Jared, The Gallery of Ignorance

[4bugzinarug]

Here''s a funny one for you (funny like "YEAH RIGHT!").... we took our congo tourmaline from www.customgemstones.com to Jared to look at settings (mistake #1). They actually said that we needed to take it to be appraised because of the "possibility" that it might be synthetic. I thought that was rather nervy of them. When asking what he was insinuating, I was told that he was not convinced it was a natural stone because he had never heard of a tourmaline from "the congo" ... and since he had never seen it before, was not sure it was real! He even went so far as to tell us to not to have it set until we have it appraised!

Needless to say, when they were told that we saw the rough before it was cut and then went in depth into the rock solid reputation of the gem cutter (great pun, yes?)...they were tickling the back of their throats with their toes It''s funny how in one breath they were telling me what a beautiful cut the stone had (exceptionally fine is how they put it!) ... and in the next they were insulting my intelligence.

So, now I know where *not* to go to get my jewelry made, LOL! Although, I would probably enjoy their reaction to the spessartite that Dan is sending us next?

Seriously though, in all fairness ... we knew very little about gemstones until just recently. And we *still* know very little! It''s just amazing that with as little knowledge that we have ... we still have MORE than the bench person at Jared!! I guess seeing is not believing in their case

 

[Catmom]

Yeah, don''t they just drive you crazy! It doesn''t surprise me a bit. I was in a jewelry store the other day and I was wearing my new sapphire ring. The jeweler asked if it was tanzanite and I said no that it was a color change sapphire. He asked if he could see it closer and took it straight to his microscope where he spent about 15 minutes studying it. Finally he says "I''ve never heard of a color change sapphire before". So I had to educate him to the fact that they do indead exist. I don''t think he believed me and I know darn well the second I walked out of the store he was on his computer looking up color change sapphires, LOL!

 

[twodoor2]

Unfortunately, most people working at typical mall jewelry stores, are very ignorant when it comes to any exotic gem. They think the only gemstones that exist are diamonds, tanzanites, rubies, blue sapphires, and lab created alexandrite (they probably don''t know that natural alexandrite exists). I went to Jared''s and the help there isn''t exactly highly paid GIA graduates, and even some people with a zillion years in the business can''t tell the difference between a citrine and a topaz. At places like Jared''s, they''re just doing a job, and that''s to sell as many diamond rings as they can. When you ask them something outside the norm like ". . . can you set my XXXX stone?" they look at you like you''re from another planet (had that happen).

I frequent one very reputable jewelry store with a long time in the business and a large clientele. I recently went there to have my demantoid set. The response was, "what''s a demantoid?" This jeweler also specializes in exotic gemstones like paraibas and natural alexandrite. It''s pretty sad.

 

[Catmom]

I wouldn''t have been surprised at mine if it had been a mall store or a Jared''s. I was in an independant family owned store talking to one of the head guys who is supposedly a GIA graduate with 20 years in the business. He''s also the buyer for the store.

 

[poptart]

May I share a short Jared story? This happened just yesterday to a friend... She just got a replacement engagement ring after her 1st was lost last year. It''s the exact same setting and style, a center asscher with 8 princess cut chanel set diamonds, very pretty. But it''s WG and they told her that WG just displaces the metal when you scratch it, whereas the metal in platinum will actually come off, which I told her was backwards. Plus they told her that the channel set diamonds were probably the safest setting because they are set in by tension... which to me seems like it would be a LOT less safe than bezel or prong setting because if you lose one, you could lose them all.

*M*

 

[sarahthewarrior]

While we''re Jared-bashing, I thought I''d share my sister''s story. I know nothing about my sister''s diamond (only saw it when I went home for her wedding, and not a close inspection), so I can''t comment on the quality of the stone or Jared''s knowledge about it. I don''t even recall the size or cost.

BUT... for her wedding band, there are a few garnets (her husband''s birthstone--she hated the color, but apparently the people at Jared said everyone is putting their spouse''s birthstone in their wedding band these days--if only she had told me so I could have told her about all the other colors of garnets!) set in the band. I haven''t seen it up close, so I''m not even sure how it was done. Anyway, on her honeymoon, one of the garnets fell out! She hadn''t even been wearing it for two days yet! Luckily, Jared took responsibility and replaced the stone for free. But I can''t say you''ll ever catch me in there...

Not to threadjack, but as for the birthstone in the wedding band thing, has anyone done this? This certainly isn''t a "fad" I''m familiar with.

 

[twodoor2]

OMG! The story about the platinum vs white gold is pretty scary. It is the chemical nature of Platinum to not lose any metal when it''s scratched, and gold DOES!!! What complete idiots!! When I buy something expensive like a car, I expect the dealer to have lots of knowledge about it. It''s a pity that when people go out to buy something expensive like an engagement ring, they''re surrounded by idiots.