Jewelers Row in Chicago

[Nikko]

I have read the past postings and I have noted some of the jewelers on Wabash.

Has anyone dealt with Prudential Jewelers? I also met with a few other of the jewelers one no longer in business "Carteux" and a guy well known in Chicago "Sherman Tucker" (5 S. Wabash).

I keep hearing the same thing -- we have the best wholesale pricing around and we have a long history and one of the best engagement ring designers in the city.

I don''t know who to trust and this being a big investment -- I would like to hear some feedback on Jewelers in Chicago on Jewelers Row that offer unique and fashionable designs for a Princess Cut with Vintage Style twist.

 

[Iceman]

Do people ever get tired of that catch phrase "Im a Wholesaler"? That means he sells at cost and makes not a red cent profit! Right. Im sick of the catch word "Superstore" also

That seems to be a red flag, you cant trust them

Your doing well, go by your gut feeling. This business is the biggest liars club I have ever joined

Deal with somebody you feel comfortable with , do your home work and deal with AGS or GIA certs . Come back here and ask a lot of questions and welcome to the forum

 

[Nikko]

You are right -- I have to go with what feels right. Does GIA have a standard for Princess Cut, and what are the specifications? Plus how Brillant is the difference between Round & Princess Cuts?

 

[mike04456]

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On 9/23/2003 6:19:36 PM Nikko wrote:











I keep hearing the same thing -- we have the best wholesale pricing around and we have a long history and one of the best engagement ring designers in the city.

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A storefront jeweler who tells you he is a wholesaler is not only lying but committing an FTC violation. Ditto for slogans like "wholesale to the public," etc. A "wholesaler" is someone who sells to the trade for resale, period. "Wholesale" is not an acceptable euphemism for low prices. The FTC and JVC have both taken action against retail jewelers engaging in such tactics.

A more detailed discussion can be found here:

Wholesale to the Public: An Advertising Case Study[/b]

 

[drnw04a]

I actually thought the people at Prudential were pretty straight, although I don't think their pricing will beat the better online sites.

I visited Prudential, Windy City Diamonds, New York Jewelers, and some of the stalls in the 'Jewelers Mall' with my gf about a month ago.

I've bought other gemstone jewelry at Prudential before (they do have a great sapphire and ruby collection), so it was already on my list.

Out of all the places we visited, I will say that the guy at Prudential was the best listener and the least pushy. He didn't try to play my gf for the 'ooh-ahh' factor, he let me see the grading reports, and answered all of our questions. That being said, it obviously is still a retail establishment, not a true wholesaler, and they are still salesmen.

Windy City (across the street on same side of Wabash) were also very nice and non-pushy, but I think their pricing was high.

New York was by far the worst. They used a car dealer style, taking us back into a private room (complete with a dozen ceiling mounted spotlights) and pulling a version of the 'what do I have to do to close this deal today' game.

At the moment, I'm leaning towards going with one of the better online vendors, probably Dirtcheap or Whiteflash. The sales tax break alone will be a significant savings, and the pricing just looks better up and down the board. I may still take another stroll through Prudential and a few others to look again at settings.

Be interested to hear any other Chicago experiences.

 

[Cinemafreak]

I am also on the Chicago area and like Pridentials service. Very laid back and recognized that we were shopping and didn't want to buy that day. My GF has picked out a setting (with matching band), but now onto the diamond. Funny enough her sister-in-laws cousin is in the business (Nickey's) so we went there. The price's were a little higher than I thought for 1.01 to 1.06 carat diamonds. But what do I know. I agree that New York was a little wierd with the back offices. Not comfortable. Diamond Mall was scary. I liked Diamonds on Wabash, but the selection was small.

My concern with online is I do not see the diamond. Is it that much cheaper on line. Can these places be trusted?

 

[emas17]

I just bought a diamond a little while back and check on Jewelers Row and on the inet. The person/place that stood out over there is Jim from Windy City Jewelers. I have sent my closest friends there and plan to return to him. He is price sensitive, smart, helpful, and not pushy.

AAA New York Jewelers has a lot of stones, but Jim really stood out over there at Windy City. You can mention that Eric sent you.

 

[eks6426]

If you''re in Chicago I would consider trying Goldins on Michigan Ave. I was really surprised to find their pricing excellent even though they are on Michigan Ave. Randy was superbly helpful. Just a thought.

 

[cmargosi]

I had the same experience at NY Jewelers. I felt like the guy could care less if I left happy as long as I left with a stone. I will try Prudential.

 

[utah22]

I was just down on Jeweler''s Row today... I actually didn''t like the guy in Prudential. He showed me a few diamonds & I could definitely detect a condescending tone about him. He actually disputed that I saw a flaw on a diamond he showed me, so I told him to pull the papers on it and I''d be him $800 bucks there was some sort of mark right where I saw it (with my naked eye.) Sure enough, there was a thread in the middle of the stone. He had the gall to then say, "well, you can barely detect it." If i''m seeing it with my naked eye, it''s detectable!! he asked what else I wanted to see and I said I''ve seen enough with him...

New York wasn''t as bad as most people were saying on this site... they did take me to a back room, but I preferred that to looking over the counter. They took their time & went over many stones with me.

Wabash City Jewelers (across the street from Prudential) was very patient & helpful. They had a nice selection & the stones looked very nice... I didn''t get into cut dimensions, which I should start doing, as they assured me all cuts are "ideal" which is funny because I''m looking for a Princess, so there''s really no ideal ,but rather a range.

At any rate.... it''s all a crap shoot, is my conclusion, on Jeweler''s Row. I think you''ll get a better deal than maybe a high end retail store, but you''re still dealing with salesmen!