We know. It's tempting. You want to buy a special piece of jewelry for someone you care about.
And you think heading to a local mall will be the most efficient way to do it. After all, there are usually at least two jewelry stores in a mall and you know you'll be able to visit them within a few hours.
But trust us. You don't want to do it.
Not before you read this article.
You see, there are a lot of very good reasons why buying jewelry at your local mall isn't a good investment. In fact, many times it will be a waste of time AND money. Not to mention the disappointment your loved one will feel when, for instance, the ring you so lovingly gave her had two stones fall out within weeks of putting it on her finger.
She's going to feel badly for you and you're going to feel angry. I spent two months salary and this is what I get?!"
We definitely don't want that to happen to you.
So we'll get you educated in a jiffy. Here are 9 reasons why you don't want to buy a diamond ring from a jewelry mall store:
Reason #1: Mall jewelry stores sell low quality, mass produced rings.
Most mall jewelers are huge chains or department stores. Think of them as the Walmart" of jewelry companies. They offer mass-produced jewelry that is quickly (and not skillfully) made.
They have to make thousands of identical rings to supply all their stores. And to cut costs they manufacture in China and India. These workers are not highly trained, nor are they highly paid. And as is the case in many factories in Asia, many of these workers are children - so, no wonder the quality is low. And, ethically, this rubs many of us the wrong way.
Do you really want these people making your engagement ring?
To save a few bucks they also hollow out the metal in order to make the ring as light as possible. This saves precious metal. If they can save $100 a ring ‒ and they crank out 5,000 rings a month ‒ that is a hefty chunk of change.
But wouldn't you want that extra metal in your ring so the diamonds are properly held in place, and the shank won't easily break? Of course you would.
Reason #2: Their diamonds do not sparkle much and typically are cloudy."
One of the joys of owning a diamond ring is watching how it sparkles and gleams so beautifully in the light.
People often will hold up their rings in the sunlight, just to enjoy those gorgeous rays of light reflect off this exquisite gem.
The reason diamond rings from a mall often don't have much brilliance is that their diamonds have a lot of inclusions (imperfections inside the diamond.) These inclusions block the light from entering the stone. Because of this the light cannot bounce off the diamond facets and return through the top of the diamond, which creates brilliance. Thus, there's not much life to them. They are dull and lifeless.
Buying a diamond engagement ring is a big investment. Don't you want your diamonds to light up and sparkle? We believe we already know the answer yes!
Reason #3: Their diamonds are off-color, usually grayish colored.
The closest I can describe it is the color of 'dirty dishwater.'
When you purchase a diamond ring, you want the 'WOW' factor! Not the 'Blah" factor!
The diamond color grade scale starts at D, which is colorless. Most high quality engagement rings will be made with F-H color grade diamonds, which is colorless to near colorless. This means they look white".
However, mall stores offer rings that are made cheaply, using cheap materials.
A light, grayish-colored diamond costs about half as much as a colorless diamond. Jewelry chain stores buy these and pass them off to their customers. When the entire store sells this low level of quality stones, it's hard for you to compare them when that's the only selection you find (and when store after store presents the same offering).
Reason #4: They do not sell G.I.A. lab-graded certified diamonds.
Every industry has their own organization that many consider the preferred source for defining standards and benchmarks. For the diamond industry, that is the Gemological Institute of America or G.I.A.
Most stores in the mall, like Kay Jewelers and Zales, do not sell diamonds that are independently lab-graded by G.I.A., which is recognized as the most accurate grading lab in the world.
If they do offer a certified" diamond, it's usually by some no-name grading lab such as GSI, GCAL, GAI. The problem is these other labs over-grade the diamond's color and clarity by 1 to 3 grades!
The stores sell you a 1ct, G color, SI1 clarity diamond. But you end up with an I to J color and I1 clarity stone. This is unethical! Don't become a victim of this unscrupulous practice. Buy a G.I.A. graded diamond. They don't inflate the quality.
