A good moan!

[Meeshoo]

I'm sorry about this but I'm getting REALLY fed up with three things on Rocks & Co:-

1. Prices. I thought there was a credit crunch? The prices are exceptionally high. They've just shown a Paraiba pendant (see screen grab below) - with washed out looking Paraibas with windows, totalling 1.43ct (including the diamonds) which timed out at £1299. I can't say I'm surprised it timed out! The prices are just ridiculous. I can't say that I've seen anything I would consider to be a good price and bargains are virtually non-existent. I understand the price of gold has shot up blah blah blah but I honestly think that Rocks prices have gone up far too much. I'm not somebody who worries if I pay over the odds if I love something BUT I don't want to feel I'm being robbed in the process. The sky high prices put me off buying entirely.

2. Cutting. The cutting of the majority of gemstones is dire. I'm not including the Shimoyo Rubellite or Tanzanite in this as both seem to be fairly well cut. However, most all other gemstones sold by Rocks&Co have doors not windows. There's no excuse for this. If a gemstone is cut smaller but has been well cut, the colour will sing. I, personally, would rather pay more for a well cut, highly saturated gemstone than a poorly cut, weak coloured gemstone. Quite clearly some of Rocks gemstones are being cut in a different place to the majority of their gemstones.

3. Times of Auctions. While I'm having a moan, I may as well throw in how long each auction is taking! How long? It's like watching paint dry. Rocks - drop the price once (twice even) to where you want to be and then introduce the clock PLEASE. It's excrutiating watching a piece drop slower than time, inching to it's final price, taking about 15 minutes to sell and then doesn't. I don't know about anybody else but I lose the will to live and mentally switch off (or over) because I can't be bothered to see where it will end up - even with some of the pieces I might be interested in buying.

Sorry guys. I know some of you are loyal fans. Rocks have all the ingredients to be the best jewellery channel but they've just lost the plot IMVHO.

 

[jacqualina]

Can't agree with you more Meesh, especially about the prices. I have bought quite a few pieces from them in the past, but in the last few months their prices have just krept up and up and are now rivalling the High Street. Can't imagine who is still buying regularly from them.
The cutting of the stones is indeed awful and I seem to remember that you had a discussion about this some time ago with Gavin. Can't remember how this ended up, but maybe you agreed to differ on it?
I can't comment on the length of the games because I have virtually stopped watching, but I would like to add another point: the presenters, especially the ones on during the day, I find virtually unwatchable. Rocks have got their recruitment all wrong imo.
I know people from Rocks read this forum, so surely they must recognise that if people are no longer watching, they are no longer buying.

 

[MissMagpie]

As one of the loyal fans, I have to say there's a lot in what you say, Meeshoo.

The prices HAVE gone up enormously - especially on the higher-end pieces. There ARE still some great prices to be had, but you have to be lucky. I suspect the very low prices when they first started were "loss leaders" and they weren't actually making any money, so they had to put them up to some extent, but...

You are dead right about the cutting, and there's really no excuse for it. I've already mentioned this to Andrew (Rocks & Co COO), and he said he would pass it on to Thailand. I really hope they take some notice, because it makes SUCH a difference. (All the channels seems to be guilty here, as has been said before.)

On the upside, what makes Rocks & Co special is the variety of unusual gemstones, and the great designs.

 

[Pimms]

Prices. There seems to be a wide variety of prices, and I think some are still OK, but the ones that really stick in the throat are the top end prices, such as the 'paraiba' you mentioned (which has so little colour that I don't know why it isn't sold under their 'cuprian' title - oh, yes I do, they'd have to charge less for it).

Windows. Definitely infuriating, especially since having to send back the blasted blue fire opal.

Length of games? Absolutely. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


Miss Magpie - just seen your post - it's definitely the unusual stones that keeps me watching.

Edit again - just turned over to watch a large morganite ring time out at £99. If the presenter said 'it's such an affordable gemstone' once, she said it a hundred times. It's affordable if you can afford it.

 

[Tabs]

I agree! The games are taking an eternity at times, and for "such a rare gemstone" and "how can we let it go at this price" simply makes viewers think the majority of what is said is drivel. For goodness sakes R&C, drop the price to a reasonable level, then introduce a clock and stop "begging" viewers to come in and buy!

While i'm joining in the moan- PLEASE send the presenters back to presenting class and teach them the correct use of "a rare gemstone"!

Thanks.

 

[Meeshoo]

Unbelievable. So almost the same item closed at £1299 just over an hour ago. The difference? About 0.1ct. Look what's on now and LOOK AT THE PRICE!

Sorry Rocks but how on earth do you expect people to buy from you when you close at almost double and then bring back the same item later that day for half the price?

Why would anybody buy anything on this basis?

Not only that .......... which idiot paid £799 for 0.81ct of awful Paraiba?

 

[Huggles]

Again, I have to agree with every word you said, Meeshoo. I love my gems but unless they're a top cut at reasonable prices I will not buy. I have been buying loose gems off ebay as I can have them set how I like, in time, when gold prices fall. I saw a loose pink danburite, princess cut, 2ct, internally flawless gem go for £18 the other day. I will be interested to see how much Rocks & Co will price their new gem stones...if it's anything like their new rubellite it will be yet another I won't buy.

