Gypsy
Super_Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2005
- Messages
- 40,225
As some of you know I'm planning on resetting my diamond in a baguette/ trap halo. I've been interviewing jewelers for the job... and here are my experiences in order of contact.
Scale will be 1-5
1. Leon Mage. Loved the man's work... emailed him. He sent back a form letter asking me to call. So I called and we talked about my project. For the budget I gave him he said it would be impossible to the setting I wanted (qouted 6,000 for what I wanted) and that I should go with a micro pave halo. Someone on here called him The Art of Pave. I'm still not sure if he even understood my request fully, as you need to look at the email I sent with pictures to illustrate what I want in order to get it. He never read my email, or looked at the pictures I sent him. The beginning and end of it was: my budget of $3000 was too small for him, he doesn't like doing baguette/ trap work, and if he can talk you into pave-- he will. Art of Pave indeed. Customer service: 2. 1 point for the quick email response (even if generic), 1 point for getting the man himself on the phone on the first try.
2. Quest. Wow. Pete read everything I wrote, fully understood it and asked me to contact him. It took him no time at all to figure out what I wanted, get me a qoute and make a couple of fantastic suggestions. The time frame they qouted me was long-- 5 weeks-- but I was made to understand that my setting would be breaking new ground for them and they were playing it safe. I appreciated that. Also, when I had to delay the project Pete called me before taking on new ones to see where I was at. The price was very fair, he explained to my what eas costing what. Customer service: 4. Only one complaint. When I asked for a detailed qoute proposal in writing, twice, Pete didn't get it to me. Being a lawyer I like to get things in writing and well, wasn't very comfortable with that lack.
3. Maytal. She was a designer under Beaudry and has gone out on her own. Was on vacation when I emailed and didn't get back to me till a week later. After that however was on the ball and quick with a qoute. One thing, I asked to see other examples of her work and she didn't provide me with anything... which could have been an oversight. Her price was higher than Quests but lower than Leons. As the customer service wasn't as good as Quest's either, I thanked her for her time and moved on. Customer service: 3
4. Whiteflash: Well when insuring the ring resulted in delays in my sending things off to Quest I figured I should get a qoute from Whiteflash. I sent an email. Didn't get a response. 2 days later I re-sent it and got a response. Renee contacted me to tell me my request has been sent to the design team and that she'd be in touch. A few days later she was. Her price was 200 under Quests... but she had no details-- nothing except ctw-- no color, clarity, platinum weight nothing. So I kept having to ask for specifics and then she'd have to go and ask the design team. The diamond color was lower than I had requested and so was the clarity. I also asked how long they would honor the qoute. "We cannot guarantee the prices will stay the same on a quote for a custom piece over 48hrs." was the response. Which made me very unhappy. At no time did I actually talk to the person who would be doing my setting... and playing telephone through Renee was frankly annoying and time consuming. Customer service: 1.25.
5. Gary Michaels Jewelers in NJ. I wanted to go to one 'real' jeweler nearby for a qoute. They are very high end and very well respected. I did not like the assess and serve attitude of the store. I had not dressed up-- was just grocery shopping when I popped in and I recieved poor service with attitude. Then I asked about custom work and was introduced to the man who is charge of it. I tried to explain what I wanted. The man didn't know the word "halo'... so I showed him a Ritani... yo get the picture... I told him I would send him an email (really what was the point in giong in??) and he said he'd prefer that. So I sent it in. Nothing. No acknowledgement of receipt. Nothing. For a week then this, "Although we would be able to produce this ring for you, we will not be able to do better than the price that you have. Because of this, I prefer not to even quote out the ring." Yeah. Customer service: 1
6. Engagement Rings Direct: I don't know why it occured to me to call Mark at ERD since he's not a person we think of for custom setttings, but so many folks have been pleased with the service they've gotten from him that I decided to drop him a note. The response was quick, but it unfortunately didn't look like he'd done anything more than look at the pictures I had provided... and that he didn't read through the descriptions I had written out explain the pictures. So he thought I wanted a Legacy copy. Then I clarified and he called me. Once we started talking everything was great... he was VERY attentive and careful to understand EXACTLY everything I wanted. Also just a great guy to talk to. He told me he would talk to his diamond cutter and get back to me. He called yesterday and said that, before he gets a qoute he has some questions and so does his cutter, so he's going to have a computer generated model mock up of my ring made and sent to me to proof BEFORE giving me the qoute. I was floored! He wanted to put all that work in before I gave him my business? Just to make sure we were on the same page? So... the model will be ready on Monday and then he will give me the qoute. Customer service: 4.25 ... things haven't been as quick as with Quest... but then again there is A LOT more effort being expended on my behalf. Mark is a bit hard to get on the phone though.
So I'll have to update on Monday... but here's the skinny (or the fat considering the novel I just wrote) on the vendors and my experiences with them. It's either going to be Quest or ERD for me. So we'll see.
CRAP! I FORGOT TO INCLUDE ONE CRUCIAL THING: When I talked to Mark on the phone for the first time it was Monday. I had just lost my job and told him that upfront. Told him that I would not be able to do this immediately. Didn't faze him IN THE LEAST. He still doesn't know I'm employed again and he's STILL DOING ALL OF THIS! Up the customer service to a 4.5.
