Elite Event: Diamonds Are A Yelper’s Best Friend

Great job Lindsey! I agree with the other reviewers that said this was a unique and educational event. I loved getting to know more about the jewelry (and sporting a few pricey, sparkly baubles to drop hints to the hubby). The staff, volunteers and fellow Elite-​ies were wonderful and we had a great time (is that the wine talking? I don’t think so!)
It was also a great opportuntity to learn more about Shane’s business model and how they 100% back up the quality and longevity of their products. I will MOST DEFINITELY be returning to pick up some new bling!

Bling! Everywhere!
No one told me I was going to meet Mr. Shane himself. Good thing I was dressed to impress! Cocktail attire and all. I blush thinking back to that special moment. And paparazzi there to capture the red carpet moment. (Thank you photographer Mike Benedetto!)
With the planets aligned I grabbed Lindsey’s techogadet (her phone) and attempted to take one zillion photos of Lindsey and Gabi. Why? Because I’ve turned into my Dad. Can’t use a phone. Anyway. They looked super cute as did all the ladies that night. I sliced my way into the crowd to begin the fun.
Turns out I have very expensive taste.
That could really just be the end of the review. Also, there’s a reason selfies exist. We take really good photos of ourselves. I was blinged out that night. In heaven wearing some amazing pieces. With the «help» of some I have some incredibly sullen looking photos. Gah.
Here’s a rocking photo the official Unilocal Photographer (thankfully) grabbed. I’m wearing to die for pearls!
I’m beaming happiness and moonbeams. Feel free to purchase these for me :)
On a serious note, as I made my way around the store I had an absolute hoot learning about the things I cannot have. (Expensive taste!) Hold on, hold on. That’s not true. Just because I coveted so many of the items in the «One of a Kind Design» collection did not leave me out of options.
Shane Co. does offer a wide variety of price point options. Diamonds are stunning as primary pieces, but can be wonderful as accents. I fell in love with a pair of drop pearl earrings. Subtle. Dark. Yet they made quite the statement. And they were incredibly reasonably priced.
Tahitian Pearls. New words in my vocabulary. (MOM? Are you paying attention?!)
Shane Co. is a really approachable jewelry store. Anyone can go in there and feel comfortable to ask questions. I certainly learned quite a bit during my visit. There were planned stations to watch demonstrations. However, I also rather enjoyed the one-​on-​one sessions while trying on pieces. Sales personnel really are laid back. This is a wonderful place to shop.
Thanks Shane Co. Thanks Lindsey! Great event!

Diamonds, Sapphires, Rubies, Oh My!
Night started out on the red carpet with a photo op with Tom Shane himself, a lot shorter in person I thought, oh wait, he was a cardboard cutout :) Then my guest and I checked in to what was an amazing night!
I was blinded by all the glitz of Shane Co, we were able to learn about the 4 C’s to a diamond, Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat, and I actually learn a bit from those lessons, and have say the Staff was very friendly and patience with our playful jokes.
Tommy Bahmana was on hand with ahi tuna tacos, crab cakes, key lime tart, and piña colada cakes, the crab cake & tuna tacos were so dang delish, and around the corner from them was the wine & beverages, boy where we spoiled for sure!
Ok that was all the technical part of the event, now here is where the real fun comes in!
HELLO WE GOT TO TRY ON EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE!!!
You betcha I wrapped myself in diamonds galore, I guess the standard ring size is 6, and guess what, that’s me! haha my fingers were blingin, my neck was styling, my wrist were far from being lonely, the only down side was I didn’t get that many pics.
I also learned that sapphires, which is my all-​time favorite gem, comes in all different colors, I know I was shocked too, thought it was just that gorgeous blue, but no, it comes in all colors of the rainbow, and Shane Co has a rainbow sapphire bracelet that showed them off well!
Oh the pearls, just lovely, the ones that got my eye where the Tahitian black pearls, oh so beautiful.
Oh but the diamonds, yes I learned that night it’s easy to say yes to the ring, not the dress or man, but to the ring. It was so much fun trying on everything your heart desired. And guess what, a lucky Unilocaler walked away with a pair of diamond earrings!
At the end of the evening, Shane Co presented us with a swag bag, and guess what, each one of us received a $ 25 gift card, completely shocked!
Thank you Shane Co for the fun amazing night, and thank you Unilocal & Lindsey for making it happen!

