I have decided.

[Ant7t]

I have not really gone off Gemporia and it's 'kids'. I still buy. But what I have gone off is their sales tactics. IF the items were so wonderful (ignoring if they are actually decent), why would they insist on all the hype? They should sell on their own merits, not because they are drowned in the spiel. That is probably why they aren't doing so well. Here is an Amethyst, look at how nice it is. Buy. Here is an Amethyst, It is SOOOOOO rare and not mined any more and is a one location mine. OVERSELL. Not the way to go. Yes, tell them the basics. If the audience like it, they will buy it. There is no need for the overkill. And, to end in a kind of a joke. If I never hear Rare or Jade again, I won't miss them. And when they are put together, ye Gods :O

 

[VapidStoat]

I have not really gone off Gemporia and it's 'kids'. I still buy. But what I have gone off is their sales tactics. IF the items were so wonderful (ignoring if they are actually decent), why would they insist on all the hype? They should sell on their own merits, not because they are drowned in the spiel. That is probably why they aren't doing so well. Here is an Amethyst, look at how nice it is. Buy. Here is an Amethyst, It is SOOOOOO rare and not mined any more and is a one location mine. OVERSELL. Not the way to go. Yes, tell them the basics. If the audience like it, they will buy it. There is no need for the overkill. And, to end in a kind of a joke. If I never hear Rare or Jade again, I won't miss them. And when they are put together, ye Gods :O

If the items could sell on their own merits, Gems presenters and "guests", whatever title they have at any given moment, would tell us what those merits were.

There wouldn't be the bonkers comparisons with priceless jewels held in museums, or that sold for millions of dollars in auction houses around the world.

There also wouldn't be the need for Dave Troth's neverending lectures before any items are brought to air. Or for the nasty little sales ploys like ramping the price of something up in an on-air auction and screeching about it being the "Lowest price ever!", when the exact same item is available on Gems' website at a much lower price. Or the famous "We've made a mistake! Buy it now before management yank it of air! Teeheehee!"

If that's how Gemporia thinks it has to sell its stock, then I would seriously question buying anything major from them. Even then, I would look elsewhere first to see if they're ramping the price up before I bought something cheap and cheerful I liked off them

 

[Ant7t]

If that's how Gemporia thinks it has to sell it's stock, then I would seriously question buying anything major from them. Even then, I would look elsewhere first to see if they're ramping the price up before I bought something cheap and cheerful I liked off them

I have to say, I do tend to buy on the cheaper end of their goods now. When split pay came in, I did buy 'bigger', but now, not so much. For the company to work again for the next 20 years (That bugs me, them saying they've been around 20 year: not until October). they need a thorough overhaul of operations. Not a start from scratch, but think of what worked initially and try to bring that back. I mean they must have done something right in the first place for them to still be running nearly 20 years later, even if they seem to be on their last legs.

 

[historymystery]

They've alienated their original client base, that's one thing they've done wrong. By about 2007-08 they had knowledgeable, personable presenters who were capable of educating viewers about gemstones - and where the stones came from - in a calm, clear and concise manner. They also brought you stones that you didn't see in High St jewellers, with good metal weights and lots of different, and innovative, settings. Many of those viewers ended up knowing more about the world of jewellery than the presenters the channel now employs - and the so-called 'experts' of today. I would think there are relatively few of those original clients still watching and buying.

Although the presenters rattle on about Milly from Middlesborough and Fred from Farnborough as though they are old friends from years back, I'd be very interested to know how long the average customer today stays a customer before getting hacked off with what often amounts to the descriptions not matching the reality of what you get, the miniscule metal weights, stones that drop out and the astronomical prices - quite apart from the 45 minute lectures (basically saying nothing more informative than 'multi-buy, multi-buy, you won't see these again'). Time was when their prices - and metal weights - were better than High Street jewellers. But those days are long gone. I think if they stopped the hard sell tactics and concentrated on well-made jewellery at competitive prices, sold by knowledgeable presenters, it might be a start. Personally, I'd rather pay a realistic price for well-made jewellery (with a reasonable guarantee, not 10 minutes from the time of receipt) than have jewellery boxes full of broken and gold tone bits and pieces, with missing stones.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

The problem is, they've still got a few customers that will buy anything from them, no matter what.

