Tiffany experience= Give me a break

[junebug17]

Date: 12/14/2009 10:21:14 AM
Author: Laila619
arobert22, I too find it interesting that people mercilessly pick apart 'maul' (

) stores and make fun of the merchandise and sales associates, but now everyone is up in arms about this Tiffany post. Hmm.

The only stories I have read about maul stores involve salespeople who are not properly trained. This woman sounds like she was knowledgeable and presented all the information accurately. My problem with the OP is that he intentionally entered a store with the intent to lead someone on, and then laugh and brag about it. My comments are directed at the OP's behavior, not the salesperson's. I don't see anything wrong in her actions. Sounds to me like she was doing her job. OP's intent was to make himself feel good about his ACA purchase and then gloat about it. I would have the same opinion if this was done in a Zale's or Kay's. I found OP's behavior to be rude and mean-spirited, irregardless of the store.

 

[Liane]

Date: 12/14/2009 10:21:14 AM
Author: Laila619
arobert22, I too find it interesting that people mercilessly pick apart ''maul'' (

) stores and make fun of the merchandise and sales associates, but now everyone is up in arms about this Tiffany post. Hmm.

To chime in with bgray: my reaction is not based on any need to be a valiant defender of Tiffany (again: have never bought anything there, probably never will, haven''t even set foot inside a store), but because the original post just seemed to be needless, unwarranted bragging about wasting a sales associate''s time.

The SA wasn''t rude, wasn''t ignorant, and doesn''t appear to have done anything to justify the OP''s hostility or weirdly defensive attitude.

I''d have a negative reaction if someone wrote a post about going to Jared or Kay and getting an SA to spend half an hour showing him every ring in a case so that he could write a nasty post on PS mocking the quality of their merchandise and the card they give you to celebrate an engagement*, too. It''s just plain rude. And writing a smug post about that rudeness is really, really tacky.

I''m probably not going to say anything further because I feel like I''ve made my point and there''s no need to harangue the OP beyond that. In my mind, this is just a matter of manners, or lack thereof. It''s unreasonable to expect people to applaud you for not having any.


(* -- this is a made-up example, I have no idea if they give you a card or champagne or anything.)

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 12/13/2009 9:09:47 PM
Author: arobert22
No I am not scrooge just dont appreciate snobby people...and not gloating just a experience....last time i checked thats what forums were for

Arobert22,

You are probably being attacked because of the way you colored and narrated the story, but many of us have had similar experiences with snobby salespeople at Tiffany''s. Salepeople who are unable to answer your questions become more so to hide their own ignorance when they can''t answer a detailed question. I think that many of the comments you may have received reflect the fact that there are many people on here who value that blue box and have purchased from them or know others who have. If you don''t mind overpaying they do have some beautiful stuff though.

It is very simple why Tiffany''s is a strong brand, they have the marketing machine and compared to the most of the crap sold in B&M stores Tiffany''s offeres a much higher quality product and consistency. However this product and consistency is nowhere near what educated diamond shoppers can get if they understand reflector tests, other more sophisiticated tools for diamond rejection and selection, and also know where to find high quality custom hand made settings.
However there is a steep learning curve and 99% of the public have not received a PS education and still prefer to buy in a B&M simply with their eyes.

HCA is meant to be used as a rejection tool (not selection) and many diamonds near the 2 range can have little to no leakage as well and are worth checking with an Idealscope.
Also 1.2 is not necessarily better than 1.9 anything
One thing is for sure regardless of the quality of Tiffany''s which has been questioned constantly here we have several threads a week here like this and they are all similar, you pay a huge premium for the blue box full stop. Since they grade their own diamonds and are still to my knowledge using the same dated methods from many years ago you will never expect the best optical symmetry or light return like an ACA or HPD round. TIffany''s diamonds are not duds though and they do have a selection process however non transparent as it is. But their diamonds are still not cut to narrow tolerances like Ideal Rounds from PS vendors so the quality will vary.

If you like paying 2X - 3X more for the same quality (and you can''t even confirm its quality the way we do here unless you bring your own Idealscope and ASET) than thats what Tiffany''s offers and the ring will be beautiful, and ignorance is bliss. I would say its much easier to get better than a TIffany''s diamond for cheaper, however the settings are also beautiful and it takes careful attention to detail to recreate their beauty and style which is a much more difficult task than finding a better diamond.

I have personally been disgusted by TIffany''s I went there when I was shopping for pearls and I was not impressed at all, the quality of the pearls and matching was not the best I had seen by a longshot and the price was 8X more than what I ended up paying for the same or similar set of pearls I bought from PearlParadise. To each their own though but your critique of Tiffany''s is far from balanced and it is expected you will get responses from people loyal to the brand.