Absolutely Dazzling*! I felt like a kid in a candy store when I arrived at Shane Co. Every piece of jewelry was more precious than the next and not only did we get to look closely we actually got to try on anything we liked. And what other way to set the mood then to have a beautiful singer with us while playing the piano, this was really overwhelming for me. It was the first time I’ve actually got to look around at a jewelry store and I was able to bring my boyfriend along for this experience and I think it benefited him in a few ways by familiarizing himself with a few of my favorite pieces. It just might make his job a little easier in the future if you know what I mean.
All this drooling over jewelry made me a little hungry thank goodness they had brought in some of the best little finger foods from the delicious restaurant Tommy Bahamas. We got to munch on ahi tacos, crab cakes balls and a deliciously portioned key lime pies.
All the employees at Shane Co were very friendly and corporative, answering any questions we had and gave us a lot of information about the cut, color, clarity, and carat of their diamonds. I enjoy events where I can really take home a lot of useful information and I felt well educated about the 4 groups that they had planned out for us. After all the Q&A’S we all got entered to win a beautiful pair of diamond earrings, as you can imagine all the woman were on their toes. I didn’t win this one but Congratulations to Mel who did. I bet they look absolutely beautiful on you.
Thank you Unilocal,Lindsey, Shane Co, your wonderful staff, Tommy Bahamas and all my friendly Unilocalers that made this event *FABULOUS*

I felt like a girl with the sun in her eyes, surrounded at Shane Co. by Diamonds!
Unilocalers in the Shane Co. with diamonds…
Jewels all aglow in every color to be seen, purple, blue, pink, yellow and green…
Unilocalers in the Shane Co. with diamonds…
Customer service so smart and so sweet teaching us cut, color, carat, clarity and the importance of everything.
Unilocalers in the Shane Co. with diamonds…
Ladies in heels and Gentlemen in ties, one crazy Unilocaler had a mask over his eyes.
Unilocalers in the Shane Co. with diamonds…
Tommy Bahamas’ knew the way to the Unilocaler’s hearts; feed us crab, tuna, cakes and key lime tarts!
Unilocal shades, chapstick, pens and gift cards too, you know how to lead us right back to you!
Unilocalers in the Shane Co. with diamonds…
Unilocalers in the Shane Co. with diamonds…
Unilocalers in the Shane Co. with diamonds…
Perhaps I’m a girl with kaleidoscope eyes, or it’s just the bling from my newly cleaned ring!
Unilocalers in the Shane Co. with diamonds…
Unilocalers in the Shane Co. with diamonds…
Unilocalers in the Shane Co. with diamonds…
Thanks to Lindsey, Tommy Bahamas and Shane Co where you’ve got a friend…
I’m sure you’ll be seeing me back again!

