Okay, so what would you do?--diamond purchase.

[MyDiamondSparkles]

Fellow, PS'ers, I need to vent:

Yesterday was such a beautiful day that my dh and I decided to stroll around the downtown area of our city where there are tons of shops. We just happened into a shop that sells vintage jewelry and of course I always have to take a peek to see if there is anything new. The sales lady who I have worked with before and purchased several things from showed me one of her fav rings--a 4 stone band with each diamond being .35 carats. It really was beautiful and goes perfectly with my e-ring. The prongs on the e-ring and the 4-stone kind of bump up together in a not good way so I tried on a few additional plain/simple bands as a spacer. I asked if the ring/ diamonds had an appraisal/ report and she said no, but she could easily get one for it as the seller is a GIA gemologist.

We were probably in the store for about 45 minutes and dh was hungry, so we told her we were going to grab a quick bite to eat and think it over. We came back after lunch about 45 minutes later, I tried on the ring again--maybe took an additional 10 minutes, I'd say. She asked me if I wanted to purchase the ring, and of course I said yes, however I really needed to know the stats on the diamonds and since she had stated she could easily get an appraisal/ report for it I asked her how long that would take.

Then she got all wonky on me. She takes the ring, puts it back in the case and from 20 feet away comments (loudly) that it sure would be a lot easier to sell this ring to the couple that was looking at it previously in the day and she acts all pissy. And then she asks what did I want to do, put the ring on layaway? Uh, no, I want to purchase the ring, I just need an appraisal (and feeling like I must be doing something or asking something she thought was out of boundaries or else she wouldn't being acting in this strange manner) I add, I am not sure how that works--Do they put the ring on hold while we are waiting for the appraisal? I am supposed to purchase it and if the appraisal comes back different than what I want, return the ring? Then she just throws her hands up in the air, rolls he eyes, and says the seller is on his way there to pick the ring up and appraise it and he will have it back in the shop in the morning and they will phone me when it is ready.

I am absolutely unsure what I did to upset this sales lady. Did I take to long to make a decision (55 minutes to be exact) on something I am going to be wearing on my left hand ring finger for the next 30-40 years? Should I not have asked for some kind of an appraisal report and buy a diamond ring without knowing the stats on the diamonds, after she said it would be easy to get one?

So fast forward to this morning and after much thought (like a festering splinter) about the way I was treated in the store, possibly the worst I have ever been treated in any kind of shopping experience, I tell my dh I am no longer interested in the ring. He says that is ridiculous, he's sure the sales lady was just having a bad day and we should just buy the ring if I like it.

I don't know about the fellow PS'ers here, but to me a diamond purchase is an emotional purchase and I for some reason I feel like if I purchase this ring I will not have found memories of my dh and spending the day together and just happening upon it in the store--I will only remember her comment that it sure would be a lot easier to sell this ring to the couple that was looking at it previously in the day, her throwing her hands up in the air, her rolling of her eyes.

One way to get me to head for the door in any situation is to use that sales tactic on me, 9 times out of 10 I will say "Well then, I hope the couple who was previously looking at the ring will enjoy it".

I do feel kind of badly for the seller who I am sure rushed over to the store to pick up the ring to do the appraisal.

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[missy]

That saleslady was beyond rude but I certainly wouldn't let her ruin your enjoyment of this ring if this turns out to be the ring for you!
First of all I would want to make sure the GIA appraisal was up to the standards you had hoped it would be and then if the price is right and you are in love with this ring I say go for it. Then, I might want to contact the owner of the store and let him/her know about the rude behavior of their employee. Sorry you had to deal with her but hopefully you will be getting the ring of your dreams! I wouldn't be giving this salesperson any power over me and my feelings about the ring. Good luck!

 

[Miss Sparkly]

So sorry she ruined such a beautiful ring for you! I'm the same way though, if there is any kind of negativity surrounding a piece I can't wear it and be happy. Maybe you could try Ruby Lane or another dealer for a similar style?

 

[iheartscience]

I don't blame you-I wouldn't want to buy it either if I were in your shoes. What an awful salesperson. Have you complained to the owner/manager yet? I would do that immediately. After you complain and hear what the owner/manager has to say, then you can make a decision.

I absolutely wouldn't buy it from that salesperson!

 

[maplefemme]

If she is just a sales person then I would talk to the owner/manager and tell them that you do not wish to deal with her and why.
If she is the owner I'd walk and not buy the ring, she doesn't deserve my business, giving it to her just rewards that type of behavior and I refuse to be treated as such.
You didn't do anything wrong, you're an educated customer. As for the "other couple", in all likelihood they don't exist.

 

[Dreamer_D]

If she is just a sales person then I would talk to the owner/manager and tell them that you do not wish to deal with her and why.
If she is the owner I'd walk and not buy the ring, she doesn't deserve my business, giving it to her just rewards that type of behavior and I refuse to be treated as such.
You didn't do anything wrong, you're an educated customer. As for the "other couple", in all likelihood they don't exist.

Exactly.

 

[kenny]

I am absolutely unsure what I did to upset this sales lady.