Do you remember when the TV was a place to buy jewellery at bargain prices '...because we don't have to pay the middlemen...'? I haven't heard that for a very long time. You'd think with the competition they'd be more competetive with their prices....

As for the cutting, I saw a kunzite that was colourless when it was shown sideways and a star ruby with a big dark flaw in the middle (it even had the flaw in the details photo)...beggars belief that they make it to the TV.

The presenters I don't bother about as I watch with the volume turned down (unless it's John Scott) but the time an item takes to either sell or pull is getting ridiculous so I just flick through the other channels until they move on.

 

[PandaBear]

I agree Meeshoo with what you have to say also. I first thought when the channel started maybe we have got a channel here that has the right price and different gemstones to other channels but all they seem to have now is the variety of gemstones the prices are mainly so high that is must be pricing quite a few people out from buying from them (including me!) saw some zultanite earlier a pendant of under 2ct which they wanted £629 and presenter said the price was amazing - What!!! from what I have seen lately I won't be buying from the in the future as prices are way to high and think they certainly don't seem to be competitive. I was a regular buyer at first but now won't be spending my money with them as would feel as though I would have been cheated on price, if prices do come down would look again to buy, it all seems a bit sad really that they have had to make these changes!

 

[onestepup]

Well being a viewer there are a few things I would like to say. Yes some of the games are taking toooooooooooooooo long. But on Cutting there are some stones that the cutting is fab. Shimoyo,Kunzite,Morganite,Zultanite and most of the exoctics the cutting is great. Their Paraiba they say the new parcel will be absolutely great let us see. And yes of all the channels they have the most variety in gemstones by far.

 

[Lynda]

As most of you know, my gripe with this and other channels is that they are not on cable and so I have to watch on the web, which if truth be told is even more irritating than having to stay tuned to a TV channel playing in the background.

What seems like a hundred years ago, I posted how I hated QVC's habit of spending 10 to 15 minutes on one item of jewellery and preferred IW's way of spending less time with each piece, but going back to it a few times in the show, so I have absolutely no patience to watch Rocks trying to flog a dead horse for absolutely ages. They had an admittedly gorgeous pair of Tanzanite earrings at an astronomical price and I couldn't believe how long they stayed with them with no takers!

So Meesh I totally agree with you about the time taken.

The prices are way out of my league these days. I've already said I had taken my winnings and run from the earlier days and for a while they had hugely high priced bits but interspersed with bargains but I haven't seen any - when I have been able to watch - for ages.

Other channels have put up their prices when the audience has expanded and I can understand that, but if Rocks is still only available on Sky or the web, having abandoned freeview let alone never coming to cable, then they are limiting their exposure and the competition to buy just doesn't exist.

As for the cutting, I can't comment as I only watch the 'specials' and even then only intermittently as when I'm on the 'puter I am otherwise engaged doing computer stuff and cannot keep the link open all the time.

Now if they were on Cable and I could keep the channel on all day and grab a bargain - if they still exist............................

 

[Sacha]

I haven't much to add to the above comments.......for a change! :54:

When they first started I was hoping for some good healthy and affordable competition to the other channels. Having had
a very nice order in the first flush of their new auction format I haven't been at all tempted to purchase again.

Mainly because I find some of the presenters un-watchable and can't take them seriously. And secondly I've not been enticed
by the quality of their offerings at the prices they want for them. I really don't feel confident in spending big bucks with Rocks&Co........for the above reasons! :31:

 

[Meeshoo]

Well being a viewer there are a few things I would like to say. Yes some of the games are taking toooooooooooooooo long. But on Cutting there are some stones that the cutting is fab. Shimoyo,Kunzite,Morganite,Zultanite and most of the exoctics the cutting is great. Their Paraiba they say the new parcel will be absolutely great let us see. And yes of all the channels they have the most variety in gemstones by far.

I hope you don't mind me asking but do you work for Rocks? I've noticed a few of your posts where you speak as if you know what's happening behind the scenes? No problem if you do but it'd be more honest to be up front if that's the case.

In terms of cutting - If you've ever seen a precision cut gemstone there's no way that you'd call the cutting of Rocks&Co gemstones great. I buy precision cut gemstones direct from cutters and the difference is immeasurable. The Rocks Morganite and Kunzite is definitely not well cut.

In terms of Paraiba - You say that they're getting a new batch? All I hear is them saying that when this run of Paraiba runs out they have no idea when they'll be getting more! The Mozambique mine is virtually deplete so unless another source is found, or they buy from somebody who has stockpiled I don't see how a new batch of Paraiba is possible.

Their Paraiba is some of the worst I've ever seen in terms of colour and cut. I wince each time I see a presenter showing us a pale pale pale windowed gemstone saying "this is THE top colour, this is THE colour you want in Paraiba" when quite frankly she/he should be saying "this is an example of rubbish Paraiba, it's not neon, it's colourless but we're selling it as Paraiba because we can get more £ per carat". Photoshopping the pictures on the website to make the gems look neon is also dishonest - although Rocks certainly aren't the only ones doing this.

