I Guess Leon Didn''t Like The Ring?

[VegasAngel]

What does it matter if he likes the style?- It's a custom piece, he's not paying for it & he isnt wearing it. He really shows how much he appreciates his customers & their business.

I do think the comment is funny but something he should have kept to himself

 

[simplysplendid]

I guess so... but I think he posted it anyway because he was trying to promote the same design with tapered baguettes.. no?

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 6/6/2007 11:59:26 AM
Author: monarch64

Date: 6/6/2007 11:45:30 AM
Author: Cehrabehra

Date: 6/6/2007 10:46:03 AM
Author: monarch64

That is really sad. Our jeweler told me the same thing about channel setting rounds in a band when my DH and I went in to choose our wedding bands...but he didn''t make me feel BAD about suggesting such a thing!

It''s just a *look* - a matter of taste. Granted it is a bit early 90''s IMO (and I have an early 90''s channel set round band to prove it LOL) but that doesn''t make it ''bad'' or ''wrong'' or even ''ugly''. It''s just yet another way to set stones and some people ::gasp:: prefer it!! Good for them!! Heck, when I got here I planned to get a 3/4 carat oval set in a yellow gold band with round channel set diamonds LOL oh boy did I diverge.....

I certainly didn''t mean to imply that I thought it was bad. I was the one who suggested to our jeweler that I wanted rounds channel set in an eternity band, the jeweler then told me he didn''t think I''d be happy with that style because the spaces in between the round diamonds tended to become dirty very quickly. Guess I should''ve specified exactly what our jeweler said in my first post. I''m not agreeing or disagreeing with anyone about settings, I just meant to say that a jeweler should never make a customer feel like they made the wrong decision especially when it comes to the ''look'' of something.

No, I didn''t get that from you, just going off in my own tangent LOL Most of the rings in the ugly thread have something redeeming about them... some I even like LOL People just have different taste. I dn''t get offended so much by people saying "I think that''s ugly" as when they get snooty and say "oh well that signifies a low class ring" like they have the authority on taste in general rather than just over their own opinion.

 

[monarch64]

Gotcha, Sarah!

I completely agree with you.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 6/6/2007 12:03:00 PM
Author: decodelighted
I don''t take offense to Leon''s description at all. I think it''s a clever way of telling people what he DOESN''T want to do ... and I assume the bridge has been burned with this client anyhow - or, if it hasn''t, he doesn''t mind if it is. Also -- those who don''t share his sensibilities or appreciate his ''straightforward'' approach have even more evidence that HIS work and HIS style is not appropriate for THEIR projects. Win-Win.

BTW -- Mark Morrel has quite a lengthy rant on his site about ''wannabe designers'' and why he won''t work with them. People could easily take offense to that as well ... but I see it as effectively weeding out the projects THEY DON''T WANT ANYWAY. As every artist has a right to do. (If they wanna stay sane!)

Gotta say, most of the time I agree with you Deco, but not on this one.

There is a way of setting parameters for working conditions without being flat-out rude.....and this wasn''t it.

Mark''s ''rant'' is general....it says "this isn''t the way I like to work, and so I won''t be a good choice for ANYONE who likes to work that way. That''s general. It''s not "oh, here''s a piece of crap I made for someone who obviously doesn''t know what constitutes fine jewelry." It''s not the same as knocking a person''s choice (likely sentimental) to use yellow stones.

And honestly......? If he really has a strong feeling about not accepting a certain kind of work, he can back that up by.......wait for it......not doing it in the first place. Would have been a much classier and more defensible move than doing it and then bitching about it and knocking someone else''s obviously personal choice so publicly. Totally unprofessional, and indefensible behavior.

There is an enormous difference between being direct (especially in the abstract or hypothetical, as in Mark''s case) and being rude/offensive. Part of being a "professional" is knowing how to POLITELY say "I don''t think I''m the right person for your project."

If I don''t like peanut butter cookies, and you''ve baked some and offer one to me, would it be okay for me to take it and spike it on the ground and loudly complain about how I don''t like peanut butter OR cheaply made cookies? No. The polite thing is to just say "no, thank you, but thanks for offering." Common decency.