Nothing.
Calling up and acting out an emotion (like an actor on a stage) is a sales tactic.
She just flipped on a switch that often works. (It never works on me, but people vary.)

Buyers can also use such negotiating tactics too.
I once heard that . . . All's fair in love and war and negotiating.
I also heard that after a negotiation if your opponent isn't upset then you paid too much.

People see negotiating in different ways, especially around the world.

While I do try to respect diversity I also DO have standards of what treatment I will tolerate depending on the situation.
In the situation you described I would also complain to the owner and tell him/her this is why I am not going to buy.
They may very well not change or discipline the saleswoman.
She may be just doing as she was trained.
They may make more money overall from the customers who are more easily intimidated into a sale, and blowing off customers like you and I.

I read in Forbes magazine that part of Fry Electronics' business plan is to offer horrible service to customers who come to the store to learn and research purchases.
Fry want's them to go elsewhere to do that, but come back to Fry to buy.
This is why I never buy there, AND THEY KNOW THAT AND DON'T CARE.
They admit that offering sh!tty customer service and hiring cheaper bimbos is the most profitable for their stockholders.

Horrendous, but there you have it.
Forbes is read by business owners so I'm afraid the "Customer is Always Right" mentality is no longer a universal mantra.

 

[yennyfire]

If she is just a sales person then I would talk to the owner/manager and tell them that you do not wish to deal with her and why.
If she is the owner I'd walk and not buy the ring, she doesn't deserve my business, giving it to her just rewards that type of behavior and I refuse to be treated as such.
You didn't do anything wrong, you're an educated customer. As for the "other couple", in all likelihood they don't exist.

This!

 

[ame]

She's just pissed you won't just buy it without any details. She wanted to make a sale, and you dared to be educated and ask questions she didn't want to deal with.

I would give the commission to someone else, or if she's the owner, walk away. Because you have no idea now what the Gemologist is really going to say those stones are, and if she tells him what happened, he might lie and make them better quality than they really are on the report.

 

[swingirl]

I am guessing an "appraisal" done by that store is going to be inaccurate and inflated. It's unlikely that the owner would take the ring someplace else and pay for an appraisal, but you never really got a chance to find out that information because the saleslady was rude. She wanted a quick sale.

 

[Amys Bling]

If she is just a sales person then I would talk to the owner/manager and tell them that you do not wish to deal with her and why.
If she is the owner I'd walk and not buy the ring, she doesn't deserve my business, giving it to her just rewards that type of behavior and I refuse to be treated as such.
You didn't do anything wrong, you're an educated customer. As for the "other couple", in all likelihood they don't exist.

Totally agree!!

 

[MyDiamondSparkles]

Thanks everyone. It was nice to see that most of you feel the same way I do---there's a good feeling about thinking that a lot of people think the same way....lol....it's true though!

I was actually glad to see that Kenny posted because sometimes I think men think differently then women, you know? Like my husband just thinks I should forget the saleslady's behavior and buy the ring--like no big deal. I mean maybe he actually thinks I am being too dramatic about it, but geesh, it is the way I feel. And be it a ring or even a lesser purchase bad customer service just rubs me the wrong way and puts me out of the buying mood.

Soooo, the sales lady (she is a saleslady and not the owner) phoned me. And she acted like everything was all smoochy-smoocy--good friends--valued customer between us, and only said, she was delighted to tell me the appraisal was in, she had a feeling I would love the appraisal and I could come and pick up my ring. So I tried to remain calm and not totally slice her feelings up to bits with my razor sharp tongue and leave her feelings piled sky high in some random corner--which believe me is hard for me to do! So I casually said, that perhaps at this point the ring wasn't really suited for me and perhaps she would prefer to spend her time selling it to some other couple who is an easier "sell" than I am. She acted stunned. So I went on to tell her that in all my years of shopping, and I shop A LOT, I have never been so rudely treated by a sales person. She profusely apologized, said she was having a bad day, yadda, yadda and please don't let that stop me from buying this ring.

I honestly would have felt better about the apology if she has apologized right off the bat. Ya know? So I told her I "may" make time in my schedule to come look at the appraisal, however if I did it would be at a time when she is not there, so I asked her when her day off was.....lol. To which she replied she would be more than happy to help me. (Of course!)--and then my razor sharp tongue couldn't help itself..... I told her that she had insulted me in every way possible and therefore she could do nothing to help me, other than stay 20 feet away from me while I was shopping or making a purchase. And if that couldn't be arranged then I would find elsewhere to spend my money, and then I added, am I making myself clear?

And then she asked if she could take my husband and I to lunch!

I won't even get into the rest of the she said--I saids. I pretty much have blown off the purchase and have myself busy with work stuff to keep my mind occupied, but I just know my dh is going to drag me down to that store after he gets home. So I am staying in my pj's (I work from home) and practicing my rolling of the eyes techniques just in case they are needed later in the day.

 

[kenny]

IMHO, "Appraisals" are worthless unless ...
YOU pick the qualified independent professional appraiser
The appraiser does not sell diamonds
YOU pay the appraiser, regardless of whether there is a sale
The appraiser does not know which business is trying to sell the diamond

Anything else carries a conflict of interest.

