30-4-2024 (MEXICO) An eye-catching Instagram advertisement for luxury French jeweller Cartier last December caught the attention of Rogelio Villarreal, a surgery resident in Mexico’s northern Tamaulipas state. Admittedly unfamiliar with the prestigious brand, Villarreal was stunned to see the astronomical price tags on the opulent necklaces, handbags and timepieces showcased.
That is, until he spotted a particular pair of sleek 18-carat rose gold earrings lined with diamonds listed at an almost too-good-to-be-true 237 Mexican pesos – equivalent to just £13 (US$13). In disbelief at the seeming pricing error, the 27-year-old made a spur-of-the-moment decision to purchase two pairs.
“I swear I broke out in a cold sweat,” Villarreal recounted on social media of his shock diamond deal discovery. However, the bargain did not last long as Cartier swiftly adjusted the earrings’ listed price to a more brand-appropriate 237,000 pesos (over £13,000).
This mix-up initiated a months-long tussle between the surgery resident and the iconic Parisian jewellery house, with avid social media users rallying behind Villarreal’s case for the heavily discounted earrings. The saga even piqued the interest of Mexican senator Germán Martínez, who weighed in on the dispute.
After persistently pursuing his claim, Villarreal announced his victory on Friday – he would be receiving the diamond earring sets at the original advertised price of just 237 pesos per pair. The fortunate beneficiary? His mother, for whom the luxury accessory was an aspirational purchase.
“I’m excited, especially for my mom. Those earrings are for her,” Villarreal shared, having navigated an extensive social media maelstrom to secure an improbable high-end jewellery bargain destined to become a precious family keepsake.
