Funny instances in stores around Australia
Did you hear the one about...
By Tali Borowski
Jewellers and manufacturers from around Australia share some funny and charming in-store stories with TALI BOROWSKI.
Bill Hicks
Owner, Bill Hicks Jewellery Design, NSW
I was managing a jewellery store and I had a young girl working with me who would have been all of 16. She was a country girl and she lacked a bit of retail finesse - let's just say she always called a spade a spade.
One day, a very large woman came in to pick up her pearls that had been restrung. When the girl collected the pearls from the safe, she took them from the packet and counted them in front of the customer - what she was required to do. The customer then put the pearls on and started to huff and puff, because she couldn't do them up. "These pearls are too tight," she said in a very loud voice, to which the girl hastily replied, "No, your neck has just gotten fat."
I nearly died. It was probably funnier because I don't think I took any steps from the backroom, leaping to the front of the shop to redeem the situation.
Robin Brunt
Director, Bell and Brunt, South Australia
Quite often, we'll get couples coming in and looking at rings, but being quite covert about it. So they'll be busily looking at the rings and someone will walk in and say, "Oh, hello!" and it will be their best mate or their parent's friend who will catch them out. That happens surprisingly often, at least a couple of times a year.
George Hogg
Manager, Bennettswood Design Jewellers, Victoria
A woman came into the store and started moving the watchband stand around. I went over and asked if I could help her. "Yes," she answered. "I need a watchband."
I told her the cheapest one we had was $12, to which she replied, "Oh well, that will have to do." She stood there, fuming as I changed the watchband for her and said, "I don't normally swear but every time I lose something, I say, 'Righto Saint Anthony, $2 in the poor box,' and then I find it straight away.
"This morning I lost my watch and I looked and I looked," she continued. "Finally, I said, 'OK Saint Anthony, $2 in the poor box,' but still, I couldn't find it. Then I said, 'OK Saint Anthony, $5 in the poor box,' and immediately found my watch. It seems Saint Anthony has put his prices up like everyone else, and he knows I'm a pensioner!"
Daniela Ceresiani
Director of marketing, Franco Jewellers, Victoria
Many years ago, when we had our Elizabeth Street store, my father was showing a couple of rings. Bear in mind, this was during the 1970s, so the rings were very chunky.
As he went to get his business card, he realised that one of the rings was missing so he told the customer that he couldn't let her leave until he found it.
He sat her down and called the police but, feeling sorry for the woman, made her a cup of tea when she asked for one.
The police arrived and took her away, later reporting her claim that she had taken the ring but had thrown it back in the store when the police arrived.
My father recommended that they check her stomach so they took an X-ray and, sure enough, there it was. She had swallowed the ring with her tea!
She said that when she passed the ring, she'd return it; of course, we've never seen that ring or the woman again, but for a few weeks after, people would come into the store and ask, "What's on the menu today?"
Lawrence Anderson
Owner and director, Anderson's Treasure Store, Showcase Jewellers, NSW
I had a young girl come into the shop last year and she said, "When I get engaged, I'm going to have that diamond ring there."
She was hoping and hoping, so we told the boyfriend which ring she wanted and he came in separately and bought it - completely unbeknown to her.
Now, because his girlfriend passed by daily to look at the ring, he asked that we place it back in the window with a sign that read, "Julie, will you marry me?"
Well, we had three "Julies" come in before we eventually got the right one. They would come running into the shop and say, "I'm Julie, but who is he?"
Alfred Gryg
Director, Allgem Jewellers, Western Australia
About four or five years ago, a girl came into the shop looking at a ring to buy. She was with a friend and she was interested in trying on different sizes. First we tried a size Q, followed by a size O, but neither was right so I said, "I really think you need a P."
Then she crossed her legs, got a strange expression on her face and replied, "I think you're right," and the two of them headed off to the bathroom.
Leon Corn
Manager, Abrecht Bird Jewellers, Victoria
We've always been upstairs with a showroom and workshop. Around 28 years ago, a ring was getting polished on the polishing machine when it slipped from the jeweller's hand and accidentally fell out the window. The window happened to be facing Swanston Street and the ring bounced and landed somewhere on the street.
Now, we were four floors up so the jeweller heard it bounce but lost sight of it; however, he thought he saw it glinting near the tram tracks.
We rang the police to see if they could help but they initially thought it was a hoax. Some 10 minutes later, after discussing it at length with them, the police arranged to stop the trams and the hunt was on.
The ring had actually rolled and was eventually found between the two tram tracks opposite the town hall.
David McCullough
Sales manager, Bruce Robinson Jewellers, Queensland
About 18 months ago, we were invited to help theme a dinner for about 500 people. It was a Marilyn Monroe, "all-that-glitters" type of event so we decided to place 10,000 CZs over all the tables.
We only received about 2,000 back after the night, which we expected, but for the next two months, we had people coming in wanting to set their "diamonds" into jewellery. We had probably 20 or 30 people coming in, thinking they had scored a bargain.