 

[yellowsparkles]

Date: 6/6/2007 2:44:06 PM
Author: aljdewey

Date: 6/6/2007 12:03:00 PM
Author: decodelighted
I don''t take offense to Leon''s description at all. I think it''s a clever way of telling people what he DOESN''T want to do ... and I assume the bridge has been burned with this client anyhow - or, if it hasn''t, he doesn''t mind if it is. Also -- those who don''t share his sensibilities or appreciate his ''straightforward'' approach have even more evidence that HIS work and HIS style is not appropriate for THEIR projects. Win-Win.

BTW -- Mark Morrel has quite a lengthy rant on his site about ''wannabe designers'' and why he won''t work with them. People could easily take offense to that as well ... but I see it as effectively weeding out the projects THEY DON''T WANT ANYWAY. As every artist has a right to do. (If they wanna stay sane!)

Gotta say, most of the time I agree with you Deco, but not on this one.

There is a way of setting parameters for working conditions without being flat-out rude.....and this wasn''t it.

Mark''s ''rant'' is general....it says ''this isn''t the way I like to work, and so I won''t be a good choice for ANYONE who likes to work that way. That''s general. It''s not ''oh, here''s a piece of crap I made for someone who obviously doesn''t know what constitutes fine jewelry.'' It''s not the same as knocking a person''s choice (likely sentimental) to use yellow stones.

And honestly......? If he really has a strong feeling about not accepting a certain kind of work, he can back that up by.......wait for it......not doing it in the first place. Would have been a much classier and more defensible move than doing it and then bitching about it and knocking someone else''s obviously personal choice so publicly. Totally unprofessional, and indefensible behavior.

There is an enormous difference between being direct (especially in the abstract or hypothetical, as in Mark''s case) and being rude/offensive. Part of being a ''professional'' is knowing how to POLITELY say ''I don''t think I''m the right person for your project.''

If I don''t like peanut butter cookies, and you''ve baked some and offer one to me, would it be okay for me to take it and spike it on the ground and loudly complain about how I don''t like peanut butter OR cheaply made cookies? No. The polite thing is to just say ''no, thank you, but thanks for offering.'' Common decency.

Why even post a picture of the ring? Even if he doesn''t like it but still makes it ..... he doesn''t even have to include it in his online catalogue. No one would even know......

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 6/6/2007 2:44:06 PM
Author: aljdewey

Date: 6/6/2007 12:03:00 PM
Author: decodelighted
I don''t take offense to Leon''s description at all. I think it''s a clever way of telling people what he DOESN''T want to do ...

Gotta say, most of the time I agree with you Deco, but not on this one.

I don''t really expect anyone to agree with me. I see why OTHER people are offended, but it doesn''t personally offend me.

I hate b.s. ... if a guy is a jerk & rude & superior etc -- I''d prefer to KNOW IT. If I like his WORK, his attitude doesn''t concern me because I''m not easily offended. I''d hire him now ... I''d hire him after he called my project "dreck" on his little website. It''s the *finished project* that I''ll be wearing, not the experience.

My further take: the majority of fine artists are not nice people. Some are just better at pretending than others.

 

[Kaleigh]

Ya know when I saw the title of this thread, before I opened it I was praying please don't let this be my ring!!! He shouldn't have posted the ring for his online catalog, not sure what his motive was in doing so. Just plain rude IMHO. And I usually stick up for him as I have had pleasant experiences with him.
BUT, I have to say I am really turned off by this. He just lost me as a repeat customer. SBT, sad but true.
Life is too short to deal with this sort of crap.

 

[Beacon]

I thought this was hilarious! (I won''t think it was so hilarious if it were my ring, but that''s another story).

There is so much selling and pandering in all retail sales that I find this somewhat refreshing in it''s candor. I have no idea what he hopes to accomplish by publishing this, b/c he made it and sold it and he''s putting it down. Maybe it''s an attempt at educating the public.

I do appreciate his point of view - at least he''s telling me what he thinks is elegant and what he thinks is bogus. Certainly his choice of words could be more delicate.

I feel sorry for the ring''s owner. They obviously had issues with Leon and vice versa. Maybe it''s his ''revenge''.

Maybe Leon should publish a gossip sheet on celeb rings. Tell us what he *really* thinks of what he sees out there. Hey, I''d read it!

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 6/6/2007 3:00:02 PM
Author: decodelighted

It's the *finished project* that I'll be wearing, not the experience.

Yours is an interesting take on the topic Deco! I'm glad that the experience wouldn't color your feelings on the final piece, but I don't think that's the case for most people, myself included.

