"Is that genuine?"

Things that are inappropriate and you should never say about any persons jewelry ever:

"Is that genuine?"

Especially when the ring in question is on that persons left ring finger and they work in a very high end jewelry store. Please find some manners deep within yourself, and take into consideration your environment. The sad thing about this comment is that it was made by an older women who should know what is and is not appropriate to say because she comes from a generation where good manners mattered.

Acceptable things to say if you are unsure that the item in question is indeed "genuine":

What type of stone is that?

Or simply:

That's beautiful! (Generally speaking if you say this to the person you are speaking with they will give you some kind of information on the item in question).

Other unacceptable things to say (unless you are in this persons close circle of friends and these are normal questions that you discuss about any type of item) are*:

How big is your ring?

How much did it cost?

*Also, keep in mind sometimes it's all about how you phrase it:

Inappropriate: Where is that from?

Appropriate: That's lovely, where did you find something so ____________? Fill in the blank with words like: Unique, different, unusual, eye catching, exceptional, individual, uncommon, or striking. You do not actually have to feel this way about the item in question, but it is the polite thing to do.