Another Amazing Find...

I am quite willing to drive to Bellingham with a sampling of baroque south sea pearls as well as some bead nucleated Chinese fresh water pond slimes. I do not have any of this poor a quality, but the difference is quite obvious in person? Will check when Jeff is open next week and if he is interested in seeing for himself.

Thanks, Pattye for contacting him with our concerns.
 
My opinion is that you have done what you could do, and that going further is simply not your responsibility.

The responsibility lies with buyers to do the research and know what they are buying.

Edit: That is a very generous offer of your time, Marianne. I will be surprised, however, if the seller welcomes the education, particularly as he probably receives a commission upon the sale of things consigned with him.
That may be a bit cynical. :rolleyes:
 
Sheesh, Pattye, what a snotty response to a perfectly polite email. report him. That, finally, might learn him
 
I am quite willing to drive to Bellingham with a sampling of baroque south sea pearls as well as some bead nucleated Chinese fresh water pond slimes. I do not have any of this poor a quality, but the difference is quite obvious in person… Will check when Jeff is open next week and if he is interested in seeing for himself.

Thanks, Pattye for contacting him with our concerns.

Hope Bellingham isn't far from you - he says he doesn't have the necklace on him...
And, from his unconcerned reply to Pattye's emails, one can only wonder how pleased he will be to see you!!!

Yes, thanks Pattye, it helps us all increase our pearly knowledge..
 
Happy Huku, Maybe if Marianne goes there Jeff will produce the necklace, thinking he has a potential sale? She likely has other reasons for being in that area. :)

Most jewelry consignments I've checked into are 40/60 or 50/50 split, so Jeff stands to make a nice profit if he sells this necklace. So his attitude is understandable, Pearl Dreams.

Ruby Lane did respond to the issues Kojima Pearl had with Mary's Timeless Treasures fraudulent listings using their info, so perhaps we have their ear on pearl issues, though Mary still has incorrect info in the listing.
 
If Jeff proceeds to sell this necklace having been warned that it is not genuine he may be guilty of criminal fraud. Don't know the law in the USA but would be in UK
Therefore is there really any reason to be nice to him?
 
Is there any reason to go after him? We do not need to be pearl vigilantes.

The way I see it, the matter is between him and any person foolish enough to pay his price. It would be a civil suit, if it came to that.
 
No we don't need to be pearl vigilantes, but at the same time, when someone cheats a pearl buyer, it doesn't matter how woefully uninformed and naive that buyer is, they will be turned off pearls for ever if they find out, and that's a shame
 
It also reflects on the pearl market in general. Enough bad tales get circulated and all pearl sellers get seen as scammers and frauds. Think of the "jeweler switching diamond" story and how many people ask how they can be sure their diamonds are going to be switched.
 
Hope this info helps.

Jeff Bassett
Ruby Lane shop Diamond Antiques

Why no Jeff no it does not…Misrepresentation real or unintentional is still misrepresentation. As a dealer I would think it is in his best interest to know what he is consigning.

Scenario:
DEA officer: "Mr. Shop owner did you know those cookies you're selling are made with Marijuana? Little Betty Sue has climbed the flagpole after eating your cookies"

Mr. Shop owner: "Why no officer the nice old lady down the street makes them for me"

DEA officer: "Come with me, We're going to take a ride Mr. Shop Owner"
 
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Amazing....actually I felt like writing a song called "Amazing Shame"...what nerve! For that price the Seller should have the certificate by an authorative gemological institute ON DISPLAY as part of the images and he should be 100% certain of what he sells.
Some people would call this a Fraud but instead he is playing "Freud" with word tricks... SSP, suuuureeee.

Although it could be good for all of us: actually selling our wares and displaying or linking to this fraud can make our pearl jewelry items (of far greater quality and known origin) seem like an absolute bargain!
 
I love how you always look on the bright side of life, Douglas :)
 
Ignorance or intentional you would hope that he'd have looked into it a bit further by now. This is just so wrong.

I was just up in a resort town in the far north of Queensland Australia. Visiting the high end jewellery stores as I wandered around the main street. I stopped at one place that had really lovely Tahitians in the window. Prices were what one would expect and the owner chatted about all his pearls. Then I noticed a lovely strand of Edison/Ming type freshwaters in the window...large , round, lovely deep colour. I didn't ask about them but he came over and said " beautiful aren't they ... and they are completely natural...no beads inside .. no dye.... that's why they are so expensive. Its so rare to have natural pearls like this...." I was dumbfounded. We are talking about 12-14mm perfectly round Edisons. I just looked at him and thought ... 30 yrs in the business and he either doesn't have a clue about pearls ( which took up at least 1/4 of his shop) or he's just lying to me. Very disappointing.
 
Katbran, you did not know that Grace has a pearl farm in Australia? :p
 
I had heard that and was not at all surprised to see Edison pearls as they were in quite a few stores in Cairns and Port Douglas but my point was more that he was selling them as completely 'natural' pearls stressing that they have no internal bead. I was just a bit shocked as he was carrying all very nice pearls ( unlike a lot of jewellery stores) and had been in the business for a long time.
 
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