 

[BobR]

The OP seems to make out that the reason he went as far as he did with the salesperson was because of her attitude. I don''t buy that. His opening statements tell us that he walked in with the definite intention of timewasting and having a laugh. He then posts a ''look how clever I am'' story on a website that is not set up as a chatroom or twitter/blog site.
I''ve never been near a Tiffany store so have no brand loyalty colouring my opinion. I guess a lot of us have had bad experiences in stores ( including so called upmarket store staff apparently looking down their noses at shoppers who don''t seem to meet their required standards ( eg Julie Roberts/Pretty Woman)) and this can cause the shopper to want to teach the salesperson a lesson, but let''s not confuse the 2 different situations -
The OPs intentions, IMO, were premeditated and not a reaction to the salesperson, and furthermore show a disregard for the purpose of this website.

 

[dssxxxx]

I guess I will say that my wife loves Tiffany''s and we do own quite a bit of their merchandise.

Her bosses wife has a 4.04 round from Tiffany''s, F color and the GIA diagram has 4 slight feathers. This is from memory, we have a copy of the GIA at home, since we are in the market for a new diamond. But, one of the NYC dealers commented that he would sell the same diamond at half the price..... . We will definitely be talking to this dealer.

But, Tiffany''s has a niche and some (us included) like their product.

 

[decodelighted]

So ... getting someone to do their job is now "punking" someone? She crazily believed you might BUY something after telling her you might? WOW! How *did* you do that?

Tiffany sales associates are not independent diamond consultants. It is their JOB to SELL their **OWN** PRODUCT. How has this not crossed your mind? Do you expect Audi salesmen to tote the performance of YUGOS? Maybe you can go catch some Rolex vendors being "snobby" ... or maybe your Mercedes dealership!??!! Hilarious!
And then follow up by crashing a five star eatery wearing t-shirts & flip flops! Brilliant!

Happy (sport) hunting!

 

[Madam Bijoux]

I''m a long time Tiffany customer. The SA''S have always treated me well, and I''m very happy with everything I''ve gotten there. (They will get you a GIA certification if you want one.)

 

[stone-cold11]

Date: 12/14/2009 12:30:03 PM
Author: dssxxxx
I guess I will say that my wife loves Tiffany''s and we do own quite a bit of their merchandise.

Her bosses wife has a 4.04 round from Tiffany''s, F color and the GIA diagram has 4 slight feathers. This is from memory, we have a copy of the GIA at home, since we are in the market for a new diamond. But, one of the NYC dealers commented that he would sell the same diamond at half the price..... . We will definitely be talking to this dealer.

But, Tiffany''s has a niche and some (us included) like their product.

Tiffany only recently started grading their own diamonds, no longer sending them to GIA for grading.

 

[arobert22]

to be honest I wrote this post late last night after needing a break from studying for a final exam. As cushion lover stated many people are prob angry due to the way I discussed my experience. I added my sense of humor(which is certainly not for everyone) and I should have omitted that. Whether the lady believed me or not that does not give a salesperson the permission to be rude. As stated previously, I have worked in retail and being rude to a customer is not an option. Yes Tiffany has a great reputation and that is why they wouldn''t want a sales person representing them like that. I think this post got a little out of hand (everybody hates me haha)

 

[junebug17]

aroberto22, you certainly would have gotten more sympathy about the rudeness of the salesperson if you had left out the hostility, sarcasm and punking. You are right, I think that was what rubbed some people (myself included) the wrong way.

 

[yssie]

I agree that the story should''ve been told differently - it came out very maliciously gloating in tone, but what the OP actually did... well, I''ve visited local jewellery stores just to look at their pretties and try things on (and yes, compare my diamond to theirs!) with no intention of buying. I expect SAs to be helpful and courteous whether I''m pulling out the credit card or not, and I''ve always found them to be just that. It''s a very different experience from buying online, and "just browsing" isn''t harmful or wasting the SAs time - who''s to say I won''t find something I like, and buy it next time?

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 12/14/2009 2:07:15 PM
Author: arobert22
to be honest I wrote this post late last night after needing a break from studying for a final exam. As cushion lover stated many people are prob angry due to the way I discussed my experience. I added my sense of humor(which is certainly not for everyone) and I should have omitted that. Whether the lady believed me or not that does not give a salesperson the permission to be rude. As stated previously, I have worked in retail and being rude to a customer is not an option. Yes Tiffany has a great reputation and that is why they wouldn''t want a sales person representing them like that. I think this post got a little out of hand (everybody hates me haha)

HI:

Hates you? Come on..... Have you not had enough drama for today?