Reason #5: Cookie cutter designs.
Take a stroll in the mall and pop in the jewelry stores. Look at their engagement rings. After hitting two or three stores, do you notice a pattern?
That's right... all the rings look identical! Do you really want the same engagement ring as your neighbor? Or the same one the lady in front of you at the grocery store has on her finger? Just imagine how it feels to hear someone say, "Oh, I've got that same ring!"
You have unique tastes. Make sure your ring reflects your own personal style. Choosing a ring is an enjoyable experience and when you feel like you've met your own match," you want to make sure it's special.
Reason #6: Want a custom design?
Say you see a ring in a style magazine that a celebrity is wearing. It inspires you to create your own one of a kind ring. Or you have an idea for your dream ring.
Guess what? The mall stores can't make it for you.
Customized consumer items have become very popular over the past decade. More and more people want something that has their own special something" added to it. Jewelry is no different.
If you had a choice between wearing what everyone else is wearing... or wear something that is different and expresses your own unique personality, which would you choose?
Reason #7: Fake sales and inflated prices.
Did you know the mall jewelers have a sale every single day? You've seen the 50% - 70% off sale signs in their store. But here's the truth. It's fake.
The prices are deliberately marked up sky-high so they can slash the price by 70%. They never intended to sell it at the regular" price. It's a scam. But it works. Don't let it work on you.
Seriously, have you ever seen a car, a camper trailer or a nice camera (just some random things folks buy) on sale for 70% off? Ridiculous.
Reason #8: They are salespeople, not gemologists.
Most of the mall jewelry stores have commission-driven sales employees.
Typically, they have only a few months (or possibly a couple of years) in the jewelry industry. The employee turnover rate is high. And their gemology education is almost non-existent.
Do you really want this type of person guiding you in the purchase of a valuable diamond? If you conduct even a small amount of research on diamonds, there's a very good chance you'll know more than the average salesperson at a mall jewelry store.
Go to a professional, instead. It's a better investment of your time and money.
- GIA Alumni
- National Association of Jewelry Appraisers
- Women's Jewelry Association
- American Society of Jewelry Historians
- Jewelers of America
- California Jewelers Association
Reason #9: Mall stores have killer overhead. And it's passed on to you.
You would be amazed at what a mall charges for rent. It's astronomical. In addition, the stores have to pay the mall ownership a percentage of every dollar that is sold in the store. (Kind of explains all those sales," doesn't it?)
Don't forget the money spent on those expensive television commercials ‒ which cost millions. Add in the fancy 4-color catalogs and brochures they produce monthly or quarterly.
There's also the managerial costs for the organization -- salaries for the store managers, area managers, district managers, etc. Oh, don't forget the shareholders have to make a profit too!
So there are so many expenses that the price of jewelry is bloated in order to pay for everything. Do you really want your hard-earned dollars going toward high overhead costs? Or getting the best diamond ring for your money?
We don't spend money on television ads or fancy catalogs. Because of these very strategic choices for how we run our business, we work on much tighter margins getting you a much better deal. Bottom line: you get a lot more bang for your buck.
Still unsure whether you should avoid those jewelry stores in the mall?
Read these horrible experiences of people buying diamond jewelry from Kay's, Zales and other mall stores:
www.TheKnot.com/issues-with-kay-jewelers
www.ConsumerAffairs.com/Zales
www.WeddingBee/topic/avoid-all-zales-at-all-costs
www.ConsumerAffairs.com/Fred-Meyer-Jewelers
www.TrustPilot.com/review/Samuel-Jewelers
www.PissedConsumer.com/Daniels-Jewelers
Now that you know, isn't it time you visit our store? The only way to experience "The Yates Advantage" is to see it for yourself.
Please stop by soon. We can't wait to show you our stunning jewelry!
Takeaway: Do yourself a favor and don't buy fine jewelry at the mall.
Related:
Have you heard what's been going on at Kay Jewelers?
