Maybe the show hosts AREN'T kidding when they "Overprice"!

[mystylady]

I went into a Jewelry store in the Mall today to have a Gold chain's clasp replaced and while waiting for the lady to help me I noticed a Tanzanite and Diamond ring that was IDENTICAL to one I bought on JTV for my daughter for Christmas. I asked to see it and was astounded to find that it was $350.00! The Tanzies were really pale.... paler than the ones in the ring from JTV, 3 Marquise with accent sized Diamonds between. My face almost fell off when I looked at the price tag! I paid $29.99! I said "I can't believe the price on this ring!! I bought the same exact ring for... guess how much?" She guessed HIGHER! When I told her, HER face almost fell off! She asked where I got it for that price and I didn't tell her for some reason. I just smiled and said nothing. She looked like she was almost going to beg to find out when another customer came in.
I could hardly believe it. When they say a GiNormous retail price from now on I think I'll always remember the "HIGHWAY ROBBERY" feeling I had when I saw that price tag! Someone's making out like a bandit! Even the Lab Created pieces were so outrageously priced that I vowed right then and there to NEVER pay retail again! What a Rip!

[francesca]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I vowed right then and there to NEVER pay retail again!


-------------------------------------------------------------------------



Definitely! Never pay retail, especially at the chain stores!

[beekeeper]

Right on! NEVER ... I said NEVER pay retail prices for jewelry! It's like throwing your money away!

Mysty ... I know which ring you are referring to ... the $29 one. I bought the one from LAST Christmas ... one of my first pieces from JTV, mostly to see if the quality was there. For $29 ... it was very nice (for 10k). I gave it as a gift to a teenage daughter of a girlfriend of mine ... she loves it! I see it on Ebay for anywhere from $29 to $99 ... lol ... people ... will they never learn?!?

How much did it cost you to replace the clasp?

[jewelfreak]

Yeah, I originally saw that exact same ring at one of the chain stores as one of their specials for 49.99. There is also a diamond accent bypass ring you have all probably seen many times on JTV for $29 that this store also sells for $49.99. I haven't bought either, but I'm tempted on the tanzie as something to have to wear to work.
As far as the inflated retail prices on JTV, they usually aren't that far off with the exception of Sharon.
I bought a 2ct diamond ring from JTV for $500 dollars, but I looked around my local stores too for the same carat weight. You can't touch a 2ct around here for under $2500, no joke! And the diamonds weren't even as nice as the JTV ring.
But you have to remember, that the ticket price on an item from a jewelry or department store isn't actually the selling price - it's usually about half of the ticket price.

[jewelfreak]

Oh, one more thing, the jewelry stores so often charge these crazy prices because the average customer isn't informed on what they should be paying. I must say, that if I've gotten nothing else from watching JTV, I have definately got a better prosepective on what is and is not a fair price out in the retail world.
We went to downtown Cleveland for my birthaday, and the one chain store had a gorgeous two-tone 10kt gold "lace" chevron style necklace. It was $1000 on "sale" for $400. I was very tempted, but good thing I didn't. I went online to JTV and found a nearly identical necklace in 14kt gold for $239!!! With the 20% off coupon I got thanks to our wonderful poster who told us about Mr. Rebates, it'll only be $191! I haven't ordered it yet, but the night is young! Half the price and better gold, you can't beat it!

[beekeeper]

You'd better hurry ... I think that coupon expires on Sunday!

[jewelfreak]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
beekeeper:
You'd better hurry ... I think that coupon expires on Sunday!
www.tvtalkshows.com/board/showpost.php?p=1488559
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Actually, I was wrong when I said I got the 20% from Mr. Rebates. I found some coupons on another site that are good through May 31.
DISC8043 - 20% Off
DISCMAYFS - Free Shipping
Hope these help some of you!

[beekeeper]

What is the other site?!? DETAILS DETAILS! ;-)

[jewelfreak]

It's called momsview.com. There are coupons for all sorts of places. I stumbled across it last night. This is the exact link to the JTV coupon page.
SPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMwww.momsview.com/jewelrytv.shtml

[mystylady]

Bee, it's going to cost $52 and change... I know I know... but it's one of those "put the flat thing into the clippy thing until you hear it snap in, then fold the wire-y thing over the ball-y thing" kind of clasps. It was the best price I could find :-(

[mystylady]

And maybe they are!
Oh come on!!! A pair of Sterling Silver hoop earrings, just Sterling, nothing else, and they had an original price of $149.99??? Are you kidding me??? Anyone can get these for under $20.00 at K-Mart!!!
As it turns out, the hoops are $19.99 and come with another pair of hoops! See? Why try our patience with the $149.99 thing?? NO ONE could get away with that, trying to sell them that high! Jeez!

