Lost a stone

[AndyRosse]

Oh Ally, I''m sooo sorry this is happening so soon after getting your gorgeous ring

.

I''m not sure there is anything more that I can add, except that I would personally want the ring fixed by Leon this time. Then, after you get the ring back, I would slowly start talking to different jewelers to see if this problem happens again, if they could fix it. This way, you are not in a rush to have someone fix it now, and you can take your time deciding on the jeweler.

Well good luck and let us know what Birks says today!

 

[HOUMedGal]

What a bummer!!! And you''ve only had it for such a short time! Well, here''s something to cheer you up: at least it wasn''t the CENTER stone that fell out!!!

I agree about the need for you to find a great Canadian jeweler, if not for this situation, for future needs. I would tend to want Leon to fix this, whatever it takes, especially since it''s so new, but maybe after he fixes it, you should start researching jewelers that are more local.

Whatever you do, good luck!!!!

 

[anne_h]

Ally - I''m in a boat similar to yours... we live in Montreal, and will be driving to NY to pick up our ring in a few weeks. I''m nervous about the border crossing also!!

Radiantlover - I''d be interested in contact info for the jeweler you know of, in case I have problems in the future and need someone trusted to do some work. The one jeweler I used downtown didn''t seem to have much experience working with platinum.

BTW, I agree that the staff at Birks downtown are total snobs (well, the ones I''ve dealt with). I look young for my age also, so getting service there is always difficult. I avoid going there are much as possible.

Anne

 

[radiantlover]

Ally -any news yet? My BF and I have decided to buy the radiant and setting from WF and we will be doing the dreaded

border crossing in about 2 weeks to Plattsbrugh! I really hope we don''t get stopped like your fiancé did.

Anne_h -I''m going to see my friend on Saturday and will PM you the info. I''ve personally never dealt with him but she really likes how this guy works...and she LOVES diamonds/jewelry! I introduced her to this site a few months ago and she was in heaven.

Radiantlover

 

[allycat0303]

Hey everyone,

Birks is a horrible place. They made me feel so bad.

When I went to the service/repairs counter, the woman said "Your mistake was buying this ring from anywhere other then Birks. We have the best jewelers in the world, they could have easily made this setting for you."

I should have known to leave then. But I asked for more info, and she a) Wouldn''t let me talk to the jeweler "He''s much too busy to talk to you" b) "I can''t give you an estimate for the time or the cost." I asked for a general estimate a hundre dollars here or there didn''t bother me, "That''s just impossible. It all depends on how much the little diamond cost" Then I said, "If it takes one month for the stone to get here can I come a pick up my ring?", I thought it sounded reasonable, she said "No. There''s a security issue, and then we''d have to fill out paperwork, and it would just take too much time."

So that''s it. I left feeling so down. I look young, absolutely, but that kind of attitude is uncalled for. It looks like I''m wearing it over the border on monday and shipping it UPS. Then I''ll pick it up and wear it over. At this point I''m really discouraged.

I have to be really honest about this ring..... I''m thinking of getting rid of it. I mean it''s beautiful, but I wore it yesturday, and I''m so conscious of it, and always scared to loose another stone (or scratching the center stone) that I feel really hindred. I mean I wash my hands everywhere around the ring, and sometimes when I''m alone in the bathroom I take off the ring and it''s like this huge treat to drench my hands in water. And my boyfriend tried to hold my left hand and wouldn''t let him because I was scared he would knock a stone out. I''ve had 2 eternity bands over 4 years, and I''m really, really careful with my jewelery but this is too much. In addition, yesturday in the hospital, the head doctor told us, "As doctors, I want you washing your hands 20 times a day if you can, between EVERY patient." And I thought to myself, "well then I won''t be waering my ring." I don''t know if this feeling is normal, and it''ll go away after a while. But I discussed it with my boyfriend. We had a fight actually over it

, and I''m thinking of removing the center stone and having it placed in a full metal bezel (don''t like the look but I''ll feel like I can wear it) Or selling the ring (who knows to who) and using whatever I get for it to buy an eternity band.

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

Hi Allycat,

I finally found this thread... Not a minute too soon it seems.

Please understand that you have a great piece of jewellery in hand. I am not surprised about the Birks behaviour. Keep away from them. They won’t be the best anyway.

It is not a hard task but as I mentioned you will need access to a setter with gentle hands - nothing much should be done to get it right. Many jewellers who take pride in their work will see your ring and not help the urge to see it come back the way it was intended.

Leon Mege made this ring and you may need another jeweller to play with his work, but it is a LM piece and that just makes things easier - the beads will be raised perfectly and the stone should just snap into place. This is the one place where ''snap into place'' is a realistic term.

