Silly question!

[HavocBride]

Because we have so many diamond-savvy people on here...

How do sales associates respond to you when you''re looking for a stone? Is your knowledge met with relief or disdain?

I would clearly in no way consider myelf an expert (like the many wonderful people here are!) but as I''m researching these boards and everything I can find, I do have to wonder how it will be received.

All of this information is giving me a better idea of what I want and how to look for it (I am pretty sure I want an IdealScope!) but is this going to make me look picky and high-maintenance? I know when we were looking for a photographer, many of them were frustrated because of my FH''s extensive knowledge of the subject... like they didn''t like being prodded so deeply by someone that knew that much!

So how is your knowledge received? Do you think knowing makes shopping easier or harder for you?

 

[waterlilly]

I think the more knowledgeable you become, the less likely you are to shop at a place that would have sales associates that might become annoyed, know what I mean? If I''m going to make a big purchase where I''m going to be expecting knowledgeable people to not sell me crap (especially if I were buying a new stone) - I''d go with a vendor well known from here.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Totally depends upon which store. I go into ben bridge to get my ring cleaned and the gal I always talk to one day informed me that I could go lower in color as long as my diamond was well cut

(Yah, bravo to that store) Another time, a guy at a really low end jewelry store told me my diamond was one of the best he's seen.

The rest of the time, to tell you the truth, I do not bother even sharing my diamond knowledge (why go in and try and belittle a sales associate?). I just go along with what they are saying and then leave without bothering to demonstrate my knowledge. One experience was at a local lower end and the gal there said they were having a diamond show. I asked would the diamonds there be well-cut and higher quality and she said yes, that she had purchased her diamond at one of those shows. Well, of course, her diamond was dull and lifeless and an unflattering yellow. I just said okay and left.

When I buy locally, I bring a loop and my idealscope. Helzberg does have a room where you can look under a scope similar to the idealscope.

 

[Jim Summa]

If a jeweler has a hard time with a customer that wants to learn about stones it is a good signal to try another jeweler.
Getting an ASET viewer can show a lot also, and easy to use.

 

[IceExplorer]

Date: 1/8/2010 1:24:41 PM
Author:HavocBride
Because we have so many diamond-savvy people on here...


How do sales associates respond to you when you''re looking for a stone? Is your knowledge met with relief or disdain?


I would clearly in no way consider myelf an expert (like the many wonderful people here are!) but as I''m researching these boards and everything I can find, I do have to wonder how it will be received.


All of this information is giving me a better idea of what I want and how to look for it (I am pretty sure I want an IdealScope!) but is this going to make me look picky and high-maintenance? I know when we were looking for a photographer, many of them were frustrated because of my FH''s extensive knowledge of the subject... like they didn''t like being prodded so deeply by someone that knew that much!


So how is your knowledge received? Do you think knowing makes shopping easier or harder for you?

This isn''t a silly question at all.

I''m not an expert or even close. I would consider myself well informed and capable of arming myself with further research (THANK YOU PRICESCOPE!).

After spending many hours reading and researching Pricescope I realized that the theoretical knowledge needed to be complimented with some experience in ''the field''. I''ve stopped at numerous B&Ms. I''ve reviewed diamonds many different types of stores, High end, low end and mall stores. This is what I''ve experienced:

-If I walk in ''talking the talk'' I am typically met with defensiveness. When I the Sales person finds out that I''ve researched the internet the immediately discredit the internet. They typically stop offering information

-If I walk in and state the specifications that I''m looking for they are helpful but inevitably ask for a budget. When I tell them between 8-10K give or take, they tell me that is virtually impossible (F-G // VS1-SI1 // 1.15-1.3). For the most part they aren''t as helpful after that.

-If I walk in and play: I''m just starting to look for diamonds and I need someone to walk me through the process... ALL THE STOPS COME OUT. I''ve heard some doozies! But this has been the best way for me to get a jeweller to show me many stones for comparison.

I have every intentions of purchasing from a PS vendor but it''s cheaper for me to look at stones at B&M''s than to have them shipped here to look at.
I have noticed, most B&M''s only carry a few high quality stones. There rest are very mediocre in comparison to what you see on pricescope.

I hope this helps

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I have noticed, most B&M's only carry a few high quality stones. There rest are very mediocre in comparison to what you see on pricescope.

I've found B&Ms with high quality stones. The primary reason I buy online is because the prices are much lower. I found an AGS000 E VS2 that was about $500 more than what I ended up paying for my stone (which I purchased from WF). That same store is highly knowledgable re: cut being highest of priorities and they said they'd help me find diamonds with the exact specs I wanted. But, as I stated, the prices were higher and WA state tax is 9%+.

Oh, and that was a mall store. There is another in that same mall with staff that is savvy.

If a person has the time and patience, educated staff B&M store can be found.

 

[D2B]

Pretty much the same as ice explorere.