I must admit. I am not the biggest fan of jewelry. Sure, I have quite the collection of earrings, necklaces, and even fewer bracelets, but it never made my heart skip a beat… well at least at first. Just under a decade ago, when I knew I was «taking the plunge,» then I knew I had to take an interest in picking out my engagement and wedding rings, because that’s quite the commitment. I would be wearing the pair for life! So go ahead, turn those noses up at the un-​traditional idea that instead of my «now hubby» surprising me with the engagement ring, I «guided» him in a particular direction, but in my career in health care, I needed one that is timeless and won’t tear up my gloves every time I put them on. Aside from these two qualifications I was looking for, Bryan described all these things he had to consider: cut, quality, clarity, weight, and so on and so forth. What a daunting task! So much to live up to!
This elite event at Shane Company proved that jewelry companies do not all have to be snooty and have a certain «air» or prestige about them. Their willingness to open up their doors to us after their work day was over and educate us about not only their family oriented company, but also their jewelry changed the way I see those accessories people wear every day! The opportunity to wear jewelry in combination between $ 40,000 to even $ 100,000 so openly doesn’t come around every day. They were so trusting, so friendly, and conscientious that we were all having a great time. I don’t think there was a single staff member there that didn’t ask, «How is your evening going? Are you enjoying the event? What can we do to make it better?» The willingness to answer any question — big or small — was second nature. They realize that they are helping individuals make big life decisions. It’s not an easy one to make on your own — choosing an anniversary gift, an engagement ring, a promise ring, or birthday gift. Diamonds truly and literally last forever — perhaps a better investment than a car since they don’t depreciate really the «second you go off the lot.»
For some reason, I thought the event would be more like a presentation comprised of a stage with seats surrounding the stage and a presenter in the middle. Instead, we get these fun little «passport» cards that get stamped at each station so we could learn about the big 4: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Weight (the only scientifically measurable unit). If that wasn’t enough, then came the big raffle reward for completing the stamped cards — the opportunity to win diamond earrings. How lucky was Mel? Big congrats to her!
Tommy Bahama spared no expense at feeding us at this event. Our light bites of small scrumptious crab cakes drizzled with a cream sauce in tiny boats, fresh marinated ahi tacos, key lime pie pastries, and piña colada cupcakes did not go to waste. While everyone was mesmerized by the beautiful jewelry Shane Company had to offer, I confessedly ate 3 rounds, no maybe it was 4, (or was it even 5) rounds of these hors d’oeuvres. So good!!!
This event really surprised me at how much fun my friends and I had. Not only do I have a great appreciation for the different types of gems available in the world and where I get them from, but I have learned something that was mind blowing to me. Sapphires can come in other colors than blue! You can even get red sapphires! (And no, they are not cut by using diamonds — there is an entirely different process)! The more you know, right?
Thank you so much Shane Company, Unilocal,and the always wonderful Lindsey for providing us with such an entertaining yet informative night! It is definitely a memory that I will never forget!

This was my second Unilocal event ever and a blast it was! What a fabulous girly event! I’m sure the men enjoyed it, but not nearly as much as us ladies. :)
Shane & Co. was great for having us all here and teaching us about the cut, color, clarity and carat weight. Everyone working the event was so friendly and helpful. The jewelry and diamonds spoke for themselves… b-​e-​a-​utiful! Trying on diamonds and pretty jewels was great, but even better with cocktails! The wine was a great touch. :) On our way out the gift bags with the delightful goodies were a great touch! I would love to put my gift card to good use when I go back for the ring I fell in love with. :D
Tommy Bahama’s had some great munchies for everyone to have for finger foods. My personal favorite were the delicious crab cakes… I may have had a few. ;) Oh and of course thank you for the $ 20 gift card! I have been to the restaurant before and was very happy with the experience, I’ll be back!
I took a girlfriend of mine with me and we had a great time. I’m really looking forward to attending my next event and thank you again Lindsey for making it more than worth our while!

I always like it when you can learn stuff at Unilocal events. This time, I got to learn about diamonds and why they are the way they are. And also why they are expensive! There is the cut, the color, the clarity and the carat. I think those were the four categories… I so failed the course! The staff was super helpful in letting us try on their rings, necklaces, and bracelets and whatever else we wanted. Super exciting to go into Shane Co. (my first time there) and just experience the atmosphere dressing up all fancy and hanging out with Unilocalers.
There was food too provided by Tommy Bahama. The crab cakes, the ahi tuna tacos, the custard, the piña colada cupcakes… all so delicious. I need to go back to that place. I’m so thankful for this great experience. Dressing up, good food, wearing thousands of dollars in pearls and diamonds was pretty awesome. And everyone just looked so good in their attire.
Thanks to the staff again for being great hosts and thanks to Lindsey for hooking it up. Congrats to Mel for winning the ear rings too. This was fancy evening. Highly enjoyable. :)

This was such a perfect girly event. What girl doesn’t like to play with diamonds? I was so happy we had an event where we could play dress up and have fun with jewelry. Everyone looked fabulous. I needed to scoop my 10 year anniversary gift. I took several pictures and texted them to my hubby who is out of town.
I had one crab cake from Tommy Bahamas and a key lime pie. I couldn’t resist. Overall it was an incredible night, congrats to Mel for winning the diamond earrings courtesy of Shane Co.
Thank you Lindsey, Shane Co. and Tommy Bahamas for putting together this wonderful event.

