Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith and owner of the Harbor Goldsmith, Marco’s go-to jeweler since 1994. He welcomes your questions and comments about All That Glitters. www.harborgoldsmith.com.

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I may have touched on this subject in the past, and I heard redundancy is a good way to learn.

It’s no secret that billions of dollars are spent on the internet on any given day. And believe me, a good portion of that dough being exchanged there generates right from my own household. 

Like my wife’s addiction to tennis and all the accessories that occur thereof such as clothing, shoes, rackets, balls and lately that’s not all. Now there are incoming boxes of products that keep her in one piece because of the love of tennis… like a circulating ice water machine for swollen ankles, knees and elbows. Not to mention heating pads, muscle vibration thingamajigs and exotic creams, salves, braces and stretching machines. Okay you get the picture. My casa resembles the Tennis Warehouse.

I admit I’m no better; I restored my 1940 Ford 9-N tractor and 1973 Ford F-100 from tons of parts off the internet.

Funny thing though… sometimes the parts don’t fit or perform as one would expect. Darn it - it sure looked good on my computer screen! And what shows up on your doorstep can be another thing altogether!

It’s not a big deal if my wife’s new case of tennis balls are flat and don’t bounce or my part doesn’t quite fit my tractor, affectionately named Clarabelle. The balls end up as dog toys and I either make the part fit somehow or I keep it or throw it away.

But buying valuable jewelry off the internet site unseen to me… that’s just crazy! 

People do it every minute of every day and I know because some of it winds up in my shop for approval, appraisal, or repair. The one sentence that stands out from unhappy internet shoppers is “I thought it would be bigger!” Yeah, it sure looked bigger online or the sapphire looked a bit more blue and the diamonds less cloudy. 

Of course I’m biased - I own a jewelry store and nothing burns my biscuits more than a person who comes in with reams of paper with printouts of internet diamonds and wants “my free advice” on which one they should buy and from whom. 

Look, you don’t walk into an island realty office and ask an agent to take a ride with you, hold your hand and advise you about these few houses you are thinking of buying from a competitor is a good deal or what’s your free professional opinion? 

Folks shouldn’t do that - it’s just so shallow and crass - but guess what? I have plenty of realtor friends and customers who tell me there are plenty of ignorant nimrods who find their way into their office and ask to do just that!

I own a jewelry store where folks can look, touch, feel and even try it on. Heck people can look me in the eye and offer me a fraction of what I’m asking for the piece, where I then say “Ah, no way… but how about I only charge you this much?” Try haggling or negotiating on the internet and see where that gets you. 

But seriously buying a $10,000 diamond ring off the internet sight unseen????? Me as a brick-and-mortar jeweler…that’s just nuts!

Years ago, when TV shopping was the rage, I had folks bringing in the dreck (junk) they ordered on the late-night shopping channels. The poor duped souls would come in and tell me how rare and wonderful their purchase was. The lady on TV told me the gem in the silver-plated ring was from a secret mine in Togiabito and is very rare. 

It looked like a cheap piece of pink quartz to me, worth five bucks a shovel full, and if it was so rare why did they have limited eighteen hundred rings to sell?

It gets better. Then I am told that the same lady on the Boob Tube” told her” I (or any other jeweler in her neighborhood) would alter the size of the abomination for only five dollars! 

That’s not gonna happen!

Then recently the couple who wanted to pick out matching silicone rubber wedding bands and asked me if I could give them a better price than the sixteen dollars they cost online.

To me buying most anything from the internet is a rigged crap shoot; the objective is to make money - that’s the bottom line - and some sellers are not the most reputable. How many of you out there can say “They took my money! I received nothing and it’s been months.”

I ordered a home security system three years ago. I’m still waiting. I have called them a dozen times and get the same answer - we are having stocking problems. For three years???? Then I got onto the B.B.B. The company has hundreds if not thousands of complaints and kept everyone’s money and simply don’t give a rats behind if you ever see the product you ordered!

To save yourself a heaping bowl of hot remorse before you fork over 10K for that great deal you saw online to who knows who for who knows what, take my advice and use the brain your momma gave you and avoid the pain and anguish that can result from an unwise and expensive online purchase. Please do some research into the company or individual and see if they have a bad consumer history.

I’m not inferring that everyone selling stuff online is out to swindle you, though many would love the opportunity.

Folks you have to see, touch, and romance the stone and then fall in love with it. If it feels right in your soul… you possess it.

Face to face is still a good old-fashioned way to purchase anything.

Richard Alan is a designer/goldsmith and owner of The Harbor Goldsmith, Marco’s go-to jeweler since 1994. He welcomes your questions and comments about All That Glitters. Call 239-394-9275 or visit their website at www.harborgoldsmith.com.

The Harbor Goldsmith will be closed for our annual vacation the 1st of September through the 18th and will reopen Monday the 19th.

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