Jewelry Buying - Who should I trust?

Buying jewelry should be enjoyed, not endured. But the task can be daunting. The plethora of data—and determining its validity— adds stress to the mix.

I am writing this blog post to help you cut narrow the process down to two simple factors: Trust and Fairness. 

When buying a mounting or a piece of jewelry with no gems involved, the decision is quite easy…do you Love It.  Although that same principle can be applied to purchasing a gem, the fear of being sold something that is not worth its proclaimed value plays a huge factor.  That’s where the Trust and Fairness part kick in.

Most people who sell jewelry claim to have the best thing for you.  They will tell you it will satisfy all of your needs and even if you can’t afford it, they will find a way to help you finance it.  And even more so, if you don’t like it for any reason, simply return it.  Personally, I don’t want to return it, I want to own it…without doubts or regrets!!!  In many cases, you may get lucky and it was perfect, but all too often that is simply not the case.  You were sold, and shame on them. 

To avoid this approach and find a legitimate advocate—a reputable jeweler— is the toughest part of the process.  You are spending your hard earned money.  When choosing a jeweler, you need to trust your gut. If that isn’t sufficient, get referrals.   Once you feel comfortable dealing with an individual, ask the tough question: Why should I buy my jewelry from you?  If the response has the words price, deal or discount in it…then the salesperson will probably just be price shopping for you and not looking for value.  This person therefore would not be and advocate, but just a salesperson and you might think about finding another option. Be careful not to misinterpret low cost, for value.  However, if the person seems genuinely interested in your needs, desires and concerns then maybe you are in the right place.  But how do you really know?  What if this person is just a great salesperson and has been trained to ‘act’ interested?  How do I remove the doubt of being ‘sold’?

I suggest at some point, you initiate a conversation about a different subject other than jewelry.  Talk about a subject you are familiar with and see if your BS meter goes off.  If a person is going to try to BS you in one area, chances are they will do it even more in the area you lack expertise…jewelry.  For me that is a red flag and it might be time to move on.

Conversely, if you felt like the discussion was honest and authentic…maybe you found your advocate and can begin building a hardier relationship.  If this is the case, honesty should now trump all doubt and fears. You can be much more comfortable moving forward with your purchase, or at least a more serious and personal jewelry discussion.

Next is the easy and most pleasurable part. Finding the right item and discussing openly your financial comfort zone will send this journey down the right path.  All salespeople know there is no such thing as a budget or bottom line, so my suggestion is to deal only in the top end of your comfort zone.  Telling someone you are looking in the three to five thousand dollar range is the wrong approach.  When buying gems from an honest advocate, the more you spend the superior the item.  Saying something like, “I am comfortable spending five thousand dollars but would go to six thousand dollars if you really felt it would knock my socks off,” is the best and most honest statement.   That being said, if your advocate now shows you items starting at six thousand and up…shame on them for taking advantage of your honesty by trying to push the number even higher.  Please judge for yourself if you think this ploy is happening or were they just trying to show off something extra special that you might not have had a chance to see.  If you feel that you can still trust your advocate, fairness will now play a factor.  If this person is an expert in jewelry, you have a very good chance of securing just what you need at a very fair value.  Please remember one key factor: If this person is truly on your side and you are using their knowledge, their sources and their eyes to help you…PLEASE ALLOW THEM TO MAKE A FAIR PROFIT!!!

If you now try to hammer the salesperson over the price, you are placing the salesperson in a very uncomfortable position.  They want to satisfy you, but at the same time make a living.  For example, if you have been working with someone for several hours, days or even weeks and are deciding about purchasing a diamond ring for let’s say five thousand dollars, there is for sure several hundred dollars of profit in the deal.  If you like the item and trust the person, do not ask them if they can do better on the price.  They will most likely give it to you just to ‘save the sale’, but I do not feel it is the right thing to do.  Just as I do not feel they should mark-up an item excessively, just to hit your high end number.  If you suspect this type of game playing…run!  

Just imagine you boss or partner saying to you that you did a really good job this week, but would you mind taking just a little cut in pay, just to sweeten your employment outlook and to make them happy.  That’s just wrong…really wrong. 

The last part to recognize is the fairness quotient.  How do you know the price is fair?  Must I simply have blind faith? 