What a perfect way to complete a Tuesday night. It was so much fun trying on jewelry and diamonds. All the staff at Shane Co was friendly and very hopeful. So, I first tried on some pearls. It was really amazing that the pearls were cold feeling when you had them on. Then I tried on some beautiful rings and necklaces.
It was always fun to see everyone there and to meet new people. For our light bites we had tacos, key lime pies and cupcakes from Tommy Bahama. The key lime pies and the cupcakes were really good.
Thank you Lindsey and Shane Co for a wonderful evening trying on jewelry and diamonds, also it was a nice surprise that Shane Co gave all of us a gift card to come back. I know that I will definitely be coming back to pay something soon.

BLING HERE, BLING THERE!!! BLING EVERYWHERE!
This event was amazing! I had such a great time learning the 4 c’s of diamonds and being able to try on ANYTHING in the store! My friend and I had such a good time talking to Sonya (very friendly staff member) she brought out the big guns and spoiled us with beautiful ring settings. I had a breathtaking piece on that cost over $ 70,000! Woooow mama, it was the biggest loose diamond they had in the store, along with a very blinged out setting! After looking at a ton of different rings (they have so many different settings and styles to chose from, there is no way anyone could ever have your exact engagement ring) we decided to check out the abundance of bracelets, necklaces, pearls and other beautiful stones! This jewelry store is absolutely amazing. If you are looking for people who are knowledgeable about all kinds of jewelry, very nice and courteous and if your looking to get something that no one else has this is the place to go!
Thank you so much to Lindsey and Unilocal for putting together ANOTHER GREAT EVENT! Thank you to Shane Co for letting us play with your beautiful pieces of jewelry! Thank you to all the staff members who worked this night, you were all very nice and great to talk to! I unfortunately didn’t get to try any of the food, but Im sure it was amazing! And last but not least thank you to the fellow Unilocalers who made it out, its always nice to see you!

I missed all my Unilocalie friends so much. This was such a wonderful, unique event. I am very hard on good jewels so needless to say I do not invest in it much. I do have some nice pieces and I adore Rubies and Pearls. What a joy to try on anything in the store and go from station to station learning about diamond «Cut, Color, Clarity and Carets.»
The food from Tommy Bahama’s was great. I have always wanted to eat there so my new gift card and I are heading there soon.
I was thrilled to try on so many Ruby and Sapphire rings. The staff at Shane Co were amazing. They were fun to joke around with too. Since the average ring in the store before sizing is a small size 6 I was afraid I might have to wash some dishes, errrrruuuuuuummmm, I mean rings, if one got stuck on my finger. Teehee– The woman helping us said it has only happened, «once.» Sympathy to that poor lady.
I loved it when Lindsey commented on the 40,000 dollar sapphire ring she had just tried on. Where is Hubbie when she needs him huh? lol
I fell in love with the most stunning Black Tahitian Pearl set. it was gorgeous! Sigh, a gal can dream can’t she?
They did have some great prices on some pretty rings. With the Shane Co. gift card I received in my swag bag I am going to go back and check out some more of those pearl rings and sterling collection pieces.
Thank you Shane Co for opening up for us after hours. I loved seeing everyone decked up and looking so «sparkleeeeeeeeey!»

My very first Elite event and I must say, very impressed! The hook for me was the diamond solitaire earring set giveaway for those in attendance– great job on selecting a very appealing prize!
Food: catered by Tommy Bahama, there were ahi tuna wonton tacos, crab cakes (of which they were out by the time I got to the table), key lime pies and cupcakes. The ahi tuna tacos were amazing– can’t wait to go to Tommy Bahama to order a whole plateful of these!
Drink: red and white wine, non-​alcoholic beverages provided free of charge. Very nice!
Event: learning about the 4 C’s (cut, carat, clarity and color) is a MUST for men and women alike. The stations were informative but succinct, you didn’t have to spend 20 minutes at each one. I really liked the giveaway (diamond solitaire earrings), whoever got them is VERY LUCKY! While I sincerely appreciate the unexpected $ 25 gift card from Shane Co., I would think that a %-off discount would be more appropriate given the price tag on the items they have for sale. In this manner, if you choose to purchase a higher-​end item, you still retain the same percent off as someone choosing a more affordable jewelry piece. And thanks for the polishing cloth! I definitely needed a new one.
Staff: The staff at Shane Co., especially the ones at the stations, were very knowledgeable. Everyone was friendly, helpful and eager to help you try on each and every piece your heart could desire. It’s great that these employees are paid salary and are not on commission– you can really notice the difference.
My only suggestions would be:
1) I’d prefer weekends for Elite events
2) a %-off coupon vs. a $ 25 gift certificate for high-​end jewelry

