Rant

[CaityJ]

I was at the mall this afternoon to get some cosmetics I had run out of and to window shop. I was in last week and noticed a new jewellery kiosk ("Magnolia") setting up, so today I sought it out to see their selection. Things started out on a bad note when I asked to look at a very nice faceted smokey quartz and was corrected: "it''s a topaz." Right. It could be a topaz, strictly speaking, but it''s probably quartz. It was a nice piece, though, and I continued around the cases to see what else I could find.

I had a look at their rings and this is where the trouble really started. They had some nice light green cabs and I was told they were jade. They looked nothing like any jade I had ever seen, more like a light green chalcedony. "I think they are Canadian jade, which is very light in colour." There was a peridot I liked the look of, too, but at this point I wouldn''t have spent any money there. One of the salesgirls told me how much she loved the jewellery they were selling and that she had bought some new earrings from the kiosk today! She showed me these dangles terminating in square-shaped beads with an all-over checkerboard facet. They were clearly that opal glass that got to be so popular a couple years back. She said they were "rainbow moonstone." I asked to see a couple rings with this "moonstone." Glass, all of it. Very pretty glass set in sterling.

I never know what to do in these situations. These girls weren''t lying to me: they were clearly deceived. The info card they gave me says right on it that the company specializes in silver fashion jewellery set with imitation and genuine stones. Obviously, the girls were not taught any distinction between the two. Some of the pieces were quite nice (carnelian, that quartz "topaz"), but, since the sales staff don''t know the difference between imitation and genuine, there''s no way I am getting that peridot. I just don''t trust it.

Has this happened to you recently? How do you handle situations like this?

 

[Linda W]

Yes, It has happened to me only a different situation.

I like to go into the mall jewelry stores and just look at what they have.

When I wear my Padparadscha rings it always causes comments. The salesgirls want to know what stones they are. I explain and they say that sapphires only come in blue, yellow and pink.

They they proceed to tell me, I must have a tourmaline and was misled by the "store" I bought them from.

Many times, I have tried to explain what a Pad is, but give up. Now, I just write down the Natural Sapphire website, give it to them, and tell them to look it up. LOL.

We learn so much from being members of Pricescope. I think we should go and train these mall and other jewelery store clerks ourselves!!!!!!

Linda

 

[CaityJ]

That sapphire bit is a great example. The place I was at today is fashion jewellery, but I have seen this in/at fine jewellery stores/counters, too. I was looking at clearance items at Belks recently and asked to see what I thought I was a pink tourmaline. The sales lady said, "Oh no, this is a topaz." So I asked what sort of treatment there had been to achieve that colour and she swore up and down that they didn''t sell treated stones. Yeah, right. This was a white gold set natural pink topaz for $99? Get a clue!

 

[Linda W]

Frustrating isn''t it??? Even at fancy jewelry stores I rarely see untreated sapphires. We have a family owned one here. He has one untreated sapphire ring in his store. The rest are heat treated only.

I never knew about heat and unheated sapphires, until I joined Pricescope. THANK YOU PRICESCOPE!!!! My Padparadscha sapphires are all Unheated.


Linda

 

[CaityJ]

It''s nuts. I hope all PS regulars use their powers for good and are infiltrating the jewellery retail biz to get the truth out! I know lots of people on here ARE involved in the trade in some way. I wish all people involved in the trade had some solid background in all this, or, at the very least, were willing to admit "I don''t know" sometimes.

 

[FineAfricanGems]

I am normally a calm individual but in situations like this I tend to tear them to shreds verbally, after all they are committing fraud, and advise them to remove the stones from sale. I have no time for people who misrepresent stones. As a member of the South Australian Mineralogical Society and the GIA, I feel it is our responsibility to protect the less knowledgeable against these crooks. My most recent run in was with a jeweller selling ''Green Amethyst''.

Paul

 

[diamondfan]

I do not care what they sell as long as they are truthful in their representations. It makes me crazy when the staff is uninformed, as well. Either ignorance or deliberate deception and neither instills confidence in me.

 

[poshpepper]

Date: 9/27/2007 8:30:15 AM
Author: PaulS
I am normally a calm individual but in situations like this I tend to tear them to shreds verbally, after all they are committing fraud, and advise them to remove the stones from sale. I have no time for people who misrepresent stones. As a member of the South Australian Mineralogical Society and the GIA, I feel it is our responsibility to protect the less knowledgeable against these crooks. My most recent run in was with a jeweller selling ''Green Amethyst''.

Paul

For those of us that dont know any better, can you tell us why this is not possible

Whatever "Green Amethyst" is it looks pretty... so what is it really?

Thanks!

 

[MoonWater]

Date: 9/27/2007 2:52:29 PM
Author: poshpepper

Date: 9/27/2007 8:30:15 AM
Author: PaulS
I am normally a calm individual but in situations like this I tend to tear them to shreds verbally, after all they are committing fraud, and advise them to remove the stones from sale. I have no time for people who misrepresent stones. As a member of the South Australian Mineralogical Society and the GIA, I feel it is our responsibility to protect the less knowledgeable against these crooks. My most recent run in was with a jeweller selling ''Green Amethyst''.

Paul

For those of us that dont know any better, can you tell us why this is not possible

Whatever ''Green Amethyst'' is it looks pretty... so what is it really?

Thanks!

I was curious too so I went to wiki....of course anyone can edit it but still: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prasiolite

 

[poshpepper]

Date: 9/27/2007 4:14:34 PM
Author: MoonWater

I was curious too so I went to wiki....of course anyone can edit it but still: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prasiolite

Cool... at least a little info...

 

[Steel]

It is so frustrating.

