A Tale Of Two Jewelers, or, How We Found Our Real Friends In the Diamond Business
My fiancé and I have spent far too much time over the past few months searching for a wedding ring. He found his awhile ago, but finding something to match my engagement ring and tastes, well, that’s been a whole ‘nother kettle of fish. We’ve searched high and low. In San Francisco and Santa Cruz and all around Sacramento. Yesterday, we finally made the drive to Roseville to check out Shane Company - you know - the store with the super-friendly sounding pitchman always soothing your most fevered diamond shopping fears on your radio?
Wanting desperately to see the happy commercials realized, we parked and entered their glass-block-decorated building on N. Sunrise. Inside, it’s a gray and maroon 80s wonderland. It looks like a TV set jewelry store - too matte and gray and simple. We noted silver bowls of Shane Co. stamped cookies. We soon learned these cookies are the sole Shane Co. highlight.
The place was busy. That’s fine, it’s late on Sunday afternoon. Guess people put off their ring shopping until then. We were too, clearly. There were probably about 10 parties milling about the main engagement ring room to the right of the entrance. I counted about 4 staff, perhaps five.
When we finally caught the eye of a sales clerk, I extended my hand for inspection and he said “well, no, we don’t really have anything with that sort of cut.”
That’s it?
No store has a matching ring, but EVERY store has sure as hell tried to sell us SOMETHING. And most stores have things that at least pass the laugh test in terms of coordinating the look. I pushed the issue a bit and he agreed to have a gander.
Then he disappeared. We saw him helping some other customers from time to time and he did eventually come to pull out some pieces from cases my fiancé and I were closely inspecting. Best part: he’d take a ring out and then wander away again to help other people, leaving us with expensive jewelry and no supervision. Do Shane Co’s insurers know about their practices! I could’ve made a runner and had a fighting chance at scoring some great stuff!
Being busy is fine - even great, if you’re the business. The guy explained that they had a few people out sick. I said, well, Sunday’s are busy I guess. He said everyday was like that. And left again. No “I’m so sorry, be right back.” In fact, a few kind, apologetic words would’ve probably taken care of the entire problem. But nope! Nothing. Don’t they want to sell anything!? Guess not.
Bottom line: they have some nice things, but nothing you can’t find elsewhere with the same prices and lifetme guarantees. Not worth the drive or the annoyance, if they are truly that busy and happy to ignore customers all the time.
So, contrast that reception and shopping experience with our last, on-a-whim, stop of the day at Jared on Arden Way. Silly, massive chain store, right? Hell, even I have trouble taking seriously something calling itself “The Galleria of Jewelry.” But you know what? Great place.
We walked in and were greeting by 3 employees, smiling and well dressed. The store was warmly lit with lots of natural wood and windows - 180 degrees from Shane Co.’s cold gray angles. An employee looked at my ring, complimented it (ah, flattery gets you everywhere!) and showed us to a display of rings that might work. She took far more time than anyone at any store in California and pulled out a lot of options. Things I wouldn’t have tried myself but liked anyway. She was patient and responsive. Frequently, she recommended the smaller version of particular styles - a move for which I give a lot of credit, since I’m guessing bigger sales are better for her and the store.
She bothered to ask of what metal my engagement ring is made - something Shane guy didn’t even blink about.
Finally, I spotted an odd contender in the corner of the cabinet that wasn’t an obvious choice, but ended up being the one. She explained their warranties and processes. We finished the deal and went merrily on our way.
So, if YOU need a friend in the diamond business, skip the drive to Roseville, unless you’re already IN Roseville and need a snack - the cookies were great. Try Jared or anything else in town. It’s going to be better than Shane Company.
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When is the wedding?
Ha ha! I learned my lesson about the Shane Company a few years ago. I wanted to buy diamond earrings for my wife (then girlfriend). I asked the guy at Shane Company for a loop to inspect the diamonds. They were HORRIBLE! Decent color but horrible clarity. The sales person holds the earrings to his ears and says “You can’t see the flecks when they’re up here”. I was over it.
My wife (then girlfriend) saw something she liked on Blue Nile (dot com) and I had a jeweler in SF make the engagement and wedding band.
Good luck!
You could have solved your problem by having your fiance’ make a matching ring with his own hands under the guidance of a Master Jeweler right there in Emeryville. The result is guaranteed to be professional grade (they take photos to prove you really made it yourself) and it’s very romantic and great fun, too
Check out http://www.WeddingRingWorkshop.com
Try the jeweler store in the Lomen’s PLaza on Fair Oaks BLvd - it’s family owned and does an amazing job at amazing prices. It right near Noah’s bagels