Just got my fiancés engagement ring back! Had the setting changed to SuperbCert’s Tiffany replica.

I''ve been laying low the last few weeks, just lurking on Pricescope.  The reason for this is that I had my fiancé’s setting changed, and I was trying to avoid thinking about diamonds, her ring, settings, etc, while the ring was being redone.   I’m rather thorough, so I’ve typed the full history of my ring buying experience here.  If you just want to see the pictures, scroll down to the bottom.  If you want to read of my experiences with SuperbCert and Whiteflash, please do… The pictures at the end are worth the wait!
As some of you know, I had a fairly lengthy search for the perfect diamond and setting.  I started my search last September and finally made a decision around Christmas time… Here is the thread I posted a few days after we got engaged:

http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=55690

As the title of my thread states, I just got my ring back today from SuberbCert.  I had them reset my stone with their Tiffany setting.  Before I go any further, a brief history of how I got here for those unfamiliar with my story…

I had debated for months on the setting almost as much as the stone.  I wanted a 6 prong Tiffany Replica, and looked closely at the SuperbCert (Excel Diamonds) setting, as well as the Whiteflash and Nice Ice Tiffany reps.  The SuperbCert setting was always my first choice—I felt it was the closest match to an actual Tiffany band, and the fact that each ring was made to order really impressed me.  I also like how they make the matching Tiffany eternity band.   This was the combination that I’d always envisioned for my fiancé.

Anyhow, after months of kicking tires, and over analyzing things to death, I realized that I needed to go ahead and pull the trigger, or I’d miss my self-imposed New Year’s Eve deadline to propose.   I looked at a few stones with Barry at SC and spoke with Whiteflash about a few stones as well.  Eventually, I settled on a stone from Whiteflash (an AGS-certified, 2.37ct, E, SI1, round brilliant).  At that point I’d made up my mind that whoever I bought the stone from, I was going to have SC make the setting, as theirs was clearly my favorite.   Unfortunately, I soon realized that in order to get the ring in time for NYE, I was going to have to go with a single vendor.  After some thought, I determined that the stone was more important than the setting.  I chose my first choice of diamonds and second choice of settings, and ordered the diamond and 6 prong Tiffany setting from Whiteflash.

Before I go any further, I must preface things by saying that I could not be happier with the customer service I received from WF.  Leslie and Vera were incredible at dealing with my idiotic questions, constant changing of my mind and general uncertainty of just about everything.   I ordered the ring from them while I was on vacation in Hawaii, and actually faxed them the paper work from the hotel.  They turned the ring around in record time, and it was waiting for us at the FedEx station in New Jersey when we got back from our trip.  The ring was fabulous—and my fiancé was blown away by it the next day when I proposed to her. 

However, I wasn''t 100% happy with my choice of the WF Tiffany setting.   It’s a gorgeous setting, however, it’s just not the right setting for me.  I started getting buyer’s remorse (as I frequently do when I make large purchases) and could not stop thinking that I should have bought the SC setting instead.  I contacted Barry at SC after the New Year and told him that I had purchased the ring from WF instead, but was having second thoughts about the setting.  He was understandably disappointed that I did not purchase everything from him, however, he truly surprised me when he accepted my mea culpa and agreed to set the stone I had purchased from WF in their Tiffany setting.

I was nervous about calling WF to return the setting.  Like most of you, I have had a few run-ins with Best Buy or other giant retail stores, trying to exchange things.  Often “no questions asked” return policies are total BS—and are generally met with disdain, dirty looks, and often the returns are rejected for some technicality.  I had WF shave the band down to make it thinner and was nervous that this would disqualify me from any refund.  I have to say that WF was amazing at handling my return.  I called Vera directly and explained that I was very happy with the ring, but that I really wanted the SC setting and was going to make the change.  I also asked if WF could laser inscribe the stone for me after they unmounted it.  In addition I asked that they ship the stone directly to SC for me, so I wouldn’t have to pay shipping twice on the stone.   Surprisingly, Vera said “no problem” to all of my ridiculous requests!?  What happened next was truly impressive.  I shipped the ring back to WF on Monday.  They received the ring on Tuesday. They also unmounted the stone, laser inscribed it and shipped it out overnight to SC in the same day!  Pretty amazing.  Vera actually called the woman who does the laser inscribing into the office on her day off, so that they could make sure that they got the ring shipped out that same day!   Wednesday morning I emailed Barry in NY and verified that they’d received the stone, which they had.  Now it was time to wait!

I received the ring back this AM from SuperbCert, about 3.5 weeks after they’d first got it… And let me tell you, it was well worth the wait!  The ring is GORGEOUS.  The package arrived at my office via UPS this morning about 10 AM.  I immediately drove into the city to my fiancé’s office and met her for coffee and gave her the ring back.  She’s been in minor depression with the ring gone.  I proposed, gave her a fantastic ring, and then took it back a week later to have the setting changed.  Hah!  During the last 3.5 weeks, we’ve gone to a 30th birthday party, 2 weddings, and a baby shower. What a time to be without her ring!  Anyhow, we survived it and she is blown away right now!  We went to Tiffany’s after work with the guise of searching for an eternity wedding band.  Their salesman asked which Tiffany’s location we purchased Lin’s engagement ring from ( I lied and told them the 57th street location in Manhattan)!  I then matched it up with the Tiffany eternity setting (it fit perfectly) and even had them take out one of their 2.0ct engagement rings to “see what it looks like with a smaller stone.”    With the 2 rings side by side, Lin nudged me and smiled, and the salesman remarked how my ring was much nicer than the one he took out.  The stone was not only larger, but better quality.  Ha!  At no time did he think it wasn’t an actual Tiffany setting… shhhh

Ok, so that’s just about the end of my LONG story about my quest to find the perfect ring for my amazing fiancé.   This was my first diamond buying experience on the Internet (I buy a ton of other stuff on the Internet all the time), and for some reason I was much more timid than I normally am (which is saying something).  I feel incredibly fortunate to have discovered a resource like Pricescope, and had the unusual experience in working with 2 top-notch vendors in Whiteflash and SuperbCert!
Thanks to everyone that’s helped me along the way….  And now, onto the pictures!!!  Oh, and sorry for the poor picture quality... I''m borrowing a friend''s digital camera, since I er, misplaced my charger for mine.  Oops... I''ll take some better ones tomorrow, when there is some actual daylight!