Alright so here’s what happened. I really wanted one of those 10-point tennis chains for my cousin’s wedding next month. Looked super classy in pictures. Thought it’d be simple – boy, was I wrong.
First thing I did was hop online and typed in “buy 10 point tennis chain”. Boom, about a million results popped up. Felt like diving into the deep end without floaties. Started clicking around and saw prices all over the place – some under 20 bucks, others hundreds. No way those cheap ones are real right?
Decided to get serious and actually compare stuff properly. Pulled up my notes app and made three columns: Where to buy, Price, and Big Concerns. Here’s how it shook out:
- Big Name Jewelry Sites: Easy to find tennis chains, but holy smokes the prices made my eyes water. Found one that looked perfect until I spotted the tiny “lab-created” note. Felt sneaky.
- Online Marketplaces: Tons of options here. Saw one listing using stock photos that showed up on five different stores. Sketchy vibes. Reviews were messy too – people complaining about stones falling out after two wears. Hard pass.
- Sporting Goods Sites: Got super hopeful here at first. Figured “tennis” in the name meant they’d carry them. Nope. Mostly actual tennis gear like rackets and shoes. Total dead end.
After like three hours, I realized I needed help. Called up my buddy who knows jewelry. He told me two things straight: “Always check the clasp quality” and “Ask for actual photos, not catalog shots”. Smart guy.
Went back online with his advice. Got brutal:
- Tried asking three sellers for real photos. One disappeared completely after my request. Blocked me! Seriously.
- Another sent pics that were clearly stolen from somewhere else. Reverse image search showed them on some shady foreign site. Bye bye.
- Third guy actually sent real photos… and man, you could see the glue holding stones in place. Looked terrible.
Almost gave up when I remembered that little family-run shop downtown. Popped in after work on Thursday. Older guy behind the counter actually knew what a 10-point tennis chain was. Showed me real pieces under bright lights, even let me try a few. Saw how the stones sat perfectly in the settings. No glue anywhere.
Big lesson learned: Sometimes old school beats online. Paid more than those web deals, but got a solid piece before the wedding rush. Saved myself a headache for sure. Just had to put in the legwork first.