Sorry I missed this thread for so long because I am worried for you and equally so, worried for Leons jewel. Melee at this size can come out, and in your case a good local jeweller should be sort.

It seems that the US/Canadian border is a nightmare. I''ll blame it on Canadian officials (+gov’), etc, etc.

Whatever you find, please let us know. The best name doesn''t mean much and you are right in hoping to meet the setter or at least have confidence in what they can do.

I would love to hear that you are happy enough to wear your ring knowing that it is a great ring and that those small 4 beads didn''t do the job, and that you will soon have it the same way you bought it, so nothing is lost….

I don''t know how you should go about finding a pave setter in Canada, but any candid info'' you can find will help.

Like I said in our PM’s, it will be easy enough for the one who knows how.

Phillip

 

[mrssalvo]

oh ALLY, I'm so sorry. I hate going in jewelry stores because I'm never treated very nicely

and i don't think I look that young. anyway, i know you must feel overwhelmed right now but honestly, I don't think you shouldn't try to reset you Leon ring into a setting you wouldn't really love. You have a beautiful ring. Someone else on here recently had a leon stone fall out not long after she got it too. Maybe he SHOULD run them though the ultrasonic before he sends them out

I honestly think it's just a fluke thing. you have to remember diamonds and plat. are pretty tough. When I first got my eternity band I was so worried about it. Now that I've had it awhile i don't really think about it anymore. i think once you get used to it you won't be as paranoid. maybe pm the other leon owners and see how they handle it.

 

[Demelza]

Ally, I''m so sorry to hear how discouraged you are. I completely understand why you would feel like you just want to give up on the ring after the disappointment of finding a stone missing and being treated poorly at Birks. And I wouldn''t be surprised if you feel angry at all the people involved who let you down (Leon and Birks). Give yourself a bit of time to recover from this before you make any major decisions (i.e. selling your ring). There is a solution here; it''s just a matter of figuring out what it is. I think once you get the ring repaired and have whoever repairs it check all the other stones, you might not feel like it''s the most delicate ring in the world. Washing your hands a million times a day will not hurt the ring. It might be annoying to wear any ring if you have to wash your hands that often, but water does not damage diamonds or platinum. I wonder if part of the problem is that you haven''t really had the chance to make the ring your own, to feel comfortable with it and trust that it''s a well-made piece of jewelry. After all, you barely had a full day of loving it and admiring it before you found out there was something wrong. As I said, give yourself a bit of time to recover and see how you feel. I''m really so sorry this happened.

 

[ame]

Don''t freak out too bad yet. Give Leon a chance to fix it, and then wear it and see how you feel after you know it''s fixed. I can relate to constantly worrying, as everyone can attest to. Try to let it grow on you.

 

[sasa]

allycate...I''m so sorry

but don''t sell your ring, it''s from your fiancé, he will be crush. My mom and sister don''t like my e-ring and my fiancé is hurt by the comments. If you sell the ring, I''m sure your fiancé will be hurt too. I agree you should find a jeweler in Canada to do the work, it''s the best choice for the long run.

 

[FireGoddess]

If Ame's on here telling you not to freak out (and she is the QUEEN of freaking out), then I think we can all agree there is no need to freak.

It does suck that a stone fell out (but it's gonna happen on a pave ring at some point), moreso because it's a hassle for you to get the ring to its maker. But most of us would sell a KIDNEY to have a Leon creation and you're considering selling it? That's jewelry BLASPHEMY!!!!! Bite your tongue.


I think the first suggestion is the best...get that ring to Leon (try to make it a happy occasion or something like someone suggested by taking a quick trip to NY or someplace to make the drive a little more pleasant (it's always more pleasant when you look FORWARD to the destination!). Have Leon fix the ring. Then research some local jewelers and find someone you would trust to work on the ring if need be, WITHOUT the pressure of needing it worked on right now.


There are 80 cajillion stones in that ring and Leon probably went half blind setting them, so y'know, let's cut the man some slack.

It is a gorgeous masterpiece and is MEANT to be loved and worn. It sucks that one popped out so soon, but let's just get the job done and then figure out what you'd do the NEXT time, with the luxury of having TIME to decide.

ETA: If you really end up selling it, honey, put me down as FIRST in line. I am SO not kidding!!!

 

[ame]

Date: 9/16/2005 12:09:37 PM
Author: FireGoddess
If Ame''s on here telling you not to freak out (and she is the QUEEN of freaking out), then I think we can all agree there is no need to freak.

Yes.

I think you need to also ask Leon to suggest a jeweler in your area.

