Calling All Platinum Experts -- Porosity??

[Demelza]

Date: 11/6/2005 7:45:28 PM
Author: mrssalvo
Demelza, i'm so sorry, i thought you finally had a winner

Yeah, me too. I mean this mounting IS a winner -- I just love the style and elegance. I would do anything for it not to have porosity. I was SO, SO happy thinking that I was done and now this

 

[Kaleigh]

Hang in there Demelza, don't give up hope yet! If the vendor cares at all about his rep or QC he will make things right, one would think!

 

[Demelza]

Update: Well, I decided that this is not something I can live with. I found 2 other very tiny pits near the larger hole in the prongs. This may sound extreme, but I do not want to have this mounting repaired. I want a brand new mounting that is as close to perfect as possible. I know that porosity happens with some frequency (I ordered a Stuller mounting once that had very bad porosity) and I do not think it is a reflection of the overall quality of this vendor''s merchandise. But I want a new mounting. So, I proposed to the vendor that I return this mounting minus the restocking fee for custom orders and apply the remainder to a new mounting. I don''t mind eating a little bit of money if I can get a brand new mounting in exchange. I LOVE this mounting and just want it right. Waiting to hear back, but hopefully this can be resolved quickly and easily.

 

[Kaleigh]

Dem,
I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you. What you offered was quite reasonable and will be on a more positive note than if you didn''t offer to pay for the restocking fee. I really hope he does this for you. Good luck!!

methinks you may need it

 

[AndyRosse]

Dem, I agree, your offer sounds very fair indeed. Maybe a bit too fair LOL.

Are you going to let them set the diamond this time? Or just really inspect the ring before your jeweler sets your diamond?

 

[Demelza]

Date: 11/7/2005 3:19:21 PM
Author: Rascal49
Dem, I agree, your offer sounds very fair indeed. Maybe a bit too fair LOL.


Are you going to let them set the diamond this time? Or just really inspect the ring before your jeweler sets your diamond?

I don't know about sending my diamond. For one thing, I haven't heard back yet. I hate to think of sending my stone, but if that's the only way to get a guarantee on the setting, then that's what I'll do. I also don't want to spend another $150 to have the stone reset.

 

[MissAva]

How much will it cost you to mail it there and back with the stone in the package?

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

how much did the mount cost Dem?

 

[Demelza]

Date: 11/7/2005 3:48:43 PM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)
how much did the mount cost Dem?

The mounting was $1,100.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Yes, I did know that.
It is more than we would charge for a custom hand made in Oz.
Maybe I should move to USA?

 

[perry]

Your finding more pits indicates a general porosity problem (not an isolated bubble). The prong could be weak.

I think your offer is more than generous. I would probably ask for no cost replacement based on their guarantee of high quality products (the porosity has been their all along).

Perry

 

[Kaleigh]

I agree Perry. We''ll see what he has to say tomorrow. Fingers and toes are crossed Dem!!! I''m even knocking on wood for ya!!!

 

[Demelza]

Date: 11/7/2005 6:56:37 PM
Author: kaleigh
I agree Perry. We''ll see what he has to say tomorrow. Fingers and toes are crossed Dem!!! I''m even knocking on wood for ya!!!

Thanks K! You''re the BEST

 

[Demelza]

UPDATE: Received an email from the vendor this morning. They made a very generous offer to make me a brand new setting at NO extra cost in order to keep me as a satisfied customer. They are going to expedite this process and will set my stone at no charge. That seems extremely fair and I am very happy with the outcome. Only thing that worries me, or course, is sending my precious diamond across the country, especially in light of all the discussion on here about theft. I do have the ability to send it Fed Ex or UPS overnight with with outside insurance AND my stone is insured through our homeowner's insurance. Guess I should check and make sure it would still be covered in this situation. I really don't want to be in agony waiting the 3-5 days it will take to arrive via USPS. Anyway, the pain of being without my ring begins shortly

 

[mrssalvo]

well, i''m sorry the vendor didn''t step to the plate on the responsibility side but i''m glad to see they are willing to make it right to keep you happy. I''m sure it will get to them just fine. Maybe after they see their "high quality" setting they can admit their lack of Quality Control on your setting...

 

[Mara]

Dem, check your policy but if it''s covered under homeowners and would be covered in case of mail theft or loss, then I''d send it via UPS..totally, and get it insured as well, they will insure a RING (not loose diamond) but I don''t know if FedEx will to a high value. I know I''d go mad waiting 3-7 days rather than 1 night. And if you have that double security, why wait. Last time I sent my ring to WF via UPS and I had alot more peace of mind than waiting a week for it to arrive. Depending on where you are that is!

My two cents!