Toby Bensimon
Executive buyer, Transworld Enterprises, South Australia
Quite a few years ago now, my dad had a cake for his 40th birthday and he put diamonds and jewellery in it then and invited people over to eat it. The cake was worth around $40,000, from memory, and contained a carefully chosen inventory of stock so we would know exactly what was consumed. The best piece of cake contained a half-carat diamond but, as people were finishing off their cake to reveal gemstones and the like, we realised that it had disappeared.
The lucky dip didn't end up being so lucky for the guy who had, in fact, swallowed it. Thankfully, it was retrieved some time later and set for his wife. She still wears it to this day.
Rohan Milne
Owner, Rohan Jewellery, Western Australia
About six years ago, we shipped an engagement ring to a country town for a fussy customer. Lo and behold, it never arrived. The next thing I know, I get a phone call from Australian Air Express to say that some crazy guy was out at Perth Airport trying to tear the place apart and could I come and assist.
I jumped in the car and raced out there, whereupon the receptionist told me that they had to put the man in the boardroom - I could hear this guy going absolutely mad with anger.
The state manager and regional manager were both there and we ended up having to put on the green airport-staff vests and go down onto the tarmac to sort through the post ourselves. We didn't find it, but it turned up the next day and they rushed it out to him.
John Calleija
Owner, Calleija Jewellers, Queensland
About 10 years ago, one lady would come in to the store every week and buy a new piece of jewellery to go with a new outfit.
Her husband never knew she did it until, one day, she was in the shop buying jewellery and she looked out the window and saw her husband heading towards the entrance of the store.
She went berserk, diving under my desk and pleading with me: "Please, please don't tell my husband I'm here, whatever you do. He'll absolutely kill me!"
I was thinking about what to do when in stormed the husband.
"Have you seen my wife?"
I looked him in the eye and said calmly, "No, I can't see her at the moment." After he walked out of the shop, she came out from under the desk and thanked me for saving her.
That woman continued to shop at the store and she even ended up introducing me to my future wife, so I was right not to "dob" her in.
The best part is that I never actually lied to her husband either; when she was under the desk, I really couldn't see her.
Aaron Wilson
General manager, Michael Wilson Jewellers, Victoria
A few years ago in our store, a couple were looking at diamond rings on an overcast day and just as she tried the diamond ring on, the sun came through one of the windows and shone right on the ring.
Immediately, she thought it was a sign from God or something, and she ended up purchasing the ring. It was pretty amazing. My mother was serving them at the time and she says she was almost in tears. Everyone was so happy.
It's an amazing industry to be in when you're dealing with people at the happiest - and often most emotional - time of their life.
Catherine Pevy Trewartha,
Owner, Burleigh Showcase Jewellers, Queensland
A few years ago, I had a rather upset male customer who called wanting to speak to the manager. So I said, "Speaking," and he said, "Oh no, I want to speak to the manager." I again told him that was me. He asked if I was sure so I said, "Hang on sir, I'll go and check."
I put him on hold for two minutes and came back and said, "Well, I've asked every person here and yes, I am the manager. How can I help you?"
Manuela Zappacosta
Owner, Zappacosta Jewels, NSW
There once was a guy who was in a long-term relationship, but when his partner called it off, he was heartbroken. His aunt was quite protective of her nephew so she was absolutely livid.
The aunt and the ex-girlfriend are both regular clients and they crossed each other's paths about a year later. It was pretty funny watching them being so nice to each other when they really just wanted to wring each other's necks.
Peter Cherny
General manager, Michael Wilson Jewellers, Victoria
A car dealer came in one day. Apparently, his dealership was advertising that they'd take anything as a trade-in. Somebody came to him and said they wanted to trade-in opals and he just wanted some advice on whether he should take them. We told him it will be better to get his client to sell the opals and give him the money than for him to try to sell the opals first.
Why being happy at work helps
There's nothing better than a big belly laugh to relieve tension and stress but letting go in a work environment can feel uncomfortable and inappropriate.
Elinor Robin, conflict strategist and mediator, says everyone profits from a little bit of laughter in the workplace.
"Laughter bonds co-workers together and releases endorphins. But, most importantly, laughter in the workplace affects the environment or climate of the location and customers can feel it," Robin says.
This is especially true in a jewellery store, as it is often a situation where stress levels can be high in the face of an important purchase.
"Enjoying work is cost-effective - less workplace conflict, less absenteeism and a lower staff turnover," Robin adds.
The best way for an employer to encourage laughter in a workplace is to set an example and find humour in the day-to-day situations that invariably occur when dealing with the public.
And while it may not be easy to have a laugh in the face of increasing economic pressures or time restrictions, Robin says it's important to "put things in perspective and focus on the positive".
"It's important to have a smile on your face and have a good laugh," says Catherine Pevy-Trewartha, owner of Burleigh Showcase Jewellers, Queensland. "We all have stressful days, but if you can get to 5.30 and have a bit of a giggle, it makes it all worthwhile."
Posted September 01, 2008