Who buys these?

[sweetnghtmr]

I can''t help browsing in the jewerly sections, no matter what store I''m in, I think this may be a side effect of P.S.!! Anways, while looking at certain "Super" stores, I can''t believe the horrid diamonds I''ve seen! It looks like they take them and grind them against sand paper! Why do they even bother selling such low quailty stones? Does anyone really buy these?

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Unfortunately, not everyone knows about and uses/relies on forums like PS to become informed and educated. If you think about it, we''re really a minority here!!!

Until more people become educated and it''s not profitable for those stores to be selling such junk, then they''re going to move forward and continue selling...

We could always stand in front of these counters with picket signs?!

 

[michela002]

I really think there''s a blind reverance for diamonds in more materialistic parts of the world. (By that, I mean in parts of the world where you have a roof over your head and food and the basics, and start thinking about luxury items you want.) I think people automatically go, "Ohhhh, it has diamonds in it!" Which, without any knowledge, means stores can sell "frozen spit" for good money and the purchaser won''t be any the wiser or realize what they''re missing.

Before I found PS I had no idea about diamonds at all and I would have just as easily been one of those people! Now, I''m getting to be such a snob that I would rather have something teeny-tiny but of great quality, or nothing at all, than some of the crap I see sold.

Some of my friends at work are getting engaged or married, and I try to impart my diamond knowledge onto them (they ask for a "tutorial", lol!) but it''s sad cos most of the time I know they will end up getting something from a mall jewelery store ...

I figure as long as they love it, okay, but I do find it a little sad ...

 

[sweetnghtmr]

lol, yah a strike sounds good, lol! Yea, maybe I''m turning into a bit of a diamond snob myself. I wish I could stand there and warn people about those stones, but I guess stores wouldnt really appriciate that too much, lol.

 

[Sparkster]

There''s a market for everything no matter how crappy some others might think the product is. The same question could be asked of anything, ie "''why do people buy second hand lemons of a car when they can buy a shiny convertible?" To some people, they don''t care about how good the product is, they just want the product. I''m sure that a lot of people could walk through your house (and mine too and everyone else on tihis board - so please do think I''m having a go at you) and think to themselves "why did they buy this brand appliance instead of that one - the other brand offers so much more."

 

[sjz]

Date: 5/2/2005 11:56:50 PM
Author: Sparkster
There's a market for everything no matter how crappy some others might think the product is. The same question could be asked of anything, ie 'why do people buy second hand lemons of a car when they can buy a shiny convertible?' To some people, they don't care about how good the product is, they just want the product. I'm sure that a lot of people could walk through your house (and mine too and everyone else on tihis board - so please do think I'm having a go at you) and think to themselves 'why did they buy this brand appliance instead of that one - the other brand offers so much more.'

I don't think that sweetnghtmr was talking about super ideal cut Hearts and Arrows diamonds vs. the less than ideal cut diamonds you see in mall stores. I think the reference was made to the types of diamonds you see in places like Walmart and other chain discount stores. I'm the same way about looking...even when I go to Super Walmart to stock up on groceries and toilet paper, I sometimes can't help but take a stroll past the jewelry counter. The diamonds that they sell in those stores are pretty awful sometimes. I've seen a few that look like the frozen monkey spit that you see on Ebay. Really cloudy and milky looking, with little black spots all over that look like pepper! And they aren't cheap! They cost in the hundreds for little cluster rings in 14K gold, and can go as high as the thousands for their "bridal" jewelry. I would imagine, just from looking at them through the glass, that they are for the most part SI-2 to I 3 clarity diamonds. I can honestly say that if my husband had not been able to afford any more than a few hundred dollars on an engagement ring, I would rather have had a diamond chip, a colored gemstone, or a CZ than one of those ugly diamonds. It does make a person wonder who really does buy those? They aren't even attractive, at least not to me.

 

[Sparkster]

Date: 5/3/2005 1:47:11 AM
Author: sjz

Date: 5/2/2005 11:56:50 PM
Author: Sparkster
There''s a market for everything no matter how crappy some others might think the product is. The same question could be asked of anything, ie ''why do people buy second hand lemons of a car when they can buy a shiny convertible?'' To some people, they don''t care about how good the product is, they just want the product. I''m sure that a lot of people could walk through your house (and mine too and everyone else on tihis board - so please do think I''m having a go at you) and think to themselves ''why did they buy this brand appliance instead of that one - the other brand offers so much more.''

I don''t think that sweetnghtmr was talking about super ideal cut Hearts and Arrows diamonds vs. the less than ideal cut diamonds you see in mall stores. I think the reference was made to the types of diamonds you see in places like Walmart and other chain discount stores. I''m the same way about looking...even when I go to Super Walmart to stock up on groceries and toilet paper, I sometimes can''t help but take a stroll past the jewelry counter. The diamonds that they sell in those stores are pretty awful sometimes. I''ve seen a few that look like the frozen monkey spit that you see on Ebay. Really cloudy and milky looking, with little black spots all over that look like pepper! And they aren''t cheap! They cost in the hundreds for little cluster rings in 14K gold, and can go as high as the thousands for their ''bridal'' jewelry. I would imagine, just from looking at them through the glass, that they are for the most part SI-3 to I clarity diamonds. I can honestly say that if my husband had not been able to afford any more than a few hundred dollars on an engagement ring, I would rather have had a diamond chip, a colored gemstone, or a CZ than one of those ugly diamonds. It does make a person wonder who really does buy those? They aren''t even attractive, at least not to me.