I'd be pretty mad if my ring, which I likely paid a good amount for (having had it made by Leon) were trash-talked by him, even if only on his 'little website.'

*I do think it's somewhat telling about him if he wrote it, which I agree, is good to know. Just not at somebody's expense.*

 

[yellowsparkles]

Date: 6/6/2007 3:07:48 PM
Author: Beacon
I thought this was hilarious! (I won''t think it was so hilarious if it were my ring, but that''s another story).

There is so much selling and pandering in all retail sales that I find this somewhat refreshing in it''s candor. I have no idea what he hopes to accomplish by publishing this, b/c he made it and sold it and he''s putting it down. Maybe it''s an attempt at educating the public.

I do appreciate his point of view - at least he''s telling me what he thinks is elegant and what he thinks is bogus. Certainly his choice of words could be more delicate.

I feel sorry for the ring''s owner. They obviously had issues with Leon and vice versa. Maybe it''s his ''revenge''.

Maybe Leon should publish a gossip sheet on celeb rings. Tell us what he *really* thinks of what he sees out there. Hey, I''d read it!

Beacon, I agree with you.

 

[pricescope]

Date: 6/6/2007 3:00:02 PM
Author: decodelighted

Date: 6/6/2007 2:44:06 PM
Author: aljdewey

Date: 6/6/2007 12:03:00 PM
Author: decodelighted
I don't take offense to Leon's description at all. I think it's a clever way of telling people what he DOESN'T want to do ...

Gotta say, most of the time I agree with you Deco, but not on this one.

I don't really expect anyone to agree with me. I see why OTHER people are offended, but it doesn't personally offend me.

I hate b.s. ... if a guy is a jerk & rude & superior etc -- I'd prefer to KNOW IT. If I like his WORK, his attitude doesn't concern me because I'm not easily offended. I'd hire him now ... I'd hire him after he called my project 'dreck' on his little website. It's the *finished project* that I'll be wearing, not the experience.

My further take: the majority of fine artists are not nice people. Some are just better at pretending than others.

I see Deco's point and honestly guys I feel uncomfortable hosting a discussion about personality of a man even if he happened to be a jeweler.
Leon is not a faceless tradeshop, he is an artist and those details are important part of his life, he shouldn't have been taking this order i agree...but remember all those stories about commissioners and the artists in art history? Thee are funny and sad ones...
Well at least he does "replicate" other peoples designs as far as i know.

 

[Joolskie]

Yikes! As a PR professional, I am cringing over here.

And as a consumer who has read that description, I would never have Mr. Mege craft anything for me. To take on a custom project and then publicly blast both the end product and the client?!?!?!? It is my feeling that doing so is far from professional and just plain disrespectful.

I am totally cool with artists maintaining their personal sense of integrity. But it is possible to take pride in making a client happy by offering a quality piece crafted to his/her specifications. Happy clients breed more happy clients. And referrals from happy clients are what usually pays the rent!

Guess I will be looking elsewhere should I ever plan on purchasing anything channel-set. LOL!

 

[dtnyc]

Date: 6/6/2007 3:54:31 PM
Author: Joolskie

Guess I will be looking elsewhere should I ever plan on purchasing anything channel-set. LOL!

Any round channel set- I think he missed the mark on this- I think he posted it to show that he does channel set work, then he decided that he wanted to add some "buts" as in- here I do channel set work, but I would prefer it not be with rounds.

 

[Pandora II]

As someone who does like channel setting with rounds (I really dislike princess cuts) and who specifically requested them for my e-ring (and I'm about to commission a wedding band with them) I am quite amused by LM's latest strop.

Personally I couldn't care less if someone thinks something is "low class" or "cheap" or not - I'm sufficiently confident of my own status to buy what I LIKE not what will possibly convey a certain impression. I do think it's a bit rude to post that - but ultimately only hurts him. As my grandmother would say "Pride comes before a fall."

I actively choose not to work with him because although I admire a lot of his pieces I knew we would not get on.

 

[widget]

Author: Pricescope
I see Deco''s point and honestly guys I feel uncomfortable hosting a discussion about personality of a man even if he happened to be a jeweler.

Bravo, PS!!

widget

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 6/6/2007 5:53:05 PM
Author: widget

Author: Pricescope
I see Deco''s point and honestly guys I feel uncomfortable hosting a discussion about personality of a man even if he happened to be a jeweler.