The answer is a bit complicated.  When you are first dealing with a salesperson, having your guard up is not such a bad idea.  Then again, being too challenging might make the salesperson feel like you are questioning his or her integrity. If the salesperson is competent, he or she has done the homework and found you just what you wanted at a fair price.  If you need to shop a bit to feel more secure before you purchase, do so.  You never want to complete a purchase with regrets, only later to return or exchange it because you were uncomfortable with its value. 

While the internet is an easy resource for pricing products, jewelry is a tough one in this arena…especially diamonds and colored gems.  No two diamonds are alike, so comparison shopping can only get you in the ballpark. It should never be used as a concrete bargaining chip.  In the end, if you feel that your diamond choice was within the parameters of the other sources you checked out, then your advocate did you right.  If you ever have concerns or questions about the price, ask!  If you feel that the person has gone into salesman mode by discrediting your comparison, then again it might be time to bolt.  However, your salesperson should give you all the information to properly evaluate the differences (some might be quite technical) so that the two of you can conclude which path to take.

Once you feel comfortable with your decision and have developed a trusting relationship with your advocate, this type of comparison shopping will no longer feel necessary.  As a matter of fact, you will feel so secure in your relationship, that buying elsewhere will feel awkward and maybe even a bit scary.  At this point you will have become a coveted and trusted referral.  Enjoy the journey!  

Mark Silverstein

Follow my blog for future topics including:

• Discounters…Who are they fooling?
• Buying sparkle- What is a diamond really about?
• Shopping together - Avoiding disaster
• On-Line retailers - Be Wise or Beware!
  
• 3 Months Salary - Really?
  
• TMI – Shut up already!!!
• The Bitterness of Poor Quality
  
• The worst customer ever!
• The worst jeweler ever!
• Diamond Switching - Myth or Reality
  
• Music Friday

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Today Is February 29th, Ladies; It’s Your Day to Pop the Question!

Ladies, for hundreds of years there’s been a tiny window of matrimonial opportunity when all engagement traditions were turned upside down. For on February 29th, Leap Day, it’s been perfectly acceptable for a woman to pop the question to her significant other. And here’s the good part: He was obligated to say, “yes,” lest he be required to pay severe restitution – a silk gown or a dozen pairs of silk gloves.

Of course, this is not the United Kingdom at the turn of the 20th century, and proposing on Leap Day is no longer a gasp-inducing notion. Women today are free to express their marital intentions any day of the year. In Hollywood, you could look to Monica proposing to Chandler in “Friends” or Miranda proposing to Steve in “Sex in the City.” In real life, Britney Spears and Halle Berry famously proposed to their beaus.

With that said, wouldn’t it be neat, ladies, to go retro on February 29th – as Amy Adams did in her 2010 movie, “Leap Year” – and revisit this tradition of yesteryear? You can even take it to the next level by actually getting down on one knee and presenting your guy with a man-gagement ring. (A new survey conducted by TheKnot.com and Men’s Health magazine reported a new trend: That at least 17% of U.S. men would wear one). We have some great styles from which to choose.

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Two of Four Remaining Pairs of Iconic Ruby Slippers Are in the News

Who could have predicted that two of the four remaining pairs of iconic ruby slippers from the 1939 film, “The Wizard of Oz,” would be making headlines in the same week 73 years later. One pair will be heading west to the future site of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, and the other has been removed from its long-running display at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, for a well-deserved five-week makeover before returning in early April.

Fans of Hollywood trivia may remember that one pair of ruby slippers – said to be the most valuable of the four because the pair was used for close-up shots – went on the auction block in December but remained unsold because the starting bid of $2 million was not achieved.

Now we’ve learned that actor Leonardo DiCaprio has led a group of “angel donors” to purchase the very same pair for the future Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Last November, DeCaprio co-chaired an inaugural fundraiser for the future movie museum, raising about $3 million from attendees such as Clint Eastwood, Kate Hudson, Ron Howard, Olivia Wilde, Jane Fonda and Harvey Weinstein.

It was not revealed how much they paid for what has been called “The Holy Grail” of Hollywood memorabilia.

