Buying a setting without center diamond

[palegirl888]

Hi Everyone, I have posted on here a few times but I am really inexperienced with diamonds and settings and confused most of the time. ha ha ha. Well, my bf and I finally found a setting that we both like. We found it at a booth in one of the buildings in the Jewelry district in Downtown Los Angeles, 650 S. Hill Street. The setting is platinum and very inexpensive. It is a setting for a round center with a small pear on either side followed by a small round diamond and then two rows of 3 little pave diamonds going down the side. There are also small pave diamonds on the sides of the center diamonds, along the basket. I wish I had a picture!
Anyway, we have a .75 diamond that is in my grandmother''s old ring that we want to use for the center diamond. I am scared to leave my ring and diamond at this place downtown because i don''t know how reputable this guy is. But I love the setting. So I was wondering if it is ok to purchase the setting separately and then have my family jeweler set it himself with my bf watching to make sure nothing happens to my terribly old diamond. Do you think the jeweler will be insulted that I didnt leave the old ring and diamond with him to set? Is it bad to get a setting and set the diamond later? Will it match up and set properly?
I am scared of something happening to the diamond while it is being removed and reset--what if it gets chipped or damaged? It''s really old an hasnt been taken out of it''s setting in almost 90 years or so. And, it hasn''t been cleaned in a REALLY long time. Am I being too paranoid? I haven''t had the diamond appraised either because I don''t know where to do it and I heard that it is silly to have a diamond under 1ct appraised. Sorry for all the questions. I love the setting and I trust my family jeweler, but I am not sure about the jeweler downtown. He seemed really nice and gave us a good price and wasnt too pushy, which is rare. Thanks for any advice!
Simone

 

[AChiOAlumna]

I just did this very exact thing!! I went down to the LA Jewelry District and found the setting, but wasn''t ready to purchase the center stone, so I bought the setting separately. Once I found the stone, I had that dealer mount the stone as I felt VERY comfortable with this jeweler...Just one word of caution (as I learned the hard way!)...Make sure the setting you like is able to accommodate the center stone you want to use. I asked the jeweler who told me it wouldn''t be a problem, but I later learned it could''ve been a potential BIG problem...fortunately, I found a competent, master jeweler who was able to take care of the situation professionally and with great care!

Who is the jeweler you plan to buy the setting from?

 

[palegirl888]

oh my gosh! I am so glad that someone else did the same thing! The jeweler is Jonny Elm at Inter Diamond Inc in that big building at 650 s Hill St. It says on his card: Manufacturer of Fine Jewelry and Wholesaler & Importer of Loose Diamonds. He is at booth # E-5. I am just scared that something will happen to my diamond when it is being removed from the old setting and set in the new one. Maybe I should have my family jeweler remove it in front of me and clean it and then buy the setting from the guy downtown and have him set it--or take the setting and stone back to my jeweler and have him set it. ARGH! We brought the original ring with the diamond in it when we met the guy downtown and he looked at it and said he could make a version of the setting to fit the diamond. We also wanted to add a few little pave stones on the band too. But now I am scared that it wont fit because of your situation! I just dont want the diamond to be out of my or my bf''s sight in case it gets damaged. What do u think I should do? Am I being too neurotic?
Simone

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Sorry...I don''t know that dealer....so I can''t tell you whether he''s trustworthy, but if you''re getting red flags, then listen to them!!

No...you''re not being paranoid at all!!! I normally wouldn''t have left my diamond with the dealer either, but since I bought it from him and I knew of his reputation prior to the purchase, I felt quite comfortable with the situation...If you are at all concerned, then I would have your trusted jeweler remove the diamond, clean it up and then you can do 1 of 2 things...

A) bring the diamond to Jonny Elm and have him mount it...follow him around to the setter and do not take your eyes off of your diamond! (In fact, keep the diamond in YOUR possession until you arrive to the setter)

B) purchase the setting and bring it to your trusted jeweler to have it mounted. Make sure you get a refund policy in case your jeweler feels that the setting CANNOT acocmmodate your stone!! This will alleviate the hassle that I had to go through...

A third possibility is to have Jonny Elm provide you with the serial number and description of the setting. Then go to your jeweler and see is he can obtain it for you!!

Hope this helps...My jeweler ended up being a father/son team, are both GIA gemologists and have 2 master jewelers on staff...so I felt comfortable with the whole process, although it did get tense at that one point!

 

[palegirl888]

Thank you so much for your help AChiOAlumna! One more question: Who is your jeweler? My jeweler is a father/son team too at Henry''s Jewelers on Pico Blvd.
Also, I wish I could get the serial number for the ring, but the ring is a special design that he bought from a designer. It''s one of his most popular, which is why we are adding a few more diamonds to it. ARGH!
My bf needs to call both my jeweler and Jonny to figure out a plan. Thanks again for all your help.
Simone

 

[jennyann2]

I would get insurance and then not worry about it. Even if you bf is there with the diamond it can still be chipped in the setting process no matter who sets it, it happens.

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Date: 4/8/2005 12:38:18 AM
Author: palegirl888
Thank you so much for your help AChiOAlumna! One more question: Who is your jeweler?
Thanks again for all your help.

Simone

Hi Simone!

We used Liberty Diamond Cutters, Inc. Their main office is in Irvine, but they have an appointment-only office in the LAJD. We originally met with them in LAJD but pick up the final product at the Irvine office...they have beautiful stuff there! Their website address is: Liberty Diamonds