Bravo, PS!!

widget

I can understand not tearing apart the personality of the man..... but I see this as much more than just whether or not he is difficult to work with. I see this as something important for consumers to know... because knowing that my dream ring might be mocked online by the jeweler would give me great pause. Much more than whether or not he is difficult. Difficult to work with can be different person to person because it is a personality thing...... mocking someone''s taste in jewelry is a matter of respect and totally unacceptable IMO

 

[E B]

Not that we could ever afford him, but that haughty 'commentary' (combined with stories I've read about him here at PS) would make me look elsewhere for a designer with a little more tact. Not liking the ring is one thing, but posting about the dislike on his website for all to see is in poor taste. Though I'm not easily offended, that would hurt my feelings.

 

[diamondfan]

Wow, I think that is kind of odd. Either do not make it or make it without being negative. If you are going to post it, say nothing, if you feel it is not nice, do not post it all.

I spoke to him about a diamond necklace before I got my wishlist necklace and he could not have been nicer, but this is not cool to me. Why bother posting it if you do not like it and are not proud of it? Just really makes no sense at all.

 

[widget]

Date: 6/6/2007 6:04:34 PM
Author: Cehrabehra

... because knowing that my dream ring might be mocked online by the jeweler would give me great pause.

Oh man...now I'm getting mad.

I just went back and reread his description of the ring. I DO NOT think he was "mocking" the piece. I think that he was trying to describe what his tastes and preferences are. BIG difference.

Was it an unfortunate choice he made to do this? Yes. (Maybe he would have done it more tactfully if English were his first language.) Does it make him some kind of monster? NO.

He's a gifted artist, definitely not for everyone, and (in my experience) a very nice guy who is better at his art than he is at describing it.

How long is this public flogging going to on?


widget

 

[Joolskie]

Date: 6/6/2007 4:06:08 PM
Author: dtnyc

Date: 6/6/2007 3:54:31 PM

Author: Joolskie


Guess I will be looking elsewhere should I ever plan on purchasing anything channel-set. LOL!

Any round channel set- I think he missed the mark on this- I think he posted it to show that he does channel set work, then he decided that he wanted to add some 'buts' as in- here I do channel set work, but I would prefer it not be with rounds.

You are right dtnyc. And I understand that he was making the comment specifically about round stones in channel settings. It is my feeling that he would have done much better by his business if he had used words like those you wrote above! Or even better, to have used no words at all.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 6/6/2007 11:28:15 AM
Author: Chrono
I used to be in awe of LM. Drooled over all his work and the rings posted here (and on his website) but as of late, I am reading more about his personality which has turned me off. I tried to write off some of them as him being the artsy temperamental type but I''m rethinking that now too. I mean, I don''t want to be the customer that he talks about behind my back to other customers and then posts demeaning opinions about my taste for the world to see on his website.

I agree with this completely. I, too was in awe of LM, but after hearing some of the stories about his inflated artisitic temperament, I''m not sure I''d work well with him.

I married an "artist", and he would be aghast at the coments on this ring.

 

[whatmeworry]

Date: 6/6/2007 6:49:53 PM
Author: widget

I just went back and reread his description of the ring. I DO NOT think he was ''mocking'' the piece. I think that he was trying to describe what his tastes and preferences are. BIG difference.

Widget,
I agree with you. On a first glance it reads terrible but relooking at it, he''s just trying to describe his tastes and preference for channel sets and baguettes.

 

[Beacon]

Date: 6/6/2007 6:33:05 PM
Author: diamondfan
Wow, I think that is kind of odd. Either do not make it or make it without being negative. If you are going to post it, say nothing, if you feel it is not nice, do not post it all.

I spoke to him about a diamond necklace before I got my wishlist necklace and he could not have been nicer, but this is not cool to me. Why bother posting it if you do not like it and are not proud of it? Just really makes no sense at all.

I was thinking about this and had a possible idea. Let''s say someone insisted on you making something you didn''t like. Let''s say you were concerned that customer would go around showing everyone this new "Leon creation". So you post on your website that this idea was foisted upon you and not what your normal metier would look like.

Maybe it was self protective in this way.

I would love to hear more about what Leon thinks makes *great jewelry*. Ok, he said it pretty roughly but I still am interested in his point of view. After all he does fantastic stuff and he is at the heart of the high end jewelry world. He''s honest in his opinions and that''s rare.