Mirabelle was one that messaged in, day in, day out, praising everything - from Lorique pieces to cheap tat. Backing up the presenters by messaging in saying things like "I been buying from Gemporia for 127 years. Best company ever. I've got one of these in my legacy collection - multi-buy, you won't regret it"

Now you've got the likes of Christine from Northamptonshire, and the one that messages in with 'Gemporia Addict' in her name. These guys would probably buy a big steaming bucket of horse manure if it had 'Gemporia' etched onto it, or, worse still, a Jadeite bangle.

They think the presenters are friends. They think Gemporia sell us things as a favour rather than to make a profit. They believe everything they're told by the 'experts'. If they're told that something is rare, they'll genuinely believe its rare.

While Gemporia have gullible people like that, they'll always have customers - even if there are less than many years ago.

 

[historymystery]

The problem is, they've still got a few customers that will buy anything from them, no matter what.

Mirabelle was one that messaged in, day in, day out, praising everything - from Lorique pieces to cheap tat. Backing up the presenters by messaging in saying things like "I been buying from Gemporia for 127 years. Best company ever. I've got one of these in my legacy collection - multi-buy, you won't regret it"

Now you've got the likes of Christine from Northamptonshire, and the one that messages in with 'Gemporia Addict' in her name. These guys would probably buy a big steaming bucket of horse manure if it had 'Gemporia' etched onto it, or, worse still, a Jadeite bangle.

They think the presenters are friends. They think Gemporia sell us things as a favour rather than to make a profit. They believe everything they're told by the 'experts'. If they're told that something is rare, they'll genuinely believe its rare.

While Gemporia have gullible people like that, they'll always have customers - even if there are less than many years ago.

It's amazing that there are enough of these snake oil buyers to keep Gemporia solvent then. But I think the trips abroad by Steve and the presenters, that used to form such a big part of their advertising campaign, have been very much scaled back. I remember video clips of Scott Worsfold in a tanzanite mine and one of Steve with Glenn Lehrer, searching for fire opals, just two examples. Those were the days when you could actually learn something from watching. All they seem to gabble on about these days is visits to the Gem Shows, where they obviously buy only the best of what's on offer. And when you've seen a clip of one Gem Show with someone holding up a gemstone, then quite frankly you've seen the lot.

By the way, don't knock the horse manure idea....I suggest Jess and Lyndsay do a joint presentation of that one, heaven knows they talk enough of it. A jadeite bangle free with every bucket.

If the items could sell on their own merits, Gems presenters and "guests", whatever title they have at any given moment, would tell us what those merits were.

There wouldn't be the bonkers comparisons with priceless jewels held in museums, or that sold for millions of dollars in auction houses around the world.

There also wouldn't be the need for Dave Troth's neverending lectures before any items are brought to air. Or for the nasty little sales ploys like ramping the price of something up in an on-air auction and screeching about it being the "Lowest price ever!", when the exact same item is available on Gems' website at a much lower price. Or the famous "We've made a mistake! Buy it now before management yank it of air! Teeheehee!"

If that's how Gemporia thinks it has to sell its stock, then I would seriously question buying anything major from them. Even then, I would look elsewhere first to see if they're ramping the price up before I bought something cheap and cheerful I liked off them

Can you imagine wandering into top of the range auction houses like Sotheby's or Bonham's, and offering to show them your legacy piece of jewellery from Gemporia? They'd firstly get security to escort you out and secondly wet themselves laughing. I often wonder if anyone's ever tried that one and got a nasty shock.

They really make themselves look stupid when they rattle on comparing items with 'museum collections' or stuff from the likes of Harry Winston - I don't know how the presenters (those with brains) can do it without laughing and I (grudgingly) admire the fact that they can keep a straight face.

 

[Ant7t]

Christine from Northamptonshire

Isn't she the poet?

worse still, a Jadeite bangle

Covered in horse manure?

