Disappointed: Damaged stone from precision cutter

[gingercurls]

Hi everyone,

Have you ever received a damaged (scratched, nicked, chipped...) from a precision cutter? I have been curious about this since I recently got back into gemstones over the summer. Since June, I have purchased quite a few new stones. Out of the stones that I have, only two are not precision cut. However, I have received at least ten stones at this point (all from precision cutters) that have been damaged in some way. In all honesty, I am fed up. After receiving my third stone from a precision cutter that was scratched and chipped, I always ask the vendor to inspect the stone before sending it to me for scratches, chips, nicks, and the like. Once I receive a stone, the first thing I do is carefully take it out of the packaging and then loupe it. My loupe isn't anything special and out of all of the stones that I have received that have been damaged, I have been able to see the scratch or nick very easily without the use of a loupe. Ultimately, when I email all of these different vendors I am met with surprise and disbelief until they receive the stone back and can see the damage for themselves. I realize that gemstones are not indestructible but I am still very disappointed. I like to buy from precision cutters because of the promise of a higher quality meet points and a superior polish, but after receiving damaged goods from five very highly regarded precision cutters, I am at the end of my patience. In short, how often do you receive a stone that is scratched, chipped, or nicked? Do you ask for the stone to be fixed or do you prefer to just return the stone altogether?

 

[VapidLapid]

I have many (over 100) precision cut stones (should I be embarrassed to say that?). Never have I received one with scratches or chips. I am sorry to hear of your experiences. Can you show us pictures of the defects?

 

[gingercurls]

Hi VL,

You shouldn't be embarrassed at all! Unfortunately, I decided to send the stones back and not keep them and I never took pictures. The damage that I am talking about is minor, things that the cutters polish out with almost no weight loss. I mostly received stones that have small facet chips/abrasions and a few that have had scratches and such.

 

[VapidLapid]

Is your loupe 10X? colored gemstones are really fairly judged 12 inches from the eye, or at MOST with a 3X loupe. of course one may want to look inside more deeply, I do it often, but don't count strikes against a stone if I am looking over 3X. Do the cutters concur about the defects?

 

[gingercurls]

Yes, the cutters do confirm the damage and my loupe is 10x. I understand your point about how stones are judged but I am a perfectionist and I feel that I have a right to be disappointed with these minor imperfections because I ask for stones to be looped at 10x before they are sent to me.

 

[dk168]

I have only commissioned 2 precision cut gemstones so far from the same cutter, and both were immaculate when inspected under a loupe, and my fingers are firmly crossed that my future purchases from this and other cutters will be the same.

DK

 

[minousbijoux]

I have bought more precision stones than I care to count and cannot recall this ever happening. On several occasions, I have found defects in stones bought from ebay vendors and either sent them back or lived with them, but I cannot recall such a problem with a precision cutter. There is one cutter whose definition of eye clean is much looser than mine and I don't generally buy from them any more, but that is one of many. There are new cutters constantly coming up so you have many to try from.

 

[goldstein]

Sorry OP for your problems.

Hope things get resolved to your satisfaction. Did you try to remedy the situation by contacting the cutter about the problem? What was there response?

Did they accept a refund and return?

If not; how did you pay? By credit card?

 

[minousbijoux]

Since OP sent the stones back, she clearly discussed it with the cutters.

 

[PrecisionGem]

Generally cutting a stone is a series of compromises.

You choose at times size over clarity, or size of shape. Often the best shape to get the largest stone is not the most desirable or easy to set. You see some of these awkward shield shapes or kite shapes, and these are hard to sell, but often give the biggest stone. Then at times you are cutting a round say, and there is one small part of the girdle that may not totally clean up. Do you cut the stone smaller? Cut it lopsided, or leave in the "natural", that many times would get covered by a prong, or only seen with a loupe.

I don't think it's a case of the cutter sending you a damaged stone, but rather one that during the cutting maybe a choice was made. This is especially true when cutting more expensive material. To leave a small natural on a sapphire that could finish at 3 ct. would be a better choice than to cut the stone down to 2.5 ct. Since the girdle is the widest part of the stone, a very small change in size here, makes a big change in the weight.

Sometimes there maybe a small spot on the crown, to cut it out would require lowing the crown way down. This would cause the stone to loose dispersion and sparkle, so a decision is made to leave it in.

If cutting lab created stones, or in expensive materials such as quartz, then the finished size is less important.

 

[marymm]

OP - it sounds like your true complaint is the lack of disclosure after you specifically inquire as to defects/scratches/chips etc. I hope these vendors are also reimbursing your shipping costs if they've sent you something with a defect after stating they've checked it and it is damage-free.

Me personally, I normally do not loupe a CS unless: it is a new stone and after examining it closely with my eye, I see something (whether disclosed on the listing or not) and I pull out my loupe so I can better identify what that "something" is. I also will loupe a CS if I've dropped it or smashed it and I want to check for signs of damage.

eta: I have received, from a couple of different precision-cut CS vendors, stones that had eye-visible inclusions when none were disclosed in the description - for me, if it happens more than once with a specific vendor, I no longer buy from that vendor. If an inclusion/defect is only visible under a loupe, it is a non-issue (for me).

 

[gingercurls]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your replies, they are all very much appreciated. Marymm, I agree and that is exactly why I am upset. In all seriousness, if there is something like a scratch or a nick chances are that I will see it or notice it almost immediately. I admit to being a perfectionist and I wish that more precision took me seriously when I ask about such things. My experience has been that most vendors will disclose everything if I ask the right questions. Others that I have emailed asking about nicks, abrasions, chips, and scratches will not directly answer the question.

 

[chrono]

I am sorry about your experience. I've only purchased from less than 5 precision lapidaries but they also deal with higher end stones and have won several awards, so their level of detail is immaculate. The stones were all perfect in terms of cut, polish and everything else (no scratches, nicks, marks or etc). Although I am more relaxed with other vendors, nicks, facet abrasion and chips are still not acceptable on newly purchased stones.

 

[minousbijoux]

gingercurls - we could all benefit from knowing any vendors where you've had a repeat experience of this kind even asking your questions. Its hard to disclose, but would be so helpful to others.