 

[luckystar112]

What?! This is TOTALLY offensive and he is making a mockery of the customer.
I can''t believe someone would argue that.


"In fine jewelry we rarely set round stones in a channel. It''s usually reserved for
cheap mass-produced bands. I didn''t find it useful to set yellow stones in the band...etc etc etc.

This customer sought out his expertise, and probably paid and ARM AND A LEG for his craftmanship. And then this guy has the NERVE to post on his site to imply that it looks cheap and mass-produced?

And why do WE care what he thinks of the yellow diamonds? The customer was obviously going custom for a reason. I doubt there are too many of those rings in the Zales counter. Seriously...his haughty personality is going to lose more customers than he thinks! You win more bees with honey!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 6/6/2007 6:49:53 PM
Author: widget

Date: 6/6/2007 6:04:34 PM
Author: Cehrabehra

... because knowing that my dream ring might be mocked online by the jeweler would give me great pause.

Oh man...now I''m getting mad.

I just went back and reread his description of the ring. I DO NOT think he was ''mocking'' the piece. I think that he was trying to describe what his tastes and preferences are. BIG difference.

Was it an unfortunate choice he made to do this? Yes. (Maybe he would have done it more tactfully if English were his first language.) Does it make him some kind of monster? NO.

He''s a gifted artist, definitely not for everyone, and (in my experience) a very nice guy who is better at his art than he is at describing it.

How long is this public flogging going to on?


widget

People have every right to know the potentials of what can happen and this is one of them. He needs to own his words and as long as it is HIS words that are being criticized then I have no problem with people stating their thoughts on this.

As for you saying he isn''t mocking, I absolutely disagree..

In fine jewelry we rarely set round stones in a channel. It''s usually reserved for a cheap mass produced bands. Also I didn''t find it useful to set yellow stones in the band. It was done by a customer request. However the version of the same ring with tapered baguettes side to side is spectacular.

He is saying he doesn''t usually do this and that this style is typical of lowclass jewelry. And he finds it distasteful to have the scattered yellows in there, but he did it anyway. However if you look at this other ring he did, he loves *that* one.

You are absolutely free to disagree, and getting mad for his sake is your choice. I think he made a very poor choice in his words and I hope you link him to this thread if you are concerned about him. I''m sure he has plenty of people to keep him busy for a lifetime who will either overlook or embrace his sentiment. then there are the rest of us who are horrified at the thought of our jewelers yes, mocking, our pieces.

I can just see it now on ocean''s site.... yeah I did this ring and I would have done it totally different but she insisted.

 

[luckystar112]

I completely agree with you Cehra, and I just wanted to add that the "cheap mass produced" part is particularly offensive.
I''m sure the customer was well aware of the amount of channel set round diamond bands in all of the chain jewelry stores. However, those pieces are very poorly made and the diamonds are usually junk. The customer obviously liked the look, but wanted to make sure it was a stunning piece of jewelry. And frankly, his job is to take the money and make the jewelry....not give his opinion to the public. It was obvious he didn''t like the ring. He made a point to mention one that he considers "better". Completely unprofessional IMO.

 

[Kaleigh]

Also I didn''t find it useful to set yellow stones in the band.

The customer wanted them, probably has a special meaning to them. And could be why they went custom in the first place?? How many bands can you think of that have yellow stones placed like that?? I can''t think of many. You see them with yellow stones and diamonds alternating, but what he made is not a common thing at all. He made a lovely ring!! He should have left it at that.

 

[KimberlyH]

Date: 6/6/2007 10:33:40 AM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 6/6/2007 10:28:15 AM
Author: Cehrabehra

Date: 6/6/2007 9:19:16 AM

Author: KimberlyH

Wow, the description has me running to the phone to contact his company and purchase that ring. Okay, not so much. That's really a strange marketing tactic.

I didn't get the ring was for sale. What I got was what mrs salvo said - that he's implying he'll do things even if he doesn't like them which is just silly.

I don't think it is for sale. It's just in the regular 'show off' section, right? Doesn't say it's for sale.

Which makes it even WEIRDER that he would bother putting it on his website at all! Odd man...

Thanks for clarifying ladies. Still a marketing tactic that makes me say

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Sheesh! If there was ever a thread that needed PIE--this would be IT! Not a big pie eater--but a small slice of cab-sav or merlot berry pie would set me up for life!

cheers--Sharon