4 replies to this topic

[momof3]

Yesterday I decided to go to a Jared's to see what they have. Alot of my daughter's friends have purchased stones there. They have a few top of the line Leo, peerless , hearts on fire but maybe 2 stones in each of those groups to look at in under 1 carat. They have a plethora of in house diamonds .33-2 carat. Most are "good-very good cut" , alot good polish/symmetry, mostly IGI. I asked a few questions about the 2 carats and had two sales people all over me. What bothered me most is the deception that I know others that don't know about these online help sites will fall for. They told me cut wasn't that important if it has sparkle and that a good cut means it is good..simple as that and that the human eye could never tell the difference between a good cut vs and excellent cut. Saw two obvious fish eyes. Some they showed me were GIA graded triple vg or g. Many just didn't look great. Proceeded to a Kay's in a local mall. Some looked like cloudy crushed ice and got the same spill about it being top notch, don't throow money away on an excellent when very good is best for the eye and pocket book. A couple of times I even said I want you to show me the best stones you have. They would bring out some GIA triple ex but seemed to steer me away to lesser damonds. I don't get it. These two stores advertise heavily and should have qualified people. BTW no one knew what the heck I was talking about when I said Holloway cut advisor. I guess these stores thrive due to the fact they make a killing on inferior stones. Just bothers me! Ok off my rant!

I should add as i was leaving jared offered an online search which i declined.

Edited by momof3, 15 November 2011 - 06:44 AM.

[davidelevi]

momof3, on 15 November 2011 - 06:41 AM, said:

[snip] A couple of times I even said I want you to show me the best stones you have. They would bring out some GIA triple ex but seemed to steer me away to lesser diamonds. I don't get it. [snip]

Margin is higher, particularly considering that the store can hide a lot of sins behind their "internal" description/grading. A GIA report constrains the seller significantly: first of all, the store's purchase price is far less negotiable, and secondly the consumer has many truly comparable competitive quotes available.

[denverappraiser]

FWIW, the two stores you chose as representitives of the entire storefront jewelry industry are owned by the same Megacorp , Sterling Jewelers out of the UK.

momof3, on 15 November 2011 - 06:41 AM, said:

These two stores advertise heavily....

This is part of the problem. You may find a more satisfactory experience with the smaller operations that concentrate their energies and money on product and customer support rather than advertising.

momof3, on 15 November 2011 - 06:41 AM, said:

BTW no one knew what the heck I was talking about when I said Holloway cut advisor.

The HCA is a very specialized thing that exists primarily at one website (not this one) and a small chain of stores in Australia. I'm not at all surprised that the sales staff at the mall has never heard of it. I have my issues with the Sterling stores and their approach to things but this one isn't something I would hold against them.

Edited by denverappraiser, 15 November 2011 - 08:59 AM.

[momof3]

Thanks for the replies. I had no idea Jared & Kay's were under the same corp. A few years ago I was at the international furniture market here in NC and Jane Seymore (open heart diamonds) was there promoting her furniture line and her upcoming jewelery line. She is from the UK originally. She spoke as though Kay's sold the crown jewels. Oh well...next!

[davidelevi]

Next sells clothes...