Pennsylvania-based luxury retailer Opulent Jewelers has managed to make itself perhaps the most talked about jeweler of the moment. The jeweler is in the news for offering a pretty basic discount of $500 for anyone spending over $10,000.

 

In a press release, Opulent Jewelers said it was offering its promotion to all of the people who had their personal information and sensitive details compromised by the Ashley Madison hackers while online it appears as, “Our Ashley Madison Hack Victim Backup Plan.”

 

(Just in case you have been on a news fast, the email addresses of many of the 32 million users registered on the Canadian company’s website were leaked by a group called “The Impact Team.”)

 

I’m a little conflicted by the jeweler’s tactic. On the one hand, it’s a brilliant stroke of marketing genius. A company puts out a simple press release and creates an offer that is pretty modest – and bam! Its name is all over the Internet. You can’t pay for that type of publicity.

 

On the other hand, while I think the idea is genius, the text of the release is depressing, casting women (whose husbands have potentially been cheating on them) as easily assuaged by nothing more than some expensive jewelry. “Although an explanation will likely be in order, it probably can't hurt for him to try to regain his partner's good graces by making a large purchase of some of the finest jewelry products in the world. Thankfully, Opulent Jewelers' has your back and we're here to take that hot water off the boil and bring it down to a simmer.”

 

While the company explicitly says is doesn’t condone cheating, the language is a bit too “nudge, nudge, wink, wink there goes the little woman making a fuss again” stereotypical for my liking. “While we don't condone cheating, we're a company that is no stranger to helping countless husbands and boyfriends stuck in the dog house looking for a get out of jail free card,” says the press release.

 

Oh yes, the doghouse. Where all boyfriends and husbands are inevitably sent and from which the only escape is a trinket or two, and if Opulent Jewelers had its way, they would be pretty pricey trinkets at that. (“Remember that since you’ve such a naughty boy our promo only works for jewelry worth $10,000 and onward.”)

 

I know, I know. I harp on about the way women are perceived and advertised to a lot in this column. I can’t help that. I’m a critical thinker. But really (and taking this promotion at face value), why would any woman want a piece of jewelry that would constantly remind her of a time when her boyfriend or husband cheated on her? Who wants something beautiful to be caught up with bad juju?

 

Perhaps it is just me. According to CNBC, the company had already sold an item worth more than $15,000 as part of the promotion, although it couldn’t confirm if it was a genuine hacker victim or a savvy shopper. Either way, it’s a win-win for Opulent Jewelers. I’m just not sure it’s so clear cut for the real victims of the scam.

 

Have a fabulous weekend.