Would you at least trust a commercial (mall) jewelwer to set a diamond?

[MRS2004]

I spoke with a local jeweler (it is a small town, so we don''t have many to choose from), and he is not comfortable setting a diamond in someone else''s setting (of course, he won''t make near as much money doing it, either). I found a setting that I like at DCD, and now I want it set. Also, I''m not so concerned about long-term relations in this area, since we move a bit AND I don''t have the budget to purchase much jewelry; this is pretty much a one-time deal.

Thanks again.

 

[digitring]

To have a good setting, it indeed requires demanding craftmanship and experience. If your local jeweler doesn't feel comfortable to make the setting you want, it may turn out to be an unsatisfied experience.

 

[ame]

I wouldn't trust a mall jeweler to look at my ring, let alone touch any part of it.

 

[WinkHPD]

If the man says he is not comfortable, then pass on this jeweler and go on to the next.

Do not however, expect to find someone who will take liability for your stone for the setting fee however.

Find a jeweler, either mall or free standing, who is comfortable earning a fee, but understand that none of them will accept liability for your stone since both it and the ring were purchased elsewhere.

If worst comes to worst, you could always send your stone to DCD to set.

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

Oh, and check them out with the BBB or Chamber of Commerce before leaving your stone with them. If they have a bad rep, these organizations usually know it.

Wink

 

[MRS2004]

thanks, all! I appreciate the feedback/input.

 

[yowahking]

If you are in a small town, you are usually not far from a larger town with a better jeweler. Look for one who creates rings, they are not usually scared to set a stone, and will do a good job. Better to pay an extra $50 for someone good, and insure it yourself, than to let the lowest level flunky set it at a store who will give you a warranty full of small print. Ask the place you are getting it from if they know of a great setter.
Scott

 

[wonka27]

Hmmm...newbie with a website gets bent out of shape...wonder what's up with that?

 

[wonka27]

Well I would personally choose to go to a well known, longtime community jeweler opposed to Zales, Kays, Littmans, etc. Why? Because most of their gemstones are junk being sold to either uneducated customers, or people who can't afford better. Because of the type of business model they have in selling this crap, I would only assume that the craftsmanship may not fall far behind.

 

[wonka27]

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On 8/30/2004 7:28:35 PM crankydave wrote:

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On 8/30/2004 7:10:53 PM wonka27 wrote:

Well I would personally choose to go to a well known, longtime community jeweler opposed to Zales, Kays, Littmans, etc. Why? Because most of their gemstones are junk being sold to either uneducated customers, or people who can't afford better. Because of the type of business model they have in selling this crap, I would only assume that the craftsmanship may not fall far behind.----------------

A well known community jeweler is an excellent option. To suggest, however, that other jewelers such as Bailey, Banks and Biddle (Zales Corp. Store), sells crap to uneducated customers is simply incorrect and irresponsible. Assuming that the craftmanship that these stores provide mirror your opinion of them, is a very false assumption.

Dave
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I don't think I ever suggested those jewelers? Frankly, I never heard of them here in my little corner of the world. The malls where I live have Zales, Kays, Littman's, Gordon's, and Whitehall, Co. Frankly, those stores sell low quality pieces from what I've seen. I think I was pretty clear on the type of jewelery store I was talking about.

Do you happen to work for a mall jeweler? Just wanted to ask?

 

[wonka27]

Wow...so because a diamond is certified, that makes it a good diamond? Is that the point your trying to make? I sure hope not! Many certified diamonds are what I'd consider to be "crap"!

Can you please qualify yourself as I asked before? Are you a jeweler? Who do you work for? Obviously you have a website, or work for a company with a website...that much your posts make clear. I think it is irresponsible for yourself to come on here and give "honest and professional" opinions without telling us your credentials. Personally I am just a consumer who has taken the time to educate myself as much as I can as a member of pricescope. The education one can get here is eye opening and probably the best move I've made before going out and buying diamonds.

 

[noobie]

I think it depends on the store. Bailey Banks and Biddle does sell some nice stuff, overpriced in my opinion and variable staff knowledge, but I think they would do reasonable work. Liljenquist & Beckstead has a master jeweler on-site so I would trust this mall jeweler to set a diamond and make a ring. However this is not a typical mall store. Just a store that happens to be located in a high end mall.

 

[wonka27]

If all the consumers stopped giving their advice on a messageboard like this, there wouldn't be a message board. Why should we always trust someone in the industry? Wouldn't you agree it is hard to not notice you may have your own personal motives at heart?