 

[Kaleigh]

I sent my SIL''s diamond ring that I did for her by UPS, overnight. I payed a lot for insurance but it''s better waiting for 1 night than several. I think whitefoot put the fear in people about UPS but many here have had no troubles at all. As Mara said check you home owners poilicy too. I think he finally made a very fair offer.

 

[Demelza]

Date: 11/8/2005 12:44:17 PM
Author: kaleigh
I sent my SIL''s diamond ring that I did for her by UPS, overnight. I payed a lot for insurance but it''s better waiting for 1 night than several. I think whitefoot put the fear in people about UPS but many here have had no troubles at all. As Mara said check you home owners poilicy too. I think he finally made a very fair offer.

Yes, I agree. His offer is very fair and I will be sending my ring tomorrow.

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh I''m so glad. All this will finally be worked out and you''ll have a brand new setting and it will be gorgeous!!! How long will it take do you think??? Will you get it back by the end of next week. I hope to get my ring back by the end of next week, we can wait together!!!

 

[decodelighted]

Glad to hear it''ll be PERFECT, PERFECT. Shipping can be stressful but we''ll send you good postal vibes.

FYI -- My ring was recently "in lock up" at UPS for a whole weekend because of a mix-up on our part about when the recipient would be home to sign for it. Though I panicked a bit through the weekend ... it arrived safely, untampered with. Whew.

 

[pyramid]

Demelza, I am happy to hear that you have got the outcome you wanted/needed.

 

[AndyRosse]

Dem, glad to hear that everything seems like it is going to work out!!

 

[cutes814]

Dem, I''m gald SC decided with the final solution. That is very fair. It is a scary hassle sending the diamond out though. Here''s to hoping everything goes smoothly and you getting your ring back ASAP.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I guess Barry from Superb cert is a diamond man and not a jewellery person.

There is no way a setter could put that hole in your mount.
But at least he is doing the right thing, even if he is not saying the right thing.

Maybe the power of the forum has a little to do with it too?

 

[AndyRosse]

I agree to Garry...I wish he would stop placing the blame on the wrong person! But then again, he could have taken you up on your offer, which would have been better $$ wise for him.

Oh well, if in the end you get the perfect ring you wanted, then that is all that matters!! I''m crossing my fingers for you!

 

[Leila]

Demelza, I''m sorry to hear your new ring has some defects. It''s good to hear SC will make it right. I hope you won''t be without your ring for too long. If it gets tough, just think I''m suffering along with ya! If that''s any consolation at all.

 

[butterfly 17]

Sorry I am late, but I am glad you are going to have this issue resolved.

I have to say, I did notice the same thing with the ring Leon Mege made me, although I am very picky about these things. That is one of the reasons why rather than having him add pave to the ring he made, I decided to just get a brand new ring. Well that and the fact that there was prong friction scratches from the shared prong ring I had.
I never mentioned it in any thread, but when people pm''d me about his work, I did tell them that I was not overly impressed with the quality and told them about the "bubbles" in the ring.

From what I have seen, this might be a common thing and I think it occurs when the ring is cast.

I have to say though that I have not seen this in my Vatche, Tiffany or Ritani rings and also I don''t think it has ever occurred with any of Mark Morrell''s pieces either.

I just hope that the new Tiffany Replica they send you will be perfect, but you never know.

Oh, Fedex only insures up to $500 and after that you have to get private insurance. When I mailed my rings to Ritani, I used Fedex but opted not to get their insurance since I already had my own.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 11/8/2005 5:53:09 PM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)
I guess Barry from Superb cert is a diamond man and not a jewellery person.

There is no way a setter could put that hole in your mount.
But at least he is doing the right thing, even if he is not saying the right thing.

Maybe the power of the forum has a little to do with it too?

 

[perry]

The problem with casting metals is that their is often a tradeoff on properties and casting issues. A certain amount of strenght and hardness is desired in platinum - which inherently raises the possibility of porosity when cast with the normal casting process. Other alloys that have much less porosity problems (or none at all) tend to not have the properties desired.

If the parts were larger than a ring, or lots of them were being made at once the melted metal could be put under a vacuum to "degas" it just prior to pouring (works great). Given the value and mark-up with jewelry I am surprised that someone has not figured out how to adapt vacuum degassing to jewelry.

Perry

 

[KristyDarling]

Hi there Dem -- I just read through this thread, and, what an ordeal!! I agree with Garry -- your vendor is (finally) doing the right thing, but it's a shame that he did not own up and take full responsibility. (I definitely disliked his first response, when he said off the bat that it was the setter's fault and wasn't even open to considering other possibilities!)

If I had received that last response, it would've made me feel really bad, as if he were doing ME a huge favor! I think you're really nice to be so patient and gracious with him throughout all this. I would've been much b!tchier!

In the end, YAY for getting a PERFECT ring. Can't wait to see it!!!