Last summer, I knew that my then-boyfriend/now fiance was intending to propose. He was, however, VERY nervous about finding a ring I loved, while also not having to blow the budget (we were both grad students at the time). It was important to me that HE go and buy it, even I gave him an idea ahead of time of what I wanted. But then thinking about it...I honestly realized that I HAD no idea what I wanted.
I decided, then, to take an afternoon I had off from work to scope things out, as I kind of got the idea that maybe with a vintage/antique ring, it would just be about a ring I fell in love with, and not a ring that was 'perfect' in all it's 'C's. Plus, I figured it would be fun. I first went to MH, because I'd heard good things about her, excepting a few negative reviews on here that are now 'filtered.' At this visit, though her brusqueness/pushiness was notable, it didn't veer over into nastiness. I told her what I figured my fiancee's budget was, but she kept showing me rings above it, saying things like 'if he really loved [me], he'd pay more for a ring [I] like"(!). She also showed me a ring I fell in love with, only to realize that she'd 'accidentally' told me that the '2700' written on it was the PRICE- when it turned out to be the STYLE number - the cost was $4000. Another reason for showing me rings outside of his budget was, as she kept putting it, '[I'm] a 'big girl,' so [I] need a big ring.' To be clear, I'm 5'10 & nothing close to overweight. This visit wasn't HORRIBLE, but definitely kinda unpleasant. I ended up going straight to Antiques of Shadyside, and my experience was 100x better: they wouldn't even show me any rings above his budget and were just generally SO pleasant and nice. Ironically, I ended up getting a beautiful (not to mention big) ring that looks a great deal like the one I loved at Marlene's - with an appraisal value only a few hundred less than what Marlene charged for hers, but for $1600 less in price.
So now, months later, my fiance and I have agreed that I choose my wedding ring, he chooses his. Easy peasy. I go to AofS, only to be heartbroken at the sign up that they are permanently closed..I hope not cause of the deal on my ring!! ;( So I think I'm prepared this time for Marlene. Knowing that, no matter what SHE's like, she's got what I reluctantly admit is pretty much the biggest stock of estate/antique rings around, I look at her site, and find 4 or 5 rings I like in my price range. I go with my Mom. I tell her ahead of time, I'm not letting Marlene push me around and tell me what kind/price of ring I should get this time... let's just look at these few rings, hopefully I'll like one of them, and we can go.
When I get there, there's a young couple there already that Marlene's working with. I get the sense that their budget for each of their rings is about 1/3 over mine for one. But still, their budget was not a HUGE amount compared to what some people spend. I hear them talking to her and saying they drove up from MD. She's fawning all over them, and I notice she said something in reference to the cost of a ring, that 'the economy is so bad so it's tough for you young kids.' I think, great!! Maybe she's had a personality transplant and isn't so rude now. It's our turn, and she pulls out the ones I asked to try, and as I'm quietly trying them on and talking to my mom about them, again, it's the 'you're a big girl, you need a big ring.' (Seriously, I feel sorry for someone TRULY fat going in there). She just kept shrugging her shoulders at my budget like she felt sorry for me and really couldn't do anything for me, even though I knew from her website that there were a number in my price range that were perfectly normal sized wedding bands. I also pointed out the ROCK to her on my hand - noting that that was kinda enough bling for me. I asked her, then, if there were any rings in my budget that she'd recommend I try. She laughs haughtily and goes, 'oh, I'd have NO idea what they cost without looking.' Um, what?! YOU'RE A JEWELER! Sure, you don't know the EXACT price, but not even a BALLPARK?
Then, for God only knows what reason, I asked if she had any earrings with green stones for my wedding day. Instead, she took me to a pair of phallic-looking drop-pearl earrings, telling me that 'the richest family in Pgh just bought these for their daughter... this is what we put ALL our brides in.' Um, not me, thanks.
Ultimately, I found a ring there that I considered buying, even though it was $100 over my budget, only to realize it would remind me of her every time I looked at it. I really think that Marlene would be SOL if it weren't for her internet business, because if she only had to get by on her personality, she'd be run out of town. New Yorkers might not expect niceness from their jewelers, but Pittsburghers do. She was the rare person in all my wedding planning that was just awful to deal with. Truly, if at all possible, avoid her! read more