 

[VapidStoat]

It's amazing that there are enough of these snake oil buyers to keep Gemporia solvent then. But I think the trips abroad by Steve and the presenters, that used to form such a big part of their advertising campaign, have been very much scaled back. I remember video clips of Scott Worsfold in a tanzanite mine and one of Steve with Glenn Lehrer, searching for fire opals, just two examples. Those were the days when you could actually learn something from watching. All they seem to gabble on about these days is visits to the Gem Shows, where they obviously buy only the best of what's on offer. And when you've seen a clip of one Gem Show with someone holding up a gemstone, then quite frankly you've seen the lot.

By the way, don't knock the horse manure idea....I suggest Jess and Lyndsay do a joint presentation of that one, heaven knows they talk enough of it. A jadeite bangle free with every bucket.


Can you imagine wandering into top of the range auction houses like Sotheby's or Bonham's, and offering to show them your legacy piece of jewellery from Gemporia? They'd firstly get security to escort you out and secondly wet themselves laughing. I often wonder if anyone's ever tried that one and got a nasty shock.

They really make themselves look stupid when they rattle on comparing items with 'museum collections' or stuff from the likes of Harry Winston - I don't know how the presenters (those with brains) can do it without laughing and I (grudgingly) admire the fact that they can keep a straight face.

Didn't Mirabelle's family try selling her "legacy" collection after she died to pay for her funeral, and had to set up a Gofundme when they were offered at best 50p and.a Freddo for it?

Her family won't be the only one to find that they've inherited a quantity of gold tone jewellery filled with filled, dyed and coated mediocre stones after their dear old Mum's popped her clogs. And not be able to get anywhere near what the poor love paid for it.

 

[Ant7t]

50p and.a Freddo for it

Not making light of the main comment, God Bless her, but I've seen an advert that you can get a Freddo for 10p at the moment.

 

[rubia]

They've alienated their original client base, that's one thing they've done wrong. By about 2007-08 they had knowledgeable, personable presenters who were capable of educating viewers about gemstones - and where the stones came from - in a calm, clear and concise manner. They also brought you stones that you didn't see in High St jewellers, with good metal weights and lots of different, and innovative, settings. Many of those viewers ended up knowing more about the world of jewellery than the presenters the channel now employs - and the so-called 'experts' of today. I would think there are relatively few of those original clients still watching and buying.

Although the presenters rattle on about Milly from Middlesborough and Fred from Farnborough as though they are old friends from years back, I'd be very interested to know how long the average customer today stays a customer before getting hacked off with what often amounts to the descriptions not matching the reality of what you get, the miniscule metal weights, stones that drop out and the astronomical prices - quite apart from the 45 minute lectures (basically saying nothing more informative than 'multi-buy, multi-buy, you won't see these again'). Time was when their prices - and metal weights - were better than High Street jewellers. But those days are long gone. I think if they stopped the hard sell tactics and concentrated on well-made jewellery at competitive prices, sold by knowledgeable presenters, it might be a start. Personally, I'd rather pay a realistic price for well-made jewellery (with a reasonable guarantee, not 10 minutes from the time of receipt) than have jewellery boxes full of broken and gold tone bits and pieces, with missing stones.

Could not agree more.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Didn't Mirabelle's family try selling her "legacy" collection after she died to pay for her funeral, and had to set up a Gofundme when they were offered at best 50p and.a Freddo for it?

Her family won't be the only one to find that they've inherited a quantity of gold tone jewellery filled with filled, dyed and coated mediocre stones after their dear old Mum's popped her clogs. And not be able to get anywhere near what the poor love paid for it.

I'm not sure if they tried selling it - but it would appear from the wording of the GoFundMe page that she prioritised spending money on jewellery over paying for essential bills - and, ultimately, left a load of debts behind.

The thing is though, Mirabelle was quite an intelligent lady - she was a nurse working for the NHS for many years. She had mental capacity to know that she was living beyond her means.

It baffles me how she ever got herself into that situation.

Isn't she the poet?