 

[MissAva]

"This is the pic Leon sent me. Thanks again ladies. You''ve reassured me about my ring!" You said this in your other thread before you noticed the missing stone. Any chance that you just dont love it and/or have changed your mind about what you wanted? You are going to be without it for a bit, maybe now is a good time to reflect on if this is something you really want, and will wear and love the way you ought to with an e-ring.

 

[icekid]

oh ALLY! you can''t get rid of the ring... don''t be silly! it''s beautiful, and you love it, it''s a LEON... and most of all, it''s from the man you''re going to marry! I agree with Ame- you need to relax. With pave, stones are probably bound to fall out eventually. But you heard it from the expert, Platinumsmith, it won''t be tough to fix. Wear it, enjoy it, and if a stones falls out, have it replaced!

I think you need to find a great local jeweler too, so you don''t have to make the trip to NY when stones fall out.

haha, and I''m with FireGoddess, if you really don''t want it anymore... I''ll be more than happy to take it

 

[allycat0303]

Hey everyone,

Oh I think I might have come out mad at Leon, but not at all! He was super nice about it, told me to send it, right away (he said he would pay for shipping, and he felt terrible) He had mentioned that he had spoken specifically to his setter before sending it off because he knew it was going out of country. And really, it`s such a small diamond, among many and easily overlooked because of it`s position behind the claws.

If there was a jeweler here that I trusted, I wouldn`t have a doubt in my mind of keeping it. Not for one second. I`d pay whatever I had to pay to do the upkeep. It`s just neither my boyfriend, nor I have the schedule to drive to New York. Even picking it up the first time required my boyfriend to misss 1/2 day of work. The UPS is only open from 3:00 to 6:00 pm. Even if I had to ship it every 6 months, it would be ok. It`s the border crossing that is FREAKING me out. The Canadian govenment is allowed to dismantle your car on SUSPICION ALONE! And they don`t put it back together when they are done

Montreal (asides from Birks) is not known for this type of work. I took the ring to 3 jewelers, and none of them would touch the ring!!! And even at Birks, I never talked to the jeweler, so the service counter lady could have been making assumptions!

Actually though I discussed this with my sister this morning, and she agrees that my ring SHOULD be functional. However, being that I`m going to have to wash my hands a zillion times a day, and doing physical exams, she bought up the point that NO RING WILL BE FUNCTIONAL!! As in changing the setting isn`t going to make a difference, because eternity band, bezel set, whatever, it`s still going to look disgusting after a few turns under the alchol. So I`m thinking of wearing my e-ring around my neck on a chain for all hospital related stuff. What do all think?

I`m discouraged about the Canada tax laws. I think it`s harsh that even getting something REPAIRED means new ring. But I spoke to my boyfriend and this is what we are going to do:

a) get it appraised in Canada (have them note that the ring is in Canada)
b) I`m going to wear it over the border, and then ship it to Leon
c) Now technically, I am suppose to get permission from the Canadian governement to have repairs done but they can say no if they feel like it.
d) When I pick it up I`ll just pretend it never left my finger.

So this afternoon I`m going to go get an appraisal. Might be a bit of a problem because I`m not really willing to leave it in the hands of anybody overnight. AND I`M NOT GIVING IT TO BIRKS!!!

But I think the good thing is even if we have to pay 80$ for an appraisal that we really don`t need (our insurance wants their own appraisal) I`ll always have it so that travelling to the US and any future repairs can be done with much less problems.

 

[canuk-gal]

te: 9/16/2005 1:19:22 PM
AND I`M NOT GIVING IT TO BIRKS!!!

But I think the good thing is even if we have to pay 80$ for an appraisal that we really don`t need (our insurance wants their own appraisal) I`ll always have it so that travelling to the US and any future repairs can be done with much less problems.

HI AC:

Sorry for your troubles. These last two things you''ve said make great sense:

1) I got certain items I always travel with appraised and travel with the document since Canada Customs inadvertantly lost a valuable pearl earring of mine while ransacking my luggage (OKOK they were just going their job, but it sure felt like I was being stripped searched). You won''t regret this move as it will give you peace of mind (yes, yes, you are an honest citizen!!!! Officers forget that sometimes with all those unsavory folks have to deal with, I surmise)

2) Don''t deal with jewellers who do not instill in you a sense of confidence and furthermore attempt to make you feel bad for your not having bought from them in the first place. Unfortunately Birks seems to have a moratorium on this stinking attitude and hence I refuse to deal with them in any form.