You need to earn respect here friend not just pop on for the first time so you can get your website out there.

 

[denverappraiser]

Most mall jewelry stores have their repair and setting work done by independent businesses that are know in the industry as trade shops. This has to do with high rents in the malls, the general noise and mess of the shop environment and the difficulty of hiring and training skilled jewelers. These shops will range anywhere from one to a few dozen jewelers and a shop will regularly support a large assortment of stores that are ostensibly competing with one another. Many independent and standalone stores also use this system as well, for similar reasons. I spent more than a decade working as a jeweler for such a shop as well as serving time as a manager and an owner.

Obviously, I can’t speak for every jeweler in every trade shop across the country but I can speak for my own work and the work of my partners and employees. We did excellent work on behalf of jewelers all over the city without any customer ever knowing or caring who was working on their treasures. This is a seriously thankless job. Our shop had meticulous quality control and an expert carefully examined every single job before it was returned to the store. Jewelers were held to a standard of ‘10x perfect’ work. The sales people in the store were not the ones to decide if a job was done properly and the jeweler doing the work didn’t know if the store that sent the job was a fancy independent or a mall kiosk. It just didn’t matter.

The suggestion of this thread that giving your ring to a clerk in a mall store will result in your work being done by an incompetent craftsman is simply not correct. It might, but the address and décor of the store is not an important deciding element.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[wonka27]

Thank you denver for your thoughtful post and explanation on how things work. I appreciate you taking the time to make me more informed on the discussion.

I think the point I was trying to make, before I became side tracked, is that there is a certain perception around here of certain stores. I think that perception around here is justified by what my own eyes have seen. Does that mean their jewelry work will be poor as well...not at all. That said, I personally can't see myself asking them to do the work though, because I'm not comfortable with what they sell, though. Their merchandise and marginally educated staff create a feeling of doubt inside. Just because the storefront looks good doesn't mean they are selling quality. If I can't get past who they are, then how can I allow them to do my work?

It is interesting to know though, I could go to a well respected, long standing community jewelry shop and have them do the work...and end up having the same person touch and work on my item that would have had I taken it to a Zales or Littman's.

Thank you again and I apologize for not being thoughtful in my original statement and allowing myself for going way off topic.

 

[strmrdr]

The guy I have do all my setting is a "trade shop" by the above definition.
He does awesome work.
Yes there are some cases of garbage in garbage out when it comes to the settings the stores provide but:
Even in the cheapest settings the stone will be properly set and secured as much as the setting allows.
Beyond that you can get as much work as your willing to pay for.
Usually all the stores will pay for is setting the stones unless otherwise specified.
I have him go over my stuff and polish it up and pay a little extra for it but it is still cheaper because im not paying the stores markup on it.
He does awesome custom rings using hand carved waxes.
My point is that don’t assume that the person actually doing the setting for the stores is unskilled because that often isn’t the case.

For example the stuller settings im looking at for my sisters earrings pictures are in the colored stone's forum thread.
I can get the setting for $23.00 online and $3.50 each for the backs.

http://gemstoneworld.com/jewlshop/settings/earrings/scroll1.htm

His price is $53 set and he told me that they usually needed some polishing which is reflected in the price. That is fine with me.
The stores for the most part wouldn’t pay him for doing that they would just say here is the setting and the stones mount them.

See my thread here on some questions to ask:


https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/settings-are-not-an-after-thought-what-you-need-to-know.18307/

 

[oldminer]

It might come as a surprise to some people that many retail stores that sell mostly low quality diamonds happen to have very high standards of workmanship on their jewelry items. It seems strange to sell poor quality diamonds in well made jewelry, but that is commonplace in spite of what one might be inclined to think.




Most high volume, production items don't show the superbe detail of hand made, finely crafted pieces, but they may have excellent polish, good metal, and solid construction. A great deal of this is made in India and China, but the quality analysis and inspection are still done thoroughly whether in the USA or overseas. I find it amusing that some of the poorest commercial diamonds are set so well, yet some of the finest diamonds are treated very casually and set in quite ordinary mountings that show little quality. We all have our priorities.




If I have a fine diamond that I have bought from the Internet and wanted it set locally, I would search out a local craftsperson and have them do the job rather than go to a chain store and deal with a clerk. In the end, the workmanship may be identical, but dealing right with the individual doing the work is a good feeling. Other people might well prefer to go to a large chain operation and know that their diamond was in the hands of a huge firm that would protect their interests in case of loss or damage. We need to make out own choices in this regard.