That's the one. Hers are amateur compared to my Dave Troth poem last week though

 

[Ant7t]

That's the one. Hers are amateur compared to my Dave Troth poem last week though

You should send it him, from your mate Jay

 

[TheManWithNoName]

You should send it him, from your mate Jay

I'm sure Ellis has already passed it on to him. She likes reading things out that she's read on here

 

[Ant7t]

I'm sure Ellis has already passed it on to him. She likes reading things out that she's read on here

That'd be something. And talking of him, I have noticed something of an 'annoyed apologetic' tone to his rambles now. Like he's always saying sorry, but if you read between the lines, he's not a happy bunny.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

That'd be something. And talking of him, I have noticed something of an 'annoyed apologetic' tone to his rambles now. Like he's always saying sorry, but if you read between the lines, he's not a happy bunny.

I do think he's got sick of all the referrals to the ASA, etc. He's definitely changed his style over the past couple of weeks - and he seems to be over-explaining about gemstone names, etc. However, he's still wrong / lying.

He still insists, on-air, that Quartzite-Jade IS a type of Jade - claiming that its certified as such.

The problem is Dave, the Chinese are known for being dishonest - and those certificates from Chinese labs would not match the terminology used by reputable labs such as the GIA. The GIA would certify it as Quartzite - and only Quartzite.

He claims his 'Serpentine Jade' is certified too. But Serpentine Jade is a marketing name (also called 'New Jade'). The problem is, that is a marketing name created solely with the intention to mislead. The GIA use proper, factual, gemmological names on their certificates - they do not use made marketing names (for that very reason - they're made-up). 'New Jade' / 'Serpentine Jade' IS NOT Jade. It is Serpentine. Two totally different stones. Not even from the same mineral family / group. Not even closely similar.

Dave is either quite happily, and knowingly misleading, or he naively and genuinely believes that those made-up names are 'real' gemstone names - which I would find totally bizarre for a so-called 'Gem Expert'.

It also begs the question, if those gems are being bought solely on the back of Chinese certificates, and they're not being independently tested by another, more reputable lab, how can he safely say that all this Quartzite, Jade and Serpentine is actually real and not lab created? Jade and Serpentine are amongst the easiest stones to lab create.

 

[Ant7t]

I do think he's got sick of all the referrals to the ASA, etc. He's definitely changed his style over the past couple of weeks - and he seems to be over-explaining about gemstone names, etc. However, he's still wrong / lying.

He still insists, on-air, that Quartzite-Jade IS a type of Jade - claiming that its certified as such.

The problem is Dave, the Chinese are known for being dishonest - and those certificates from Chinese labs would not match the terminology used by reputable labs such as the GIA. The GIA would certify it as Quartzite - and only Quartzite.

He claims his 'Serpentine Jade' is certified too. But Serpentine Jade is a marketing name (also called 'New Jade'). The problem is, that is a marketing name created solely with the intention to mislead. The GIA use proper, factual, gemmological names on their certificates - they do not use made marketing names (for that very reason - they're made-up). 'New Jade' / 'Serpentine Jade' IS NOT Jade. It is Serpentine. Two totally different stones. Not even from the same mineral family / group. Not even closely similar.

Dave is either quite happily, and knowingly misleading, or he naively and genuinely believes that those made-up names are 'real' gemstone names - which I would find totally bizarre for a so-called 'Gem Expert'.

It also begs the question, if those gems are being bought solely on the back of Chinese certificates, and they're not being independently tested by another, more reputable lab, how can he safely say that all this Quartzite, Jade and Serpentine is actually real and not lab created? Jade and Serpentine are amongst the easiest stones to lab create.

Does that imply he's been duped and is trying to save face? And didn't Gems pride themselves on independent testing, or has that gone by the board too?

 

[TheManWithNoName]

And didn't Gems pride themselves on independent testing, or has that gone by the board too?

Once upon a time, yeah, they did. I suspect they don't bother now though as another cost-cutting measure (while prices are higher than ever).

