REAL DIAMONDS VS DIAMONIQUE, WHITE GOLD VS SILVER

Glitter Puss · ‎03-10-2010

I generally do not get involved in the pricing issue threads that always appear just before Judith comes on air because I think there are always hidden agendas involved, such as jealousy, anger, need to bash someone else's opinion, etc. However, something transpired on the major auction site that should give us all pause & perhaps cause us to re-think our position on pricing. The REAL couturier version of the ice cube bracelet w/ 14K white gold & 1.15 cts of real diamonds, w/ a retail value of $7,000 just sold for $948. The arguments on the Ripka forum go something like this: I am not going to pay $$$$$ for sterling silver & Diamonique because there is no value to these pieces & if I am going to spend big bucks, I will buy the real deal because this is a wise investment. No one would dispute that this piece is worth a lot more than $948, but when you go to sell your real gold & genuine gemstone pieces, you never can find someone to pay you what they are worth. They are usually bought by jewelers or companies that buy whole house contents so that they can be re-sold at a profit. Therefore they do not pay you handsomely. I have gone this route w/ pieces from my mother-in-law's estate, so I can vouch for this first hand. On the other hand, I have listed pieces on the major auction site that were retired JR SS & Diamonique pieces, & sometimes I resell them at more than I paid for them. Generally not, but it has happened. MORAL OF THE STORY: Buy jewelry for the enjoyment it gives you because this is where the real value lies. You can't put a price on enjoyment!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/311050149381?ssPageName=STRK:MEDWX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1435.l2649

stevieb · ‎03-10-2010

I fully agree that jewelry choices are very individual and that most jewelry should be bought for personal use and enjoyment, and not for investment purposes. This is one of the reasons I have to chuckle when I read the many posts criticizing silicone and resin filled jewelry. As I've said many times before, I wouldn't want an entire drawer full of, but for day to day WEAR (not as an investment), some of it is a nice OPTION...

That said, on those occasions when I personally critique Ripka's more recent offerings and price points, I can assure you it has nothing whatsoever to do with anger, envy or a need to bash. I simply don't care for fake diamonds and it's gotten to the point where she apparently can't offer much of anything without Diamonique... I also think the price points for pieces featuring said fake diamonds, typically with lower-end gemstones and silver, do strain credibility, so I personally choose to avoid most of her more recent pieces. It also seems that there are those who while they're absolutely free to do so, would buy just about anything she puts her name to without giving a second thought to what they are paying and what they are actually receiving...

In my pantry with my cupcakes...

AngelPuppy1 · ‎03-13-2010

I enjoyed your post and felt what you said was very thoughtful and interesting. I agree with what you are saying.

If you enjoy a piece of jewelry and have the means, then why not buy it. Whether it is real or not makes no difference. Some people are drawn to a certain designer's pieces or certain lines and they willing pay whatever the price.

I think in this day and age, prices are so terribly high on all jewelry -- whether it be gold, silver, diamonds --- or faux. I think one's ony thought should just be the enjoyment and beauty of a piece.

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin

champagnepoodle · ‎09-26-2011

I totally agree! What really kills me is when I hear this piece of jewelry can be passed down. Who the heck wants to do that? I want to enjoy what I bought, not thinking of kids, grandkids or estate lawyers!

jackthebear · ‎03-11-2010

I just looked at that vendor, they probably did buy an estate or lot of jewelry on that JR piece, easy to list at MSRP then take a reserve and everybody is happy.

They have a booth on 47th ST, so they must sell/buy tons of stuff

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

Oh come on !!! .... WHO would buy jewelry for "investment" value ??? ${#emotions_dlg.scared}$

Unless you are buying top quality loose diamonds, there is little chance of even breaking even! ${#emotions_dlg.thumbdown}$

Seriously, I find it very hard to believe that anyone would do that .... ${#emotions_dlg.thumbdown}$

Blahblahvampemer · ‎08-31-2010

I've never seen a "hidden agenda" when it comes to Ripka. It's simply overpriced for cast jewelry, and you're paying for the designer name/QVC "convenience."

Personally, I'm buying jewelry directly from the artists who made it, and I have a stunning collection. Could I sell it for more? Probably not, but then I usually pay less than $150.

As a former jewelry dealer though, a lot of things can still sell for a great deal, but you have to know how to get the most and selling it on eBay isn't always your best option. For things under $500, it will likely work to a decent degree. More than that, and there are some major bargains. People with serious money aren't looking on eBay for their pieces, AND you also need two people with the desire for that piece and the $$ to get the best price. At the same time, too. Some people use the worst descriptions, and that can keep your piece from showing up in a search.

Sellers can be their own worst enemy when it comes to selling valuable goods, and I'm confronting that myself now that we're building a new home, and we need to--no joke--sell at least 70% of what we own. Things I purchased just a few months ago will now be sold because I don't love it enough to take it with me to the new house. Artwork I had framed earlier this year will go for a steal at a garage sale. That's the way it goes.

For the most part, it's best not to put an enormous amount of money into much of anything unless you really do plan on keeping it for the rest of your life. A set of cookware that will last is a far better use of your money than a cutesie bracelet you pick up on vacation and will discard as soon as you get home.

Read it! New England Journal of Medicine—May 21, 2020
Universal Masking in Hospitals in the Covid-19 Era

“We know that wearing a mask outside health care facilities offers little, if any, protection from infection.

Blahblahvampemer · ‎08-31-2010

On 8/22/2014 champagnepoodle said:
I totally agree! What really kills me is when I hear this piece of jewelry can be passed down. Who the heck wants to do that? I want to enjoy what I bought, not thinking of kids, grandkids or estate lawyers!

You don't buy with that intent, but if you already have heirlooms of a sort in a family, your good pieces should be kept. The junky stuff, which we're drowning in usually, will be at the estate sale. Those funds really add up, too.

Read it! New England Journal of Medicine—May 21, 2020
Universal Masking in Hospitals in the Covid-19 Era

“We know that wearing a mask outside health care facilities offers little, if any, protection from infection.

Blondelle · ‎03-09-2010

I think the enjoyment of a piece is more valuable than the intrinsic value of the materials. I inherited heavy solid gold bracelets when they were available for a song in Italy. They are worth thousands of $$$ each now, but they sit in the vault as they are dated and won't give me enjoyment wearing them. Were they a good investment? Yes, for their appreciation in value, and no because I won't wear them! After looking for weeks at Ripka pieces on Ebay, it's a shock to see how low prices are for no name silver of the same size and weight. I want to wear Ripka for the design, not for the value.

Take a pair of jeans for instance where the fabric for them costs about the same for a cheap pair as a designer pair. The cheap pair makes you look bad, but the designer one is more flattering and makes your figure look better. Wouldn't you pay more for those?

I agree her prices could be lower, but you are not paying for the cost of the silver in them. You are paying for the design and look, the name and the cachet of that name, and that's the extra value, not the gram weight. The design of most of the no name silver is dreadful. It's a much better value for your money in silver, but who wants to wear it?

As to Diamonique, I don't I don't think it's fooling anyone. I like it for the same reason I like rhinestones. I like a little flash and bling. It's just a clear stone for her to use in her designs!

songbird · ‎03-21-2010

QVC can't offer any Ripka pieces with real precious gems. (although she once offered an emerald) Even with silver and tiny diamonds. They have to keep the prices down. That's why the semi precious. As for her real diamonds and gold, it would be 18K, not 14K. I mean she's not exactly Lorraine Schwartz, but her designs are usually diamonds set in either 18K or Platinum.