What happened to the customer always being right? How come they feel they can argue with you - esp. as they must know they are uninformed, they each can''t believe they are genuine gem experts, just ''cause they stand on the other side of the counter! Grr.

Last time I ventured out I had to bite my tongue to stop myself. I was looking at a diamond ring and asked the stats of the stones. Was told they were "little diamonds", 3 times I asked her, yeah but what are the stats, ie colour and clarity and she responded each time as if I were STUPID. Grrr. She didn''t say, I''m sorry I don''t understand. Or I don''t know. Just - they are "little diamonds"! Plus the free look of ''we''ve got a thick one here''.

TWIT!

 

[musey]

Date: 9/29/2007 2:54:38 PM
Author: Steel

I was looking at a diamond ring and asked the stats of the stones. Was told they were ''little diamonds'', 3 times I asked her, yeah but what are the stats, ie colour and clarity and she responded each time as if I were STUPID. Grrr. She didn''t say, I''m sorry I don''t understand. Or I don''t know. Just - they are ''little diamonds''! Plus the free look of ''we''ve got a thick one here''.

TWIT!

Errrr how frustrating!! When I was first engagement-ring-shopping I went to a B&M and asked to see any asschers or radiants they had. He showed me a few princesses and said "they''re basically the same thing." I tried to explain the difference in the cut that I was looking for and he just had this blank look on his face.

Oh well, at least he didn''t try to argue with me.

I got into a little trouble once in the LA diamond district while looking at a 1ct cushion... I was told it was H VS2 and there was a HUGE, as in taking up 1/3 of the stone, GREY cloud in this yellowish cushion. I kept asking to see higher color and clarity and they told me "sweetie, that''s as high as you can get!"

I didn''t even share budget constraints, so I don''t know if they meant that was the top of the grading scale OR if that was just as high as *I* could get, as an apparently non-wealthy-looking patron.

 

[MoonWater]

Oh my, these stories are horrifying. I think I would get a kick out of an ignorant, yet arrogant sales person. I''d just go off with all the info I''ve learned here until they were utterly perplexed and then I would leave.

 

[Pandora II]

I have yet to meet anyone who can correctly identify my tsavorite, even in very high end jewellery stores.

I''ve given up educating most people and just agree how beautiful my ''emerald'' is, but I do explain to them in places like Mappin & Webb and Tiffany. Especially Tiffany, as they named the stone!

I reckon most of us here on PS could walk a job interview with pretty much every jewellery store going - problem is, we probably wouldn''t want to work in 99% of them!

 

[simplysplendid]

I popped by a B&M store the other when I was at the mall as they were having a sale. I spotted a ruby ring, not pretty rubies but a pretty ring for approx USD300. So I asked what treatment was on the rubies. The sales person said they only sell natural rubies. I said I know it is natural, but what treatment. She repeated that that they only sell natural rubies. I tried again -- heated? beryllium infused? glass filled? Nope, given their brand name, they only sell natural rubies. Yes, for $300.

 

[Gemoholic]

ok this may not be the place but could someone phonetically write Padparadscha?
I would like to say it correctly!

PS agree with you all. When I did my diamond shopping I constantly was being led to D Ifs when I wanted the best cut rather than high color and clarity. But of course few gemologists work behind the counter I discovered.

 

[CaptAubrey]

Date: 10/2/2007 11:54:32 AM
Author: Pandora II
I have yet to meet anyone who can correctly identify my tsavorite, even in very high end jewellery stores.

And of those who''ve even heard of them, fewer still know what they are.

Funny story: a few years ago, I wandered into a jewelry store and asked if I could see the "tsavorite garnet" ring they had on display. This drew a blank, confused look from the guy behind the counter, who went and got the manager. I repeated my request, but he shook his head, reached under the counter to get a rhodolite ring (which he then stuck under my nose), and very snootily informed me, "This is a garnet," and then, holding out the tsavorite ring, "This is a tsavorite." I considered trying to explain things, but I could tell from the look on his face that I wasn''t going to get anywhere.

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 10/2/2007 5:03:41 PM
Author: Gemoholic
ok this may not be the place but could someone phonetically write Padparadscha?
I would like to say it correctly!

PS agree with you all. When I did my diamond shopping I constantly was being led to D Ifs when I wanted the best cut rather than high color and clarity. But of course few gemologists work behind the counter I discovered.

HI:

Pad*pear*ah*ja?

Here, this nice lady will "say" it for you

(toggle gemstone gallery and find pads...):

http://www.gemstone.de/

cheers--Sharon

 

[Linda W]

Sharon,

GREAT website. Love how she pronounces all of the gemstone names. Thank you!!!

Linda

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 10/2/2007 9:14:11 PM
Author: Linda W
Sharon,

GREAT website. Love how she pronounces all of the gemstone names. Thank you!!!

Linda

HI Linda:

My pleasure!

cheers--Sharon

 

[Gemoholic]

yes that was great! Thanks !Tsavorite was different than I thought and so was my green garnets name demantoid.

Ohh they have a red beryl!! Great gems but I can't buy from another country to scary.

 

[Harriet]

The red beryl is beautiful.

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 10/4/2007 7:32:29 PM
Author: Gemoholic
yes that was great! Thanks !Tsavorite was different than I thought and so was my green garnets name demantoid.

Ohh they have a red beryl!! Great gems but I can''t buy from another country to scary.

HI:

You''re welcome! For beautiful and unusual stones I drool on AC Stones website. And kick myself for not buying the red beryl Barbara had listed there....

cheers--Sharon

 

[Harriet]

Sharon, imagine a velvety red emerald. Mmm.