[pebbles]

They sell brand new clasps on Ebay. You can get one in the $20 to $30. range and just have the jeweler put it on for you. I got one for my pearls.

There is a huge mark-up on jewelry. The dept. stores have a permanent 50% off sign in their better jewelry dept. and there is usually an additional reduction added to that and you know that they are still making a big profit. The way diamonds are sold annoys me the most. Diamonds are not rare. They are plentiful, but de Beers and other mine owners regulate the no. that can be sold at top prices.

Mysty, you ought to wear your Tanzie into the store to show her what you have.

[mystylady]

Mysty, you ought to wear your Tanzie into the store to show her what you have.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Pebbles, it's not set, it's sitting in it's Gem Case (the one it came in) waiting for the "Big Boom" in Tanzanite to happen! I don't know how I would have it set, definatly in 14K White Gold, NOT a ring, Tanzies are really easy to scratch and I'd be so afraid of hurting it that I'd practically have heart failure every time I wore it! You should see me just picking it up in my tweezers! lol you'd think I had one of the Crown Jewels! *careful...CAREFULLLLL!*
Have you ever been able to see JTV online? I know you have dial up but I used to have dial up too and I could still get it, tho it was slower and sometimes "choppy". Just to see, I mean?

[jewelfreak]

hey, I was wondering if anyone knew if this would work...
My grandma died back in January, and I got two gold, wide, very long herringbone chains of hers. They are in very nice condition except for the center of each chain where she wore pendants on them. I tried flattening the bad parts with a jewelry roller - which usually works, but no dice. I was thinking of having them cut apart and made into four bracelets cuz they are long enough, and that should only cost me the labor plus the cost of two clasps, since I already have the two. In theory, it should work, bot you all probably have seen how herringbone sort of frays, and I wonder if the ends would just fall apart when they were cut. Anyone know???

[mystylady]

I have no idea... would the folks where you work know?
If it won't, you could always get a nice pendant to hang from where she had one...
It's a good idea though! If it were me, I'd have an anklet made. I normally can't wear anklets because they bother me, but herringbone seems like it would sit better on your ankle.
Bracelets are great too!
I'm sorry to hear about your Grandma. I miss mine a lot.

[pebbles]

I have had bad luck with herringbones. They twist up and they scratch my neck. One thing I can't abide is uncomfortable jewelry. I returned an eternity band because it hurt my fingers, LOL.

I would take them to a jeweler I trusted and see what he suggests. You may lose some of the length but at least you'd get something wearable. Oh, and be SURE he pays you for the part he removes or gives you credit for it. Every little bit of gold is very valuable these days.

[mystylady]

$711.00 an ounce yesterday! I don't know what it is today but dang! I remember like it was yesterday when it was in the mid $300.00's. Why the jump, I wonder???
Sorry Pebbles I thought you were Jewelfreak for a second there with the reference to your work. :-\

Herringbone can be very twisty, can't it? I don't like that about it. I forgot about that until you said it... stop stop stop! That's what you say to your necklace as it's bothering the crap out of you!

[jewelfreak]

I'm sorry to hear about your Grandma. I miss mine a lot
------------------------------
Thanks, Mysty. Losing her has been the hardest thing I've ever went through. She died just days after turning 90. I miss her more than words can say. My biggest regret was that we weren't there when she died. We had been there with her night and day, and then we left for a little while so we could shower and eat and whatnot. She was gone by the time we got back to the hospice house. It turns out we were eating pizza at the time she died. Makes me sick to think about that. I remember when she first took a trun for the worst, and she could barely speak, but she whispered to me "I'm nervous." She knew she was going to die. That broke my heart, and has haunted me every day since. What I would have given to take away that nervousness and put her at ease. Okay, enough about sad things...
--------------------------------------------
It's a good idea though! If it were me, I'd have an anklet made.
------------------------------------------
That's a good idea, but unfortunately, I don't wear anklets - can't stand 'em - no offense who anyone who does.
-----------------------------------------------
Oh, and be SURE he pays you for the part he removes or gives you credit for it. Every little bit of gold is very valuable these days.
-------------------------------------------------
Great tip, Pebbles! I wouldn't have thought of that! Thanks!!!

[mystylady]

Sorry, I think I zoned out there or something... whoa.

Jewel, I'm so sorry! {{{hug}}}

You know, you hear it over and over again, how you're with someone day and night and leave for a cup of coffee and that's when it happens. Being in the medical profession I've seen it happen so much that I question whether it's just a coincidence. It's as if they waited on purpose or something. I don't know for sure, of course, but just from what I've seen personally.
My Grandma had health problems but she was fine, I had talked to her the day before and everything was great. The next day my Dad called me to say that she was in the hospital with heart problems. I called her nurse and was told she was doing "so so". I called later that night, around 11:00 to see how she was and they said that she was doing better. Something woke me up around 2:00am and I immediately called her nurse (She lived in Queens, NY) and she said that she was gone. Just like that.
I know how much it hurts... I'm truly sorry.
I think maybe people wait until they're alone to spare their loved ones that pain of being there? That's the only thing I can think of.
My Grandma loved jewelry! My Grandpa loved giving her jewelry! I have some beautiful pieces that she gave me and she left me the pearls that she wore on her wedding day that I will pass down to my daughter on her wedding day.
She was one classy Lady, my Grandma!