On the East Coast, another pair of official ruby slippers that had been a favorite attraction at the Smithsonian since 1979 were removed last week from their display to be conserved. They will be returned to public view on April 5 in a new exhibit called “American Stories” at the National Museum of American History.

Dorothy’s ruby slippers are said to be one of the most asked-about artifacts in the whole Smithsonian. The Smithsonian received its pair of slippers, worn by Garland in dance scenes, from an anonymous donor in 1979.

While the shoes are gone, the yellow brick road of “Oz” exhibit will be represented by the hat and boots from the Scarecrow costume worn by Ray Bolger.

In the classic film, Dorothy earned the shoes when her house landed on the Wicked Witch of the East. (They’re believed to be the same pair seen on the witch’s feet sticking out from under Dorothy’s house.)

In L. Frank Baum’s novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Dorothy wore silver shoes. In the movie version, the filmmakers changed them to ruby because the film was to be shot in Technicolor.

The shoes proved to be a big challenge for costume designers because the red bugle beads used to simulate rubies were heavy. They decided to replace the beads with sequins – 2,300 for each shoe. The Art Deco-inspired bows on the front of each shoe were comprised of large rectangular red glass jewels and dark-red bugle beads, outlined in red glass rhinestones in silver settings.

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Hollywood Elite Attend the Oscars in Scintillating Platinum and Gemstones

It was Hollywood’s most important night of the year, and glamorous stars from Natalie Portman and Cameron Diaz to Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lopez looked dazzling in platinum and precious stones as they made their way down the red carpet to attend this year’s Academy Awards, which bestowed the Best Picture Oscar to “The Artist.”

Other big winners last night were Meryl Streep, who won the Best Actress Oscar for her role as “The Iron Lady,” and Best Actor Jean Dujardin for his role in “The Artist.” Winning Best Supporting Actor was 82-year-old Christopher Plummer in “Beginners,” and taking the Best Supporting Actress Oscar was Octavia Spencer in “The Help.”

According to Platinum Guild International, the following is a list of stars who celebrated last night’s achievements wearing platinum jewelry:

Best Supporting Actress Octavia Spencer. Platinum-and-diamond briolette chandelier earrings (20 carats). Platinum and diamond cocktail ring. All by Neil Lane.

Jennifer Lopez. Platinum-and-diamond drop earrings. Platinum and diamond rings. All by Lorraine Schwartz.

Angelina Jolie. Platinum and cushion-cut diamond drop earrings (20 carats). Platinum and cushion-cut diamond ring (15 carats). Pair of platinum and diamond pins worn on the back of her waist (25 carats). All by Neil Lane.

Cameron Diaz. Platinum and emerald-cut diamond necklace. Platinum and bezel-set diamond stud earrings. Platinum and round diamond dome ring. All by Tiffany & Co.

Penelope Cruz. Platinum and pear-shape diamond necklace (56 carats). Platinum and diamond cluster earrings (15 carats). Fancy-shape diamond line bracelet (43 carats). All by Chopard.

Natalie Portman. Platinum and diamond V-shaped cluster necklace. Platinum and oval diamond drop earrings (5.76 carats each). Both by Harry Winston.

Tina Fey. Platinum earrings with 16 oval-cut blue sapphires (47.36 carats) and 16 mixed-shape emeralds (2.94 carats). Platinum ring with sapphires (15.10 carats), emeralds (3.60 carats) and baguette diamonds (0.66 carats). All by Bulgari.

Kristen Wiig. Three platinum and diamond bracelets. Platinum ring with diamonds, emerald and ruby. Both by Neil Lane.

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Adele Is Having a Fantasy Month of Music Awards, Platinum Sales and Engagement Buzz

Hot on the heels of her six Grammy awards and two Brit Awards, the 23-year-old Adele made music history yesterday by being the first artist ever to go double platinum (2 million downloads) on Apple’s iTunes Store in the U.S., according to The Loop.

What’s more, the soulful singing phenomenon has been the focus of engagement rumors, as she was recently photographed wearing what seemed to be a large yellow diamond on her ring finger. Adele put the rumors to rest yesterday, telling The Mirror that the ring was simply a fashion accessory and joking that she wanted boyfriend Simon Konecki to buy her an engagement ring so big “you can see it from space.”

