Here's the story: A couple walks into Esqueleto, the indie jewelry boutique beloved by alternative engagement ring seekers across the Bay Area, ready to drop serious money on an opal engagement ring by designer Lauren Wolf. The ring costs $1,050 after resizing fees. What follows is a masterclass in how *not* to treat a customer making one of the most sentimental purchases of their life.

First, the ring arrives after a six-week wait with a band that looks — to put it charitably — wobbly. "It looked like a mistake that no one cared to fix," the buyer noted. When she raised concerns, she was told the uneven craftsmanship was part of the designer's "style." Sure. And my crooked IKEA bookshelf is Scandinavian minimalism.