[jewelfreak]

It's as if they waited on purpose or something.
---------------------------------------------------------
I think you are so right about that. I think it was too hard for her to leave us with us right there in the room. That thought is the only thing I can take comfort in.
I remember when my hubby brought my daughter up to see her at the hospital. After a while, my grandma fell sound asleep. So my hubby decided he was going to take Lexie home. Just then, my Grandma woke up, and asked for her to come back over. My daughter gave her kisses, and then Grandma said, "Bye, bye, Baby." As if she knew this would be the last time she would see Lexie, and it was.
Then I remember my daughter was with us at the calling hours. We took her over to the casket, and she just looked at Grandma, and you could tell she knew something just wasn't right, that Grandma wasn't interacting with her.
Then, at the funeral, she wouldn't sit in our laps, so we let her down. She walked up by the head of the casket, stopping just a foot or two away, and just stared at Grandma, like she was waiting for her to wake up, or talk to her or something. I'll never forget that moment.
I don't know how we all would have coped without my daughter around during that time. She helped to lighten the mood, and keep our mind off of everything to a certain degree. She was, and is, truly a godsend.
The funny thing was, when I found out I was pregnant with her, we hadn't been planning on having any children yet. I was a little scared, and wasn't really ready, but then I thought, well, Grandma won't be around forever, so maybe this is a good time. Then lo and behold, Grandma died just a month after Lexie turned 1. So I firmly believe things happen for a reason, because if Lexie hadn't come around when she did, my Grandma wouldn't have even had that one year with her.

Your Grandma sounds like she was wonderful, Mysty. I know how horrible it is to not be there when they do - it's like you abandoned them or something. Even though I know that it was probably the way she wanted it, and there was no way of knowing when she was going to go, I still feel like I failed her. I worry that she was nervous, like she had mentioned, and there all alone and scared. All I can do is tell myself that it is over now, and she is somwhere where she will never be scared or nervous or sick or feel pain again.

[mystylady]

Jewel, you SO didn't fail your Grandma! I know you feel as if you should have been there, but I really think that she didn't want you to bear that pain and have that image in your mind. Perhaps it was too hard for her to let go while her loved ones were there as well? You had a special bond and she trusted you with her most innermost feelings... I'm sure she would not have confided that she was nervous to anyone but the person that she was the most close to. That speaks volumes about your relationship right there! I don't know anyone who wouldn't be a little bit nervous; or a lot nervous. She sounds like a very unselfish and loving person. I cannot tell you how many times I've seen a person hang on until their Family leaves for even just a short time. It seems that it's almost easier for them to let go once they know that no one's around. The Spirit is a very strong thing.
You didn't abandon your Grandma! She would probably have hung on for as long as she could so as to sheild you from being there, and most likely did just that. If I ever had the choice when that time comes, I would not want my daughter there because I know it would be too hard for her and I love her too much to ever want her to have to see that.
You gave your Grandma a wonderful gift of having a whole year with her Great Granddaughter and that made her so happy! What a Blessing!

My Grandma lived in NYC and I live in MI... there wasn't anything I could do. It happened within hours. We were very close and talked almost every day. She always said that when her time came she hoped it would be fast and not a long drawn out thing. She talked to me about stuff like that, as much as I could, anyway. I would always say "you're gonna outlive us all Gram" because it was scary to talk too much about it. She wouldn't have wanted me there either.
No matter how young or old a person is, there are no guarantees for tomorrow. The most important thing is to live each day to the fullest and embrace it as if it were your last. {{{Jewel}}}

[mystylady]

Hey sorry guys if sometimes we go off on "tangents" around here... you'll notice that it happens a lot but you get caught up in "the moment" and we'll get back to the subject, it's just that when something comes up it's just "knee jerk" to address it right away.
I'm talking about all of the threads here, not just this one! I kind of like this about this board. We know why we're here, but we don't have to make a whole new thing to discuss something that comes up, you know?
Is this OK with everyone? INPUT! INPUT!

[jewelfreak]

I think talking about other things ROCKS! No pun intended. You can't talk about jewelry and gemstones ALL the time. Besides, it's neat to get to know each other better. Thst way we'll all feel comfortable with each other when we go on our JTV trip next year!!! Hint Hint! I refuse to let this idea go!! I need a trip!!