Scale will be 1-5
1. Leon Mage. Loved the man's work... emailed him. He sent back a form letter asking me to call. So I called and we talked about my project. For the budget I gave him he said it would be impossible to the setting I wanted (qouted 6,000 for what I wanted) and that I should go with a micro pave halo. Someone on here called him The Art of Pave. I'm still not sure if he even understood my request fully, as you need to look at the email I sent with pictures to illustrate what I want in order to get it. He never read my email, or looked at the pictures I sent him. The beginning and end of it was: my budget of $3000 was too small for him, he doesn't like doing baguette/ trap work, and if he can talk you into pave-- he will. Art of Pave indeed. Customer service: 2. 1 point for the quick email response (even if generic), 1 point for getting the man himself on the phone on the first try.
2. Quest. Wow. Pete read everything I wrote, fully understood it and asked me to contact him. It took him no time at all to figure out what I wanted, get me a qoute and make a couple of fantastic suggestions. The time frame they qouted me was long-- 5 weeks-- but I was made to understand that my setting would be breaking new ground for them and they were playing it safe. I appreciated that. Also, when I had to delay the project Pete called me before taking on new ones to see where I was at. The price was very fair, he explained to my what eas costing what. Customer service: 4. Only one complaint. When I asked for a detailed qoute proposal in writing, twice, Pete didn't get it to me. Being a lawyer I like to get things in writing and well, wasn't very comfortable with that lack.
3. Maytal. She was a designer under Beaudry and has gone out on her own. Was on vacation when I emailed and didn't get back to me till a week later. After that however was on the ball and quick with a qoute. One thing, I asked to see other examples of her work and she didn't provide me with anything... which could have been an oversight. Her price was higher than Quests but lower than Leons. As the customer service wasn't as good as Quest's either, I thanked her for her time and moved on. Customer service: 3
4. Whiteflash: Well when insuring the ring resulted in delays in my sending things off to Quest I figured I should get a qoute from Whiteflash. I sent an email. Didn't get a response. 2 days later I re-sent it and got a response. Renee contacted me to tell me my request has been sent to the design team and that she'd be in touch. A few days later she was. Her price was 200 under Quests... but she had no details-- nothing except ctw-- no color, clarity, platinum weight nothing. So I kept having to ask for specifics and then she'd have to go and ask the design team. The diamond color was lower than I had requested and so was the clarity. I also asked how long they would honor the qoute. "We cannot guarantee the prices will stay the same on a quote for a custom piece over 48hrs." was the response. Which made me very unhappy. At no time did I actually talk to the person who would be doing my setting... and playing telephone through Renee was frankly annoying and time consuming. Customer service: 1.25.
5. Gary Michaels Jewelers in NJ. I wanted to go to one 'real' jeweler nearby for a qoute. They are very high end and very well respected. I did not like the assess and serve attitude of the store. I had not dressed up-- was just grocery shopping when I popped in and I recieved poor service with attitude. Then I asked about custom work and was introduced to the man who is charge of it. I tried to explain what I wanted. The man didn't know the word "halo'... so I showed him a Ritani... yo get the picture... I told him I would send him an email (really what was the point in giong in??) and he said he'd prefer that. So I sent it in. Nothing. No acknowledgement of receipt. Nothing. For a week then this, "Although we would be able to produce this ring for you, we will not be able to do better than the price that you have. Because of this, I prefer not to even quote out the ring." Yeah. Customer service: 1
6. Engagement Rings Direct: I don't know why it occured to me to call Mark at ERD since he's not a person we think of for custom setttings, but so many folks have been pleased with the service they've gotten from him that I decided to drop him a note. The response was quick, but it unfortunately didn't look like he'd done anything more than look at the pictures I had provided... and that he didn't read through the descriptions I had written out explain the pictures. So he thought I wanted a Legacy copy. Then I clarified and he called me. Once we started talking everything was great... he was VERY attentive and careful to understand EXACTLY everything I wanted. Also just a great guy to talk to. He told me he would talk to his diamond cutter and get back to me. He called yesterday and said that, before he gets a qoute he has some questions and so does his cutter, so he's going to have a computer generated model mock up of my ring made and sent to me to proof BEFORE giving me the qoute. I was floored! He wanted to put all that work in before I gave him my business? Just to make sure we were on the same page? So... the model will be ready on Monday and then he will give me the qoute. Customer service: 4.25 ... things haven't been as quick as with Quest... but then again there is A LOT more effort being expended on my behalf. Mark is a bit hard to get on the phone though.
So I'll have to update on Monday... but here's the skinny (or the fat considering the novel I just wrote) on the vendors and my experiences with them. It's either going to be Quest or ERD for me. So we'll see.
CRAP! I FORGOT TO INCLUDE ONE CRUCIAL THING: When I talked to Mark on the phone for the first time it was Monday. I had just lost my job and told him that upfront. Told him that I would not be able to do this immediately. Didn't faze him IN THE LEAST. He still doesn't know I'm employed again and he's STILL DOING ALL OF THIS! Up the customer service to a 4.5.