 

[MyDiamondSparkles]

Yeah, I get that about the appraisal....lol. I'd have to take the ring into my appraiser and see what he says--he's a GIA gemologist and also AGA. Really the ring is not all that expensive but I would like to make sure there are no obvious issues with the diamonds such as cracks in susceptible places, chips, stuff like that and of course clarity too.

I kind of just wanted the ring as an option to wear instead of my e-ring for when we travel etc. then I am not constantly worried about it, but when I tried it on it did look pretty good with the e-ring--not that I wouldn't ever consider a reset though as the profile of the ring is a tad high for my e-ring diamond--this the spacer is needed. Plus, I have an exact match extra diamond lying around here, so I could always turn it into a 5 stone with all of the diamonds being .35 points.

And as expected my dh just phoned and he wants to take me to see the ring again.....sigh. He said he can't be home until 5:30pm and the shop is about 10 minutes away--and it closes at 6pm, so we'll see.

 

[Dreamer_D]

What is the price and carat total weight? With stones of that size I personally want ones with lab reports because cut quality matters a lot.

 

[Amys Bling]

What is the price and carat total weight? With stones of that size I personally want ones with lab reports because cut quality matters a lot.

these are my thoughts, BUT on the other hand, if you really are getting a great "deal" on the stones in comparison to buying of the same standard new- then getting lab reports for the 4 stones may not be cost efficient. In this case, I would use your judgement- and realy examine the ring in all lighting types.

 

[lyra]

Is it a setting you've never seen before? It seems like it wouldn't be too difficult to find a 4 x .35ct ring for whatever budget you set. Or, as you said, just find 4-.35ct stones and add them to your existing for a 5 stone ring. I personally like 5 stones better than 4 stones. It may not be that bad $$ wise, or you could just plan one for an anniversary. I probably wouldn't want to buy from that store unless you planned to do more business with them in the future.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I wouldn't get lab reports because I think it is expensive and unnecessary in stones that small, but I would get an independent appraisal. Getting one from "the seller" is pretty much worthless. Obviously I wouldn't buy it unless you have a return policy that allows the time for a true independent appraisal. Do you have a loupe? You can check the condition and clarity of the stones yourself. While I prefer not giving rude people my business, I wouldn't let it stop me from getting something I really loved if the price was a deal.

 

[MyDiamondSparkles]

I wouldn't get lab reports because I think it is expensive and unnecessary in stones that small, but I would get an independent appraisal. Getting one from "the seller" is pretty much worthless. Obviously I wouldn't buy it unless you have a return policy that allows the time for a true independent appraisal. Do you have a loupe? You can check the condition and clarity of the stones yourself. While I prefer not giving rude people my business, I wouldn't let it stop me from getting something I really loved if the price was a deal.

Okay, so I bought the ring. The saleslady was nice and very apologetic in a sincere way. We all have bad days and I try to remember that.

Yep on the above. I am not going to unset these and send them to GIA, far too expensive for what I paid for the ring. I have a loupe, and I looked at the diamond really well, but since this isn't exactly my forte I could have missed something, so more than likely I will take the ring into my own appraiser just for peace of mind.

And remember I am not nearly as picky as a lot of you are in clarity and I do own VVS1 diamonds. A long as it is eye clean within a 2 inch viewing distance (lol) I am a-okay with that.

So actually the diamonds turned out to be .40 carats each. There are 4 of them, all H color all si clarity from the appraisal report. From as close as I can get the ring to my eyes without smacking myself in the face with it (lol), 2 of the stones are super clean. One of them has a something (needle or longish crystal) that is well hidden within one of the mains--I think that is what those are called--mains? It takes me a bit to find it with the naked eye and sometimes I can't find it at all. The last diamond has a speck on the side under a prong and for some reason it is only noticeable when viewing the diamond from one side and not the other. From 6 inches away I see nothing.

I have a G diamond the same size and the colors seem to match, but I am sure I don't have the ideal lighting conditions here at home.

Setting is stamped 14K--a little fussier than I would have chosen but very pretty.

The ring was an inexpensive purchase. And really perfect for me as I bought it with the intent of leaving the engagement ring home when we travel and wearing this one instead.

Last week I dropped the Nikon D90 and broke the lens--ackkkk! I'm hoping it can be repaired, it's just the black clip thingie on the side that broke not the glass lens. DH borrowed my cell phone because his was stolen so I can't even take photos with that--I suspect since my cell phone is pink he will return it within a few days.....lol. I will try to post photos later.

 

[Tanzigrrl]

I'm glad you bought it. Photos please!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Great! With a ring like that, I would do exactly as you did. Inspect it myself, know current pricing on similar new items, and then consider sending it to an appraiser if I need to add it to insurance or get further reassurance on the specs and value. I recently bought a little antique ring and all I did was check it with the loupe. The color and clarity was acceptable to me, so I really don't care what the specs are!

You need a camera, though!!! We want to see it!