Another top-​notch Elite event learning about diamonds and other gemstones. I guess if you can’t meet Tom Shane in person a cut out will have do. Loved the Shane Co. slogan signs to take a picture with him.
I enjoyed the different stamp stations learning different ways to examine diamonds. A great way to explore around the store. I saw some breathtaking sparkles. I found a white gold + sapphire/​diamond ring. This will be mine some day!
Amazing food from Tommy Bahama’s! The key lime pie was so divine. I just wish I had another hand to try out the Ahi Tuna Taco. I will have to stop by and try that in person. Thanks for the $ 20 off voucher.
A big thank you to the Shane Co. for opening up the whole store for us to explore, letting us try all your gorgeous pieces, and the gift bag with a $ 25 gift card. I will be seeing you soon. Your staff did a fantastic job!
No one can organize an event like this except for Unilocal and the hard work of Mrs. D! Thanks for making my Tuesday evening extra special! Can’t wait to see the pictures!

My first Elite event of the year! Woo Hoo!
When I first heard about this event I thought… this is going to be trouble… and what happened? I fell in love last night. And found my future engagement ring. lol. First we got schooled last night on everything you needed to know about diamonds. It was so much fun and educational. I really liked the raffle idea because we got to around to the different stations learning about everything about diamonds.
Omg, trying on the jewelry was a blast! My future ring one day hopefully? A rose gold with a 1.7 ct diamond cut. goodness i was in love and was afraid of that. lol.
The food was also really good. I LOVED the crab cakes and must’ve had about 3 glasses of the cabernet. ha.
It’s always so much fun seeing my fellow Unilocalers as well. Thank you Shane Co for having us and Lindsey for putting together another great event. Shine bright like a diamond Unilocalers! =)

Ladies, did you know that not only size matters, but shape may be even more important… Yes folks I am talking about diamonds! It is all about the cut if you want the bling! Generally I make fun of girls that are bedazzled, but if you are going to bedazzle, Shane Co is the place to do it! All the Unilocal ladies looked pretty damn good rocking their evening attire and Shane Co Jewelry! Also a big shout out to Tommy Bahamas’ for the great food; I loved the ahi tuna tacos!
For the record: I am not really a diamond girl! I love edgy, colorful jewelry that has a story, so I was a big fan of the room on the left when you walk in the entryway of Shane Co. Next time I have ten thousand dollars laying around, I want the yellow sapphire necklace I tried on… yep and the ring, so maybe a ‘bit’ more than 10grand. Did I mention sapphire is my birth stone??? The second runner up was a black Tahitian pearl necklace I tried on that had a very unique setting! This one was a bit more in my price range. You can see these lovely pieces in my photos, but a picture hardly does these beauties justice. I have 3 things I want to go back and get, but I will tell you about those after I own them ;)
Lindsey our CM always manages to outdo herself, this may be my new favorite Unilocal event. This was a great experience and I will forever have yellow sapphires in my dreams.