I know what point sweetnghtmr was making. But if you read my first line, I''m stating that there''s a market for everything....doesn''t matter how crappy it is. Personally, I wouldn''t buy it but lots would

 

[sjz]

Date: 5/3/2005 6:29:52 PM
Author: Sparkster

I know what point sweetnghtmr was making. But if you read my first line, I''m stating that there''s a market for everything....doesn''t matter how crappy it is. Personally, I wouldn''t buy it but lots would

That''s really bad on the stores that sell that junk, then. Because it IS junk. And even though it''s junk...it''s not cheap. They actually want quite a bit of money for some of that monkey spit. The market for those types of diamonds is most likely poor, unfortunate suckers that don''t know any better. Personally I hate it that stores sell inferior quality merchandise, no matter what it is, just because someone out there will actually buy it. What makes me sad is that for every one of those yucky diamonds that is sold, there is probably some poor lady out there who is going to be on the receiving end...and that''s really a shame.

 

[AChiOAlumna]

This is kind of an eye-opening experience for me today!! I was in the mall looking for a Mother''s Day gift for mom and my cell phone rang. I stopped and answered it in front of a Ben Bridges Jewelers. I saw a loose EC diamond sitting in the window in a showbox. It was 1.04 carats for almost $7600!!!! I just bought my 1.03 E VS1 GIA certed EC for much lower than that!!!

Okay...the funny part was all the salesmen saw me looking in the window and must have thought I was talking to someone about their diamonds. They all came out at once!! Maybe they thought that I was planning to buy something?? Who knows?! The looks on their faces were priceless!! Almost a look of desperation....

 

[sweetnghtmr]

I understand that there is always someone out there willing to buy... however, I too, just feel terrible about the poor people that actually feel they are getting a good buy when they could be getting so much more for their money, not even to mention the innocent unsuspecting wome n out there! I mean I''m not talking about all the jewelry those stores sell, just the ones that look like (as Indecisive put it- which is so true!) "frozen spit"I guess as long as whoever''s on the receiving is happy that''s all that matters!

 

[MissAva]

Oh I know!!! A chick friend and I went to Bham to visit her parents and went to the mall with them. While they went to look at linens we went and looked at jewlery. We saw a threee stone EC ring 1.2tcw 10,700$. I could see the little white dots all through each of the stones. It really bothered me. Worse while we were there this couple came in with a handful of flyers from all the jewlers in the maul. They were buying one of the rings.

We had not even wanted to play try them on beucase you could see in the case lighting that tables were off, stones were poorly set....just no good. They were looking what was basically a Ritani Endless Love knock off and the girl was saying how she had never seen anything like it and had the whole

going on. I nearly chocked when I heard the sales girl qoute her the price over 8000$ and she went on about what a steal it was with a I color and SI3 clarity that just couldnt be beat!

I saw the ring and the center stone was prolly about .75 or really deaply cut and I am pretty sure I saw a few dots floating around. I wanted to scream and drag the two of them out of there...instead the girl I was with drug me away to keep my mouth shut. (I am known for having a hard time with the wole stranger things

) Still it made me sad to think that such a young couple, prolly about my age, were going to spend all their hard earned money on something that wasnt worth half what they were spending.

I suppose it isnt so bad if she never knows what she could have had....

 

[diamondsrock]

I totally understand. Someone I know is considering buying an engagement ring at a large mall jeweler and the one she wants doesn''t even list clairty, color, etc... I figure if they don''t list it then it''s probably not too good. It''s so hard for me to keep quiet because I know she can get so much better but she seems to have her heart set on buying from this store. If I chime in and try to persuade her otherwise, I will look like a busybody who should mind her own business. I''ve already tried to explain the importance of cut, clairty, color, etc.... and how jewelry store lights can make almost anything look fantastic but it doesn''t seem to sink in. I guess some people just want what they want and it may not be what I want but if that''s what they want to spend their money on, so be it. Hard to keep quiet though!

 

[sweetnghtmr]

I think these jewelery stores get so much business because alot of the people are in a rush, or simply don''t know any better! Honestly, I always thought buying a diamond from one of those stores in the mall was how it was done, I never knew about any other options until I found this site!

ie#1: The guy which is proposing dosn''t relize all there is to buying a ring, therefore he waits until a couple days before he intendes ask then runs to the store, and buys a ring.

ie#2: The guy asks the girl to be involved picking out the ring, she happily agrees, but is too excited (or unknowing) to waist time searching and waiting for the "perfect" one so she just goes to the mall and grabs one.

STORY TIME!!!
My guy friend''s g/f had a friend who''s family owned a jewelery store. SInce she had been friends with this other grl the majority of her life they had both picked out their "dream" engagment rings from the store. All throughout her life she had the same ring in mind. So when it came time for my friend to propose he went to the store, no questions asked and bought the ring. Now, to me it seems as though if the same ring has been there for over 10 years... hmm... well... I don''t know. But in the long run I guess he had no other choice, she had her heart set on this ring from day 1 and she would have been dissapointed with anything else. So I guess that is a reasonable excuse to purchase within a store.

 

[partgypsy]

I have to admit up until recently I had a NEGATIVE impression of diamonds versus other gemstones, because most of my life the level of jewelry I could afford, I could find a nice looking semiprecious gemstone but the look would be ruined by being put in a setting full of tiny icky grey looking diamonds. I almost grew to hate diamonds because they would mess up some otherwise decent pieces of jewelry. And don''t get me started on diamond cluster rings. However, there must be a market for people buying those pieces, even if it''s ugly simply because they can say "it''s got diamonds!"