I doubt very much that their so-called 'Padparadscha' Sapphires would be certified as such by a decent lab - they're pink with no secondary hue.
I doubt very much that some of their 'Morganite' would be certified as such by a decent lab either - it's almost colourless.
Their so-called 'Indicolite' would not be certified as such by a decent lab - its green, or, at best, a blueish-green.

I'm also sceptical of their supposed 'Pink' diamonds - which are almost always set into rose gold, and even in that, they're not far off colourless. In my opinion, the slightest hint of pink comes from the rose gold they're set in rather than the actual stones themselves.

Then there's the scam that is 'Andesine'. Don't even get me started on that.

 

[Ant7t]

Once upon a time, yeah, they did. I suspect they don't bother now though as another cost-cutting measure (while prices are higher than ever).

I doubt very much that their so-called 'Padparadscha' Sapphires would be certified as such by a decent lab - they're pink with no secondary hue.
I doubt very much that some of their 'Morganite' would be certified as such by a decent lab either - it's almost colourless.
Their so-called 'Indicolite' would not be certified as such by a decent lab - its green, or, at best, a blueish-green.

I'm also sceptical of their supposed 'Pink' diamonds - which are almost always set into rose gold, and even in that, they're not far off colourless. In my opinion, the slightest hint of pink comes from the rose gold they're set in rather than the actual stones themselves.

Then there's the scam that is 'Andesine'. Don't even get me started on that.

I have thought that pink stones, when not in silver and usually set in rose gold over yellow, to "pink them up". I know that's not a real term. And talking pink. I remember way back when they had zambezia morganite, it was 'almost', in my mind, sold as the inferior version. It disappeared and when it returned they said it's "rare" and not mined anymore and it was 'wonderful'.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

I have thought that pink stones, when not in silver and usually set in rose gold over yellow, to "pink them up". I know that's not a real term. And talking pink. I remember way back when they had zambezia morganite, it was 'almost', in my mind, sold as the inferior version. It disappeared and when it returned they said it's "rare" and not mined anymore and it was 'wonderful'.

Its the Zambezia Morganite that I had in mind when referring to 'colourless'.

Apart from the Cherry Blossom Morganite that Yianni sourced for them, the Morganite that Gemporia have had has been shocking since the Galileia material become unavailable. I say 'Morganite', it was actually irradiated Goshenite, hence why it was so colourless.

 

[VapidStoat]

I'm not sure if they tried selling it - but it would appear from the wording of the GoFundMe page that she prioritised spending money on jewellery over paying for essential bills - and, ultimately, left a load of debts behind.

The thing is though, Mirabelle was quite an intelligent lady - she was a nurse working for the NHS for many years. She had mental capacity to know that she was living beyond her means.

It baffles me how she ever got herself into that situation.



That's the one. Hers are amateur compared to my Dave Troth poem last week though

Many professional people can go off the rails after retirement, especially if they live alone or apart from their families. Their job was a huge part of their lives, both the performance of it and the social aspect. Without that, many feel lost.

Which makes them vulnerable, and easy marks for anyone wanting to con them out of cash. And when a company not only sells you duff merchandise for far more than its actual worth but also promises you that it will att increase in value over time, enabling you to provide for your kids and grandkids... It's hard to appreciate that you might be throwing what money you have away, hand over fist.

Then there's the fact that those lovely people on the telly mention your name every so often, and thank you for the cards and little gifts you send them. It would make you feel less lonely and isolated. And inclined to trust them more.

Finally, there's that rush you get from "winning" auctions. Look at the language Gemporia uses in the VTs Ellis loves to show ad nauseam. There's no talk about buying, but the voiceover guy goes on about "How to play". It's not like going to the high street and spending money you might not really have on awful jewellery; Gemporia treats it like a game, and "auctions" are deliberately held in a way to get viewers wound up and reacting emotionally, not thinking coolly and logically (which is probably why so many people cancel their orders before midnight, because they've calmed down and been able to properly consider what they have done).

I suspect that there are plenty of reasons why Mirabelle's finances ended up the way she did by her death. Some that were inside her control, and others that might not have been. I think that it's sad