Post # 1
Member
256 posts
Helper bee
I’ve been on these boards a long time and I’ve done tons of research on engagement rings and diamonds and moissanites; so I know my stuff when it comes to these things.
Yesterday my boyfriend and I went ring shopping in a physical store for the first time because he wants to propose this year. (Yay!) He wanted to go to Jared, which I know is a chain and thought was probably a mistake, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to try things on there.
The salespeople were snobs from the beginning when I told them I wasn’t looking for a diamond, because I already had a moissanite and was looking for a setting for it only. Immediately they told me they couldn’t set it, which is fine. I understood they didn’t want the liability of setting an outside stone. Whatever.
But one “certified gemologist” even went so far as to tell me even if I bought my setting from them, they “wouldn’t touch it” once it was set with my moissy because moissanites “break so easily just like cz” and they wouldn’t even put in a new stone if any of the pave fell out. Then she proceeded to tell me that usually when a diamond center wasn’t an option they sold their customers white sapphires instead because they could service those without breaking them. Obviously she was hoping I didn’t know what I was talking about and that this would scare me into buying a stone from them instead. But I wanted to shake her and tell her that I’m well aware that a sapphire is lower on the hardness scale than a moissanite…
I know moissanites are relatively new on the scene but I feel like my experience was just ridiculous. I definitely won’t be going back to Jared and I’ll find a local jeweler, more informed, and less snobby.
Have any other moissy bees experienced this? I think it’s so disappointing! A beautiful stone is a beautiful stone! I thought jewelers could appreciate all types of gems. :/
Post # 2
Member
358 posts
Helper bee
I think it that probably had something to do with joint to a chain. My local jeweler actually suggested moissy to us! We didn’t go with it, but they had lots of good to say about them.
Post # 3
Member
54 posts
Worker bee
We went to Jared to set my moissy they said they could but wanted to modify my Verragio setting because there was diamonds on the prongs. I thanked them and said no. I then took it to a local jewler that sold my brand and they set it with no need for modifications. I will never go back again to Jared.
Post # 4
Member
256 posts
Helper bee
Sashley: Yeah we are going to steer clear from chains from now on. That’s so cool that your jeweler was openminded! Hopefully I can find someone the same!
amber.lowe.338: Yikes. I would never let a chain modify a Verragio! What were they thinking?!
Post # 5
Member
9575 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
I bet they would have poopooed any outside stone. Lots of jewelers work with moissanite- go to a non chain.
Post # 6
Member
5362 posts
Bee Keeper
Definitely go to a non-chain…I avoid those places like the plague…the local jeweler that designed my ring had no problem setting my stone and said he even bought his wife some moissies!
Post # 7
Member
1836 posts
Buzzing bee
This happens with diamonds too, at those big box stores — the salespeople will insist you got ripped off, that your diamond is poorly cut and they can do better by you so you should return it and get the stone through them, etc. It’s an annoying practice, but pretty common as selling e-ring center stones is where a lot of the real money is. I bought my diamond online and had it set locally, and they were truly wonderful, but I don’t get the free maintenance I would have if I’d bought the center stone from them, and in addition to the cost of the setting they charged me a $200 setting fee. So … I’m not surprised. And yeah, stay out of Jared anyway.
Post # 8
Member
1998 posts
Buzzing bee
I think it was honestly a matter of them not being an expert or being able to sell moissy. If they provided them in store the reaction and experience would be completely different and they clearly wanted to use scare tactis to try and get you to buy. Its like going into a designer dress shop to look for a designer veil to match a dress you tell them they don’t provide. They are a lot of times are going to use tactics to buy both from them.
Post # 9
Member
13942 posts
Honey Beekeeper
From reading these boards, this isn’t an uncommon thing. It seems that many traditional jewelers don’t or won’t want to touch moissanite stones for whatever reson.
FWIW, DH briefly stopped at Jared’s when looking for my ring and said the whole store was basically a shit show, so I also haven’t heard many good things generally about the store, either.
Post # 10
Member
108 posts
Blushing bee
That’s why I didn’t even bother with going to a chain and just went to a real jeweler instead.
Post # 11
Member
18 posts
Newbee
Hopefully you can find a local jeweler that will be open to the discussion.. if not, keep looking around for a setting you like, and maybe you can order a setting online and then send the setting & stone to MoissaniteCo for them to set it, or someone else. Good luck!
Post # 12
Member
700 posts
Busy bee
I went to a jewelry store once to check out carat sizes and how they look on my hand, and mentioned something about moissanite, and the salesman’s response was “Oooh, that’s synthetic. We don’t deal with that stuff here” complete with wrinkled nose. I was expecting it, honestly, and he wasn’t going to make a sale with me anyway, but I still got a bad vibe.
Sorry you had a bad experience! Just imagine all the people they rope in who aren’t as well versed. Doing your research will always help in the process, so good on ya!
Post # 14
Member
224 posts
Helper bee
Jewelers don’t work on moissanite because people can try to scam them, say they dropped off a diamond when they didn’t. She was just wise enough not to call you a scammer to your face, although she probably could have worded it better, like said they can’t work on moissanite for insurance reasons. It’s like when they can only have a certain number of items on the counter at a time. Sometimes that number is regulated for insurance liability, other times they just put a fake sign because they don’t want to have to bring up the fact that they are dealing with expensive merchandise and while you may just be a harmless customer to yourself, they do not know who you are.
Post # 15
Member
664 posts
Busy bee
lesbeeinlove: That makes a lot of sense actually! However, it’s funny to me at the same time because whenever I’ve dropped off my rings (at my local, independent jeweler), they print out paperwork for me attesting to *exactly* what it is I’ve dropped off, so no one could try to claim they dropped off something different.