Colombia Records also announced this week that Adele’s album, 21, has been No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart for 21 weeks, making it the longest running No. 1 album by a woman in Billboard history. The record had been held since 1992 by the late Whitney Houston’s soundtrack album, The Bodyguard.

In honor of Adele’s sweep of six major Grammy categories, including “Record of the Year,” “Album of the Year” and “Best Performance,” we present her rousing rendition of the 2012 Grammy “Song of the Year.”

Performing live on the Late Show With David Letterman from this past Tuesday, here’s Adele singing “Rolling in the Deep.”

“Rolling In The Deep”

There’s a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch, it’s bringing me out the dark
Finally I can see you crystal clear
Go ‘head and sell me out and I’ll lay your ship [shit] bare
See how I leave with every piece of you
Don’t underestimate the things that I will do

There’s a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch
And it’s bringing me out the dark

The scars of your love remind me of us
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless
I can’t help feeling
We could have had it all
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it, to the beat
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

Baby, I have no story to be told
But I’ve heard one on you
And I’m gonna make your head burn
Think of me in the depths of your despair
Make a home down there
As mine sure won’t be shared

(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
The scars of your love remind me of us
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
I can’t help feeling
We could have had it all
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside your hand
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it, to the beat
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
Could have had it all
Rolling in the deep
You had my heart inside of your hand
But you played it, with a beating

Throw your soul through every open door
Count your blessings to find what you look for
Turn my sorrow into treasured gold
You’ll pay me back in kind and reap just what you’ve sown

(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
We could have had it all
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
We could have had it all
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
It all, it all, it all
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

We could have had it all
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it to the beat
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

We could have had it all
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)

But you played it
You played it
You played it
You played it to the beat.

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Australian Mine Yields Extremely Rare 12.76-Carat Pink Diamond

Said to be a gemstone that comes along only once in a generation, a 12.76-carat pink diamond – now called the Argyle Pink Jubilee – was unearthed in the famous Argyle Mine located in the far northeast area of Western Australia.

Mining group Rio Tinto is entrusting diamond polisher Richard How Kim Kam with the task of transforming the rough stone into a faceted masterpiece, according to Reuters. Kam has studied the diamond for two months and has started the 10-day process of cutting and polishing the rare gem. Reported to be the largest uncut pink diamond ever discovered in Australia, the stone may lose half its weight during the cutting process.

“I’m going to take it very carefully,” Kam told Reuters. “I know the world will be watching.” Putting the rarity of the diamond into historical perspective, Argyle Pink Diamonds Manager Josephine Johnson said: “A diamond of this caliber is unprecedented. It has taken 26 years of Argyle production to unearth this stone and we may never see one like this again.” The Argyle mine is responsible for more than 90 percent of the world’s supply of pink diamonds.

Though representatives of Rio Tinto would not speculate on how much the Jubilee was worth, high-quality pink diamonds can fetch in excess of $1 million per carat. Depending on the final weight of the polished diamond, the Jubilee could sell for as much as $10 million.

The Jubilee, which has a pale pink color, is reminiscent of The Williamson Pink, a flawless 54-carat uncut diamond that was received as a wedding gift by Britain’s Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1947. It was later faceted and set into the center of a flower brooch for Elizabeth’s Coronation in 1952. The Williamson was discovered in Tanzania and is ranked among the finest pink diamonds in existence.

The Jubilee was named in honor of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, as she celebrates 60 years since her accession to the British throne.

Here’s a little trivia: The Williamson Pink (worn by the Queen in the photo above) is said to be the inspiration for the Pink Panther diamond featured in the 1963 film of the same name.

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Will the Public Go Gaga Over Face Jewelry?

Here’s a startling look that emerged from the runways of London Fashion Week on Monday… Israeli designer Inbar Spector, who is known for her adventurous, cutting-edge creations, adorned her models in glittering face jewelry by Lara Jensen. Reminiscent of the outrageous looks of pop star Lady Gaga, the over-the-top jewelry accessories led editor Rina Raphael of Today.com to ask her readers, “Are these jeweled headpieces wonderfully creative or totally Gaga?”

