Seminar

I Won a Court of Sales Ring

Written by SuzyQ

Mary Kay gives out REAL diamonds! You just have to be willing to work for them. Really, you just have to be willing to order for them. Order $40,000 of retail value of products during the year, and you get a ring of your choice with real diamonds.

But who would have thought that “gorgeous” Court of Sales ring would be worth so little money?

I earned a ring for Queen’s Court of Sales. I worked all year for that ring. I did sell some product, but not the entire amount. At that time, the court was $36,000 retail.

I put the extra on a new credit card to finish. I mean… coming close and not finishing was simply not an option for me when I was in the fog. And double credit was not offered that year.

I was planning to sell the “extra” product later. It appears that there are others who will shake their heads in horror when reading that… after all, no one put a gun to my head and made me do it. Looking back, I wonder why I thought I needed the recognition that much.

To receive all of my recognition in true MK fashion, I had a new dress with perfect accessories, hair color touch up, fake perfect tan, toned arms, great manicure and perfect make-up. I was taken to the Royalty Reception in a limo (split the cost with others) and received my sash after I showed them my stage card. There were several very attractive tables of appetizers and fruit punches. I was fascinated by the mashed potatoes served in a wine glass.

We were all herded back into the Convention Center and resumed our seats waiting for the stage call. It came and I carefully picked my way down the stairs to go back stage. Many many super excited women were there with me. We were again herded (quietly) to the back stage area. When my turn came, I gave my stage card to someone and climbed up yet another set of stairs to await my golden moment. Someone else held their arm in front of me (like when you come to a sudden stop in the car and you instinctively throw your arm across your passenger who thinks you have lost your mind.)

Then, it was my turn. I think I heard my name, I was blinded by the light, did my wave I had practiced, and went down the stairs helped by those nice young men. I received my empty ring box and left the stage.

After all of that grand excitement, at least a minute’s worth all in all, I was directed to the lower concourse where I was asked to get in a line to receive my ring. I traded the empty box for the ring that I had to let the company know I wanted prior to seminar. Of course it didn’t fit, but I expected that. It wasn’t exactly as spectacular as I thought it would be… I had been looking at the picture of it all year, but again, that was probably just me. It was all still very exciting with much hugging and picture taking.

I wore the ring home, of course, and played with it in the sunlight coming through the car window to watch it sparkle. There’s a huge part of me at that point that knew I was a fraud. I didn’t sell all of the product I needed to in order to EARN the ring.

In fact, I bought the ring. I took it to get resized, and the jeweler said something to the effect that the quality of the stones wasn’t that good, did I know that? We are friends and he is always honest with me. I proudly state that I earned that ring and I have an appraisal at home that states the ring is worth $450. He said “Okay.”

So, I wore it for awhile. It was sort of awkward in that it was pretty flashy as opposed to the other option, which was more of an everyday ring. I put it in my drawer and wore it less and less, until not at all.

And then one day after I left Mary Kay, I decided to sell it. I was never going to wear it again, so why not get some money for it? I sold it for $50 to a company that bought it for the gold weight only. The stones were worthless.

Ask yourself if you are worth more than a ring that is literally only worth its weight in gold. I think you are.

11 COMMENTS

  1. I know someone who earned a couple of the most coveted pieces of diamond jewelry on Mary Kay. The diamonds are teensy weensy so that they can use sh!t quality diamonds that don’t cost a lot. You’re spending $40k for a ring that you could probably buy at the Wal Mart jewelry counter for under a hundred bucks. Do yourself a favor, save up and buy yourself a nice gemstone ring from a reputable source. It will be something you actually want, that you’ll actually wear, that will make you happy when you look at it because you bought it for yourself with your own hard earned money.

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  2. “I was planning to sell the ‘extra’ product later. It appears that there are others who will shake their heads in horror when reading that…”

    (Actually, what had me shaking my head in horror was the thought of serving mashed potatoes in wine glasses. Gross.)

    SuzyQ’s story is horrifying, but hardly unique. From what I’ve read, everyone did this, and Mary Kay Ash counted on it. Ash knew she could spend a few bucks on a bits of junk jewelry, sashes, faux-fancy appetizers, tiaras, etc., and reap thousands in sales of basement inventory.

    Of course no one put a gun to SuzyQ’s head. Con artists use guile, not guns.

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    • (Actually, what had me shaking my head in horror was the thought of serving mashed potatoes in wine glasses. Gross.)

      At a baby shower I was invited to, there was a mashed potato bar. Much as I love some mash, all I could think about was food poisoning.

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  3. When I was young and dumb, I thought a diamond was a diamond. Little did I know that cut, color, and clarity all mattered. Also, .98 carat of the same quality diamond is cheaper than one full carat, and it’s not just .2 of the weight price adjustment. There’s added value about being able to claim one full carat, or two full carats, etc.. Needless to say, tiny spit diamonds are considered junk. Makes sense she only got the value of the gold to be melted.

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  4. Imagine my horror as well when I learned by Court of Purchasing Product rings were darn near worthless. I had thought they were beautiful and sparkly.

    Yet that giant garnet was worth *drumroll* about $20. That diamond cluster ring with the $500 appraisal (and I use that word loosely)? Less than $100 when my regular jeweler took a look at it. The diamonds were of the absolute lowest quality. ALL of them, every single piece, was darn near worthless. I gave them to my friend with three little girls to use for dress-up (along with a bunch of other Seminar crap – boas, sashes, and more).

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    • Heather, did that diamond cluster ring show up on your 1099-MISC as income? If so, how much did they declare its worth to be?

      • Yep – under the prize category. The rings varied in “value” from about $450 to $600. In reality, they were each worth less than $100.

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  5. Can we please organize a seminar protest in Dallas? We could make signs that say: “the rings are worthless”, “Mary Kay scams women!” “We want justice!”

    If we can stand the heat in Dallas during July that is…

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  6. How do I officially remove my name and info from Mary Kay? I am new to this and I ha e purchased nothing.

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    • Same answer I gave yesterday on the discussion board: Call Mary Kay. Tell them you want to terminate your consultant agreement. Follow the instructions they give you.

      • Thank you Tracy. This has been a real eye opener. It is hard for me to believe that a company has done business like this for so many years!

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