, fall in love with it and buy it. Oh well. Haha.

I think you are right, Mara. It is more about getting the name out there with lending jewels. Or maybe the jewelers figure when the celeb does need to make a major purchase, they will come to that jeweler.