Good luck toward a timely resolution of your problem.

cheers--Sharon

 

[sasa]

I think wearing your e-ring around your neck is a great idea

Good luck on crossing the border

 

[Demelza]

If you're wearing your ring on your finger, I seriously don't think it would even occur to the customs agent to question what you are going to do with the ring in the US. I cross the border weekly with my rings and no one has ever even looked at my hand. Nor has anyone searched my car or person. My husband used to commute from the US to Vancouver 4-5 times a week and never had any problem either. If your fiance were carrying the ring across, that would be a different story because he couldn't very well say that this was his ring. Unless crossing the border on the east coast is very different from crossing on the west coast (which I highly doubt), you should be fine. I definitley WOULD NOT offer the appraisal to them unless they specifically ask. You don't want to draw any unnecessary attention to the ring. I'm just remembering one instance when a border agent actually grabbed my hand and said, "Oh, I love your ring!" I really think you will be fine. When will you be going?

 

[blueroses]

Oh Ally, don''t be too discouraged.....as you said, ANY ring is going to be cumbersome in med school and I think the idea of a chain is a good one.....this ring is SO SPECIAL and you and your FI spent so much time and effort on it--this kind of ring is exactly what you were dreaming about back on our first days on the LIW list!! It is PERFECT and STUNNING, so I hope this setback won''t deter you from wearing that dream!!!!!

And that woman from Birk''s was smoking some SERIOUS crack!!

 

[ame]

I think maybe you should look into a band ring for work/school and wear your gorgeous bling ring for everything else. Not only will you protect your real ring, you won''t have anything cumbersome on your hand.

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 9/16/2005 4:12:35 PM
Author: ame
I think maybe you should look into a band ring for work/school and wear your gorgeous bling ring for everything else. Not only will you protect your real ring, you won''t have anything cumbersome on your hand.

I agree.

 

[blueroses]

Date: 9/16/2005 4:20:18 PM
Author: mrssalvo

Date: 9/16/2005 4:12:35 PM
Author: ame
I think maybe you should look into a band ring for work/school and wear your gorgeous bling ring for everything else. Not only will you protect your real ring, you won''t have anything cumbersome on your hand.

I agree.

The more I think about it, me three!! That way you won''t worry about losing the ring on a chain but you can still wear it when it matters!

 

[ame]

Yea it looks bad fishing around in your bra for your ring.

 

[Scintillating]

I''d probably be so paranoid about losing it or breaking a chain I''d wear two chains!

I think this is a good solution. - And it keeps it close to your heart.

Scintillating...

 

[Blue824]

Ally, Boo for birks for making you feel so horrible!! I''m glad you two decided on a course of action that will work for you! I read the post about maybe getting rid of the ring and my heart sank! THis should be happy and exciting and even for a tiny stone to fall out, this wouldn''t have been an isuse if you didn''t have to keep crossing the border...ugh! I think the $80 is worth the peace of mind when crossing the border. GOod luck with the repairs! and I"m so glad you''re feeling a little better about everything! I agree with Ame to get a simpler, less expensive band to wear for working... Glad everything is working out

 

[allycat0303]

You girls are so incredibly cute! Well I made an appointment on Tuesday for the appraisal, checked out his credentials, it's a go. The very best part is he does the appraisal in front of you while you wait. Everyone else tells me it has to be send away for 2 weeks. I'm probably going to be sending it off on Tuesday afternoon. Honestly, I DOUBT they are going to ask me questions but I definitely think it's better safe then sorry. Especially since we've been searched 3 times in 4 trips. Makes me feel uncomfortable.


I'M feeling ALOT better about all this. Once I have official papers, travelling with it isn't going to be a problem. I won't offer them the appraisal but at least it makes me feel like there won't be a problem. It's basically the answer to everything.

Thanks everyone for the advice! You all rule!

 

[ame]

Good deal!

Welcome to the world of the insane. We are glad to have you all here.

 

[AndyRosse]

Good to hear things are coming together! After all this, I bet when you cross the border, they won''t bother you at all! LOL But it''s better to be safe than sorry.

Just as a sidenote, when my fiance proposed last year, we crossed the Canadian border to go to Niagara Falls on your side. He had the ring in his camera bag, no receipt or any documentation on it. He proposed in Canada, and when we crossed back over to the American side, we of course told the US officer that we had gotten engaged and even showed him the ring LOL. He wished us luck and off we went. No questions, no problems. But of course, this was all done backwards from what you are doing and Canada does like to charge customs duties and fees

.

 

[Demelza]

Here's a thought: If you like the appraiser and get the sense that he/she is competent and professional, you might ask him/her for a recommendation for a local jeweler.

Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better. Did Leon say how long it would take to do the repair?

By the way, how far are you from the US border? Just curious.

 

[FireGoddess]

I think Demelza brings up a great point - your appraiser is likely to have seen rings and work from a variety of local jewelers...it would be wise to at least inquire about opinions on local benchpeople with your appraiser.

I''m glad to see things are going to work out...I hope all the stones stay put from now on!!