That''s my sense of humor.

MOreover, the whole end justifies the means argument is tired. Absolutely, yes, you could have presented your experience in another way. And you seem a little surprised it didn''t turn out as you expected. Live and learn.

That said, if you REALLY want help finding a great stone and ring for your GF, then please, let us help you. I promise to refrain from posting any suggestion from Tiffany. How about Harry Winston?

cheers--Sharon

 

[Laila619]

Nobody hates you! Please continue posting here, and show us the ring when you propose. Lots of pics always help.

 

[kenny]

I have no problem with what the OP did or how he posts.

Just another perspective, another personality, and did not break PS rules.

People don't have to be like me to be okay.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 12/14/2009 2:18:15 PM
Author: yssie
I agree that the story should''ve been told differently - it came out very maliciously gloating in tone, but what the OP actually did... well, I''ve visited local jewellery stores just to look at their pretties and try things on (and yes, compare my diamond to theirs!) with no intention of buying. I expect SAs to be helpful and courteous whether I''m pulling out the credit card or not, and I''ve always found them to be just that. It''s a very different experience from buying online, and ''just browsing'' isn''t harmful or wasting the SAs time - who''s to say I won''t find something I like, and buy it next time?

I agree with this. I have gone to Tiffs to try on rings a couple times because I know they have great settings and stones, and where else can I get a feel for what I like?

I was treated well both times.

 

[outatouch0]

Date: 12/13/2009 8:09:21 PM
Author:arobert22
So I ask who certifies this diamond....She says tiffany's (in a way that basically sounded like 'who else would certify them). I was like thats it? Again with a look that made me feel stupid. Ok I realize that tiffany's is a reputable company and as such I am sure you can trust them but I did not know that they certified thier diamonds and I really dont think it was a dumb question.

-Andrew

I was on the fence as to my opinion so I re-read the OP. If he really didn't know they don't use standard GIA/AGS cert's then I guess I give him a bit more of a "pass" than if he knew that going in.
As to going in the back room with the SA... 50/50 blame. Tiff has proprietary grading they are apparently not transparent about so perhaps that is what it takes to comparison shop. The flip side is, going in the back room ie, taking up SA time etc with no intention of buying. This is disingenuous but window shopping is fair play. Where is the line drawn at window shopping... I am sure opinions will vary. I am torn here because he really was interested in the comparison and Tiff hides its criteria. However, he knew going in that there was no interest even if this ring compared favorably to the ACA. So essentially the OP lied. I am not judging or trying to shame the OP - he admitted to this and if he is ok with it that is his business.

I go and look in B&M's somewhat regularly. I may do A LOT of laughing on the inside from time to time but I always treat SA's with respect and I have never outright said I was going to buy from them if they invest their time with me. Sure, I dangle the proverbial carrot but so does everyone that walks in to any store just by the nature of being there. The flip side is I am giving them a chance to win me over even if I believe the likelihood is low. However, just the other day we were in a store that actually surprised me with personable and knowledgeable interaction accompanied by prices that were not outrageous. If I come to need a B&M I will definitely go there and do business with that SA/GG.

 

[Imdanny]

Well, OP, I hope your trip to Tiffanys, and your thread here, were good experiences for you.

 

[Venice]

When I go to a high-end store like Tiffany or Cartier, I always tell the SA, "I''m just looking today. Thank you." I find that (if the store is not busy) they are always pleasant with me and will gladly spend time with me and show me some of their lovely items. I feel it best to honest from the start.

 

[junebug17]

Date: 12/14/2009 6:52:12 PM
Author: Venice
When I go to a high-end store like Tiffany or Cartier, I always tell the SA, ''I''m just looking today. Thank you.'' I find that (if the store is not busy) they are always pleasant with me and will gladly spend time with me and show me some of their lovely items. I feel it best to honest from the start.

Venice, I feel the same way. I don''t know, I guess it sounds silly to some, but I feel uncomfortable browsing in a jewelry store with absolutely no intention of buying but the salesperson thinks I might. I''d rather be upfront about it. I tend not to browse in jewelry stores because of this, I think.

 

[BAM54321]

Many are tempted to go into a few jewelry stores and play the "honesty game" after they have spent some time here and learned a trick or two. It''s refreshing to see your knowledge in action. No need to reduce it to ''punking'' however...and you kind of took it there.