In terms of variety of gemstones - they have the odd batch of different gemstones but on the whole, the gemstones are the same as you can buy anywhere else. The "different" gemstones are vastly overpriced and you can source them elsewhere at a fraction of the price. Take Hemimorphite for example, this is readily available for much less. Granted some of Rocks "one off" varieties are more difficult to find from other sources but I don't want to pay huge amounts of money for something that's little more than a gemstone collector's curiosity. If it's a really "rare" gemstone then that's different but most of it isn't.

 

[argeybargey]

I hope you don't mind me asking but do you work for Rocks? I've noticed a few of your posts where you speak as if you know what's happening behind the scenes? No problem if you do but it'd be more honest to be up front if that's the case.

9 out of 9 in fact, Meesh. <a href="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.smileycentral.com%252F%253Fpartner%253DZSzeb008%255FZNxpt484YYGB%2526i%253D36%252F36%255F14%255F11%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_14_11.gif" alt="SmileyCentral.com" border="0"><img border="0" src="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252Fnocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egif%253Fi%253D36%252F36_14_11%2526uiv%253D3.0/image.gif"></a>

 

[Brissles]

I believe Rocks & Co are part of the JML group who advertise also on tv, most of their stuff is highly priced tatt, so says it all really !

Gems tv. I am having lots of trouble picking up their programmes, very weak satellite link. Anybody else finding this ?

 

[MissMagpie]

I believe Rocks & Co are part of the JML group who advertise also on tv, most of their stuff is highly priced tatt, so says it all really !

I used to think that, too, but Andrew (Rocks & Co COO) said that in fact they are NOT party of JML. Although some of their business operation is outsourced to JML, apparently they're a completely separate company and they are planning to take their operations in house.

 

[Meeshoo]

I used to think that, too, but Andrew (Rocks & Co COO) said that in fact they are NOT party of JML. Although some of their business operation is outsourced to JML, apparently they're a completely separate company and they are planning to take their operations in house.

I don't think that's correct I'm afraid. My understanding is that this business was originally put together by JML. I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure that's why some of their business is integrated.

Anyway, JML or not, it doesn't explain poorly cut gemstones unless of course they're using their slicer and dicer for the job!

 

[Klosblue]

I believe Rocks & Co are part of the JML group who advertise also on tv, most of their stuff is highly priced tatt, so says it all really !

Gems tv. I am having lots of trouble picking up their programmes, very weak satellite link. Anybody else finding this ?

Rocks aren't part of the JML Group although like Meeshoo I was under this impression back at the beginning. They use JML's studios and call centre and looking at my credit card statements they also appear to use their Merchant details for processing but that's where the connection ends. It's purely coincidental that a lot of what they both sell is "highly priced tatt"!!

As for all the other comments around Price, Quality and Presenters, I agree 100% with everything that has been said. John Scott is a rose amongst many thorns but then he does have talent (unlike the others who are only legends in their own minds) so I only watch when he is on apart from when I'm bored and channel hopping then I always seem to land on Channel 642 when they are trying to sell yet another colourless, windowed Paraiba at a ridiculous price!

Oh and Onestepup - Meeshoo beat me to it as I too suspect you work for Rocks & Co. If I'm wrong then I apologise but you make statements which obviously mean you have inside knowledge - eg when the new gems were coming on etc. Additionally, nobody could honestly praise their prices and cutting unless there was an ulterior motive because both are ridiculously bad!

Meeshoo - slicer and dicer :Laughing1:

 

[Pimms]

I've just seen this go for £199. Is it my imagination or is that nearer to a reasonable price than previously? I have no idea what the stone was like, because I just caught it on the web and not the TV, and, as we all know, the colour on the web usually bears no relation to the colour irl!

http://www.rocksandco.com/Jewellery/ProductDetail.aspx?SKU=362 805

In fact they seem to be trying to shift some at some much lower prices than usual (or am I just being optimistic?)

(And no, I don't work for them - repeats, brainwashed *Rocks have the best cut stones * Rocks have the best cut stones *Rocks have.... )

 

[argeybargey]

Onestepup seems to be a gonner? <a href="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.smileycentral.com%252F%253Fpartner%253DZSzeb008%255FZNxpt484YYGB%2526i%253D1%252F1%255F4%255F103%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/1/1_4_103.gif" alt="SmileyCentral.com" border="0"><img border="0" src="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252Fnocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egif%253Fi%253D1%252F1_4_103%2526uiv%253D3.0/image.gif"></a>

 

[Pimms]

Nope - knew it was too good to be true. They're trying to sell this

http://www.rocksandco.com/Jewellery/ProductDetail.aspx?SKU=285 157

THE STONE HAS NO MIDDLE! It's the outside of a pear cut. It's not "67 points of the most coveted, the most desirable colour" because the middle has no colour AT ALL.

It didn't sell, at £999, and I'm not surprised. What gall, to ask a thousand pounds for less than three-quarters of a carat of a stone so badly cut that it is simply a ring of colour. Outrageous.

Do you think they have a paraiba colour highlighter pen that they use to colour in the middles of the stones on the photos?