I am no where near an expert, but if I start reeling off to many specs at the start to narrow my search, it usually ends with less to look at, than if I let them do their spiel and then nudge them in the direction. Straight out to the point talking doesnt seem to work in most chains. With the individual high end ones, (family business etc) it varies from aloofness ( as in how dare I attempt to unravel the mysteries of damonds) to geniune delight. I remember one high end small store I walked in in Australia which had a three stone cushion ring, when I asked if they were cushions, he was so pleased and excited, as they were the only 3 stone cushion ring in the city to his knowledge (cushions are not seen a lot in australia) and was thrilled somone had recongnised them, we had a good friendly talk even though I wasnt in the market for a cushion.

 

[clgwli]

I equate jewelry shopping to car buying for me. The good places are not intimidated at all by knowledge. In fact they have treated me with respect and earned mine in turn. If they are not so good places they kind of go "Oh you don''t need that" and try to push me in something I am definitely not interested in.

We have some fabulous family owned stores locally and I have a few I go to for various reasons. The average chain stores fail to impress me to the point where I do not step foot in a few different ones.

 

[Prana]

Depends on the store!

Chain stores hate knowledge. Most of the sales associates at these mall type stores have no clue what they are talking about. They actually get quite snotty (across the board, in my experience) at questions that they don''t know how to answer, and the chance that you have more knowledge than them.

The independent jeweler that I go to sat with me while redesigning my ering setting, and talked to me for an hour about diamond cuts and wanting to create his own forum-type of website for his store, his preference of diamond shape etc. It was a great experience to be able to blab in person with someone who cares just as much as me!

 

[yssie]

It really depends on the store.


I went to Smyth in Baltimore to try on eternities and they were very helpful, and at least my SA definitely knew what he was talking about and was happy to chat.
I went to Kay at the mall to try on a wider w-band and asked about their wg alloys and the person helping me became very defensive and rather rude, and I was really surprised.

I''ve gone a few times to the local Tiffany and they''ve always been happy to accomodate. The local Cartier, on the other hand... some of their employees belong in the dictionary under "snooty", and they''re very condescending when I ask for something specific.

I went to a little family-owned business near my ILs'' house just to peek around and kill some time. I wound up spending two hours there looking at the owner''s coloured diamond collection

 

[Dreamer_D]

If they don''t like working with a know-it-all they are not the vendor for me

 

[IceExplorer]

The other thing I''ve notices is EVERY STORE I''ve been to considered the EGL, AGS, or GIA certificate (in no specific order) "THE" only proof a consumer should need that the diamond is credible. They hold it back and talk of it like legend while they pass you the loop to examine the stone.

When I ask if they can offer idealscope, gemex or ASET - most say they can''t.
Several have told me: those are all ''selling tools'' that don''t prove anything. All you need to do is make sure it''s certified then speak of the cert they have to offer.

 

[mani5ha]

Since i''ve discovered Pricescop I havent been to any B&M stores.

I''m in the UK and the price of diamonds is ridiculous, and the quality is low.

The average person in the UK doesn''t have any knowledge at all about diamonds, therefore the SA can easily rip them off and talk them into buying things, (some British people are also too polite and are persuaded too easily (including me - nearly!). I haven''t gone into a store since I upgraded my diamond knowledge, but I bet I know what they''d say:

- The pictures etc are all "selling tools"
- US diamonds are not as good blah blah - "they may be cheaper, but ask yourself why they''re cheaper"
- I think they''d be really PO''ed that they wouldnt be able to rip you off

I emailed one London based jeweller and asked them about a stone, I said I would want to see the certificate and would they be able to provide images such as the ones that some of the PS vendors provide. They ignored my question and said "We will show you the stones so you can pick one"

In some places in London, i''ve been quoted double the price of the stones online and I guarantee they weren''t cut well. They''re excuse was "We can''t compete with online vendors, we have overheads" - What, £2000 per diamond? I don''t think so!

Urgh. For them reasons alone I am so put off shopping in the UK. They totally take advantage of the fact that people are not diamond savvy here.

Rant over! Oops!

Manisha

 

[marcy]

If I am just browsing I just ask to look at things I am interested in. Many of the mall stores have some people who don''t know much, some of them know quite a bit. When I look for diamonds or loose gems I ask for a specific size range and give them my desired specs always starting with well cut. Depending on what they bring out will tell me if they know what I mean. If they bring me something I don''t like and I tell them it has too large a window, it''s too shallow, etc. and they don''t seem to agree or offer to see if they have something better then I will thank them and give someone else my business. I find sales associates who have a true love and knowledge of gems and diamonds really fun to talk to about one of my favorite subjects.

 

[vespergirl]

Defensiveness, because within a few seconds they realize that I am way more knowledgable than they are. I only wish that I had been educated before we went shopping for my first ering - we would have ended up with a different stone & jeweler than we did.