The countdown was on, it was just hours until go time, what was I going to wear to this cocktail attire event? «Heh, it would be amusing if someone showed up in a bank robber getup» I thought to myself. «That would be pretty funny. Now which shirt will I wear tonight?» I just couldn’t shake that dumb, funny picture from my brain. «I bet no one would even think about showing up dressed like that, but I think the staff would at least get a kick out of it, how often does someone show up wearing a mask, holding a bag, and demanding they hand over all their jewels? I’m thinking never.»
One thing lead to another, and while I couldn’t find a black and white striped shirt, or black beanie, I fashioned a mask from an old, black sports jersey, dawned my best (and only) black suit, re-​tooled an old Unilocal bag to look like a money sack, and away I went. «This is gonna be good.»
I creeped through the front door, got laughs from just about eveyone, had my picture taken by the security guard while trying to «break in» to their safe. I cleaned the place out of every last cupcake they had, not really, but I did put a nifty dent in them. I startled a few unsuspecting Unilocalers, stole a few wallets, shook lots of hands, gave a few high fives, posed for random pictures, drank some wine, tried on some mens fashion wear — all while under the watchful eye of the 873 cameras of course.
I scoped the place out, but with those darned cameras everywhere, I don’t think there was an inch of the space that wasn’t being recorded. Now was my chance, I’ll put the bag on the counter and demand they put all their jewels into the bag and no one gets hurt. No go, from person to person, not one of them would oblige. I tried demanding, I tried asking nicely, I tried song and dance, and sleight of hand, nothing was fooling these people into handing over their precious treasure.
It seems my night of super sleuthing would turn out quite unsuccessful. I didn’t leave with any jewels, except the «family» heirlooms brought in with me ;-) I’d call this a bust. At least I’m leaving with my dignity in tact and no arrest record to haunt me the rest of my days. It was fun while it lasted, but there has got to be easier ways of acquiring diamonds and gold; perhaps I’ll use the $ 25 Shane Co gift card I «stole» from the gift bag they gave me. I’ll certainly be dining on Tommy Bahama’s dime soon, all 200 of them to be exact, muahahaha.
You may have won this round, but I’ll be back for the final tussle. Until next time Mr. Co, Mr. Shane Co. hahahahahahahaha.
Happy Unilocaling Phoenix, If you’re missing a wallet or an earring, I might have an idea of just where to find it ;-)

My first Unilocal event, my best friend Susan invited me. :))
I had sooo much fun here. I got to meet a lot of awesome new people!!!
Carat, color, clarity and cut!!! Learn from the best about the 4 Cs. :)) great education.
If you like it put a ring on it. :))) I tried on mt dream ring. Smh. Now I want it. Haha boooooo. 2ct princess cut is what I must haveeeeeeee. $ 16,000
Too bad I didn’t win a raffle. Boo.

I was one of the only guys in attendance, but I don’t mind being surrounded by beautiful women.
Enjoyed some wine and some light bites while learning about diamonds. The event felt very Scottsdale, but I’m from Vegas so what do I know.
Actually learned a few things about diamonds, which I never thought I would have any knowledge of. Not sure if I’ll be able to put it to use in my lifetime, but perhaps sometime at a bar this knowledge will be helpful.
The food was pretty delicious. I had just come from dinner but couldn’t resist ahi tuna tacos or crab cakes. And once I came that far, I had to have a key lime pie. All were delicious, can’t wait to try Tommy Bahama’s when I’m back in town.
The people at Shane were super nice. Chatted with quite a few employees… a lot about Tel Aviv and my travels there. Very nice people… I imagine shopping here wouldn’t be the hard sell you’d get at other places. Will definitely keep this place in mind.

(Lyrics — Beyonce Knowles — Put A Ring On It)
All the Elite Unilocalers, all the Elite Unilocalers
All the Elite Unilocalers, all the Elite Unilocalers
All the Elite Unilocalers, all the Elite Unilocalers
All the Elite Unilocalers
Cause if you Unilocal it, then you should have put a star on it
If you Unilocal it, then you shoulda put a star on it
Don’t be mad once you see that I Unilocaled it
’Cause if you Unilocal it, then you shoulda put a star on it
Shane Co co co co co co co co
Cause if you Unilocal it, then you should have put a star on it
If you Unilocal it, then you shoulda put a star on it
Don’t be mad once you see that I Unilocaled it
If you Unilocal it, then you shoulda put a star on it
Thank Shane Co for a lovely event and of course let’s not forget Lindsey! Make sure you charge your $ 40,000 ring and get your reward points; and don’t worry we won’t tell Scott ;)
Overall, a great evening. I learned so much about diamonds in one night and I’m ready when wifey is. That is, once I find her! The 4 C’s — Cut, Caret, Color, and Clarity… that’s not too hard to remember right!
Tommy Bahama’s doing their thing serving up some delectable appetizers from Ahi Tuna Tacos in a wonton shell, my favorite, to crab cakes, key lime pie, and piña colada cakes… yummy! Definitely will stop by next time for HH!
I didn’t win the diamond ear rings, but I’m sure I’ll be content without having to pierce my ears to try them on.
It’s always good to convene with fellow Unilocalers and making my Tuesday night one to remember! — Enjoy!