Dwils15
United States of America#2Consumer Comment
Mon, December 31, 2012
My fiance and I went to every large/expensive/well-known jewelry store in Baton Rouge that you might hear of on the radio or tv and even a few others. I wanted to draw and have a ring custom made and several of these stores gave me extreme prices just to have my drawing put into CAD format. ($1,000 just to submit a drawing from one place.) I understand and have used CAD programs myself and know how much work is involved, but that's a bit much. While many of the places were friendly, they seemed more interested in telling me what I wanted than in hearing what I wanted.
Finally, I just happened to see Vicki's place while driving down the road and decided to stop in. It was the best decision I had made for what I wanted. Apparently, by this time, none of the employees mentioned above still worked there because it was only Vicki and her designer/CAD/repair guy Johnnie who were there (and had been for the entire process).
Vicki showed us multiple rings to help me "fine tune" and get a better idea of what my 2-D drawing should look like. I literally spent, multiple hours during multiple visits over 6 months of perfecting what literally every person who has seen this ring has called "the most beautiful ring" they had ever seen. Vicki and Johnnie spent do much time making sure I got exactly what I wanted and at an amazing price. Not once did anybody complain or make me feel like I was taking too much of their time. On the contrary, they stayed open late and met me on days they weren't even open because it was more convenient for me.
I am so satisfied with Vicki and Johnnie and the amazing rings that I designed with them that I now have a jeweler for life. I tell everybody to "go see my jeweler".
I cannot speak for Vicki's shop years ago, but I was very happy with my experience in 2012.
Fact Checker
Baton Rouge,#3UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, June 06, 2008
Jewelry is a luxury item. As such it does have a hefty markup. Do you think it really cost several thousand dollars to make a leather purse with a logo on it? How about a Ralph Lauren shirt vs. another shirt? One could say that the labor is better with the Ralph Lauren shirt but the same would hold true for a designer engagement mounting. If you buy an E, VS1 diamond GIA certified diamond from shop X and a E, VS1 certified diamond from Tiffany's do you think it will be the same price? Even though the are both certified and the same color and clarity you will pay 3x's as much at Tiffany's for the same carat weight. As to the customer service issue, it is regrettable if you had problems however it is hard to find well trained jewelry sales people and you may have run into employees who were in the process of being trained or were merely substituting for someone who was on leave. I am a former employee of Vicki Anton's and I remember you. The employee who told your fiance to go to Claires is no longer with the company. Unfortunately, as with any industry there is a learning process and people do and will make mistakes. I am so glad that you have the savant ability to be perfect at everything you do.