Certainly Spector was adding a theatrical element to her show when she decided to focus the critics’ and buyers’ attention on the mask-like jewelry adornments. It was a calculated decision to generate a buzz. Unfortunately, the attention turned away from her whimsical dresses and centered squarely on the models’ faces.

As for Lady Gaga, few would dispute the fact that she is the most theatrical music sensation since Madonna. Always pushing the boundaries of fashion and style, Gaga graced the cover of V magazine’s Summer 2011 issue, decked out in glittering and colorful face baubles. Here’s a look at two alternate covers of the publication…

At an amfAR benefit gala in February of 2010, Gaga sported a pearl-studded bikini, pearl-studded jacket, pearl-studded cap and, yes, a pearl-adorned face with strands of pearls dangling from her hair.

But is all this so outrageous? We think not. Our friends in India are probably reacting to these Western attempts to be avant-garde with a pronounced yawn. Face jewelry has been part of their culture for generations. It is not unusual for a traditional Indian bride to wear face jewelry as a sign of wealth and distinction. It’s the same concept and they execute it with style and class.

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Minnesota Gal Reels In Proposal of a Lifetime From Frozen Otter Tail Lake

Give this guy an A++ for creativity! In what has to be one of the most elaborate engagement proposals ever staged, Blake Buck and co-conspirator Mike Metzger devised a plan in which Buck’s girlfriend, Kellie O’Leary, would reel in a fish - with an engagement ring attached - from the icy waters of Otter Tail Lake in Minnesota.

According to the Fergus Falls Journal, Buck and Metzger set up two ice houses on the lake. Buck took his girlfriend to fish in one, while Metzger, with scuba gear on, sat in the other.

Buck told O’Leary that he wanted to see if fish were biting for other anglers, but he really went into the other house to tell Metzger he was ready to pop the question. With O’Leary’s lure already in the water, the diver entered the lake, swam about 70 feet to O’Leary’s fishing hole, attached a rubber fish to Kellie’s lure and gave it a tug as if she had a bite.

“I tried to convince Blake to use a dime store ring,” Metzger told the Fergus Falls Journal. “But he wanted the real thing.”

As O’Leary was pulling the fish up, Buck was fearful she might hook his friend, so he told her to take it really slow. When she got her rubbery trophy to the surface, it was like nothing she’d seen before.

“It was a huge black and yellow fish,” O’Leary said. “It was kind of scary looking. But then I saw my ring on it.”

“He asked me to marry him and I said ‘yes’ three times, but I really just wanted to know how he did that,” she said. “I was really excited.”

The Fergus Falls Journal reported that O’Leary called her parents right away and told her mom, “I caught a fiancé.”

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Teen Pop Star Justin Bieber Melts Hearts With Diamond Valentine Gift for Selena Gomez

All that talent, good looks and romantic, too. Is there anything this young man can’t do? Teen power couple Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez lit up the blogosphere yesterday when the 19-year-old singer and actress posted her Valentine gift from Bieber – a diamond ring in the shape of a “J” – on the photo-sharing site, Instagram. 

The photo shows a closeup of Gomez’s hand being caressed by a larger hand (presumably Bieber’s). To the right of the photo is a simple caption that reads: “I’m finally home :),” referring to the end of her world tour, which concluded in Montevideo, Uruguay, a few days ago. Under her comment is a stream of messages from adoring fans, cooing about how romantic Bieber is and how lucky Gomez is to have landed such a prize boyfriend. Gomez has more than 714,000 followers on Instagram.

Celebrity bloggers and entertainment sites speculated whether the ring represented a Valentine’s Day gift or something much more, such as a promise ring. The ring was photographed on the ring finger of her right hand.

Fans of Bieber and Gomez are flush with speculation that the power couple will get engaged when Bieber turns 18 next month. Although the “J” ring would be inappropriate as a engagement ring choice, according to MailOnline it could be a promise ring since there is a tradition for teenagers to don each other’s initials as a precursor to an engagement. Other bloggers presumed that the Valentine gift was, in fact, a friendship ring.

The couple has been together since early 2011, when Bieber escorted Gomez to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party and confirmed several months of media speculation about a romantic relationship between the pair. In June 2011, pop sensation Bieber was ranked number 2 on the Forbes list of Best-Paid Celebrities under 30.

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