just want to share my one sided story for its entertainment value !
A customer walks in my store last fall 7 weeks before christmass he
wants to know about matching an earring his wife lost one and how
much will it cost me ?
so i try to politely answer his non question by saying i would be
happy to give him a quote when i can see the opposite earring.
6 weeks before christmass he shows up with the matching earring it is
a fingrnail size heart with a poorly executed fluer de lis at the
apex and a really terrible approximate.25ct diamond ( round offwhite
briliant ) so i tell him if i have a matching stone i’ll do the whole
job for $300 , the stone is so bad i cant even bring myself to charge
him for junk i go t for free in a scrap gold purchase.
Mr. earring complains so as a perk i offer to rhodium both earrings
because the one i am matching was never plated by the crook that made
the first pair. so the next day i find out i dont have a matching
stone,i telephone call and inform mr. earring i can get one him the
offwhite round brilliant for an extra $150, he gets upset and i
expect not to hear from him again. 4 weeks before christmass mr.
earring calls back and wants the job done but can not come over with
a deposit because he is too busy so i say ok i’ll trust you for it
when you can 3 1/2 weeks before christmass he shows up with the
other earring plus a deposit and i drive across columbus to the far
end of franklin county ohio to get a crap diamond that actually
wieghs.31 cts as a closest match same diameter but thick girdle and i
have to pay $100 for it plus gas and time.
2 weeks before christmass he earring he comes to get the earrings
nice box etc… and complains because the only stone i could find
sits a little bit higher in the mounting. so in an effort to stop
losing money i offer his deposit back. mr earring now says he wants
to let his wife decide so i accept the payment balance 1 day after
christmass mr. earring calls and says MRS earring isnt happy the new
stone is higher in the mounting… i offer him a full refund he quits
the phone call dissatisfied with my offer 3 days after christmass i
get a call from a guy i know who owns a large jewelry store and he
says he has a customer of mine standing across the counter with an
earring i made my aquiantance compliments me on my workman ship, but,
the customer wants a better diamond and my aquiantance is going to
provide the new diamond and bill me for it, and then send mr earring
over to have me swap the stones because the earring is white gold and
is rightly nervous one of the prongs will fail.
I reply thusley if MR. earring wants a new stone he can pay for it
and i will swap the stones and then i will refund him his $150 but i
am not going to pay for another stone and give him his money back
for the first stone and thus be doubly screwed as if i am not already
thrashing for a soloution to stop losing money. 2 hours later
customer leaves with swapped diamond and check for $150 and i am
prepared to not ever allow him back in my shop again or run in the
opposite direction should i see him in public -
goo