- Joined
- Dec 11, 2017
- Messages
- 207
Hi Everyone,
Sorry for the long post...
My SO (significant other) has been acting unusual lately and I’ve picked it up because I’m concerned about him. After some pushing and endless “is everything okay?” questions, he finally confessed last night that he had purchased an E-ring, and he was a bit stressed about it because he caught wind that it’s not an E-ring style I would want, and he feels really stupid about his ‘rushed’ purchase. He went on to admit that buying an E-Ring is like buying a car, need lots of research especially if it is your first time ‘investing’ in diamonds. He felt time-pressured as he wanted to do it before the holidays, and before the new year with the idea that it takes a year to plan a wedding and he wanted it done by end of next year. He also got a matching wedding band for the E-ring based on the suggestion of the shop to him.
I pried him and he eventually gave in and showed me the ring. It’s a princess cut, 2.0X carat diamond, in a four prong basket and 80% pave band, I forgot the color but definitely within D-F range as he was adamant about that specifically. It has no fluorescence (not fully certain but he mentioned it) and as for the clarity, I also forgot but i know he didn’t want to go beyond VVSI2 (forgot the proper terms, sorry). There was a GIA certificate with the ring.
My novice/noob eye thought the diamond was pretty – very sparkly, looking at it objectively. However, I’m definitely no fan of the way it was set and you can tell it was a shitty setting job. He told me where he got the ring – a diamond store from the Diamond District in NYC where we live. Now here’s the part that has caused me and him great anxiety and caused me a night of no sleep and a lot of stress.
I googled the store and they have terrible reviews in multiple social platforms. I actually saw a thread here, after searching their name, about a few people with negative experience from them although their experience was completely different. I will not name the store until this matter is resolved for fear of retribution or that the store has people here and cause us further stress. I will name the stores once this matter is resolved. From the reviews, we saw a lot of people say this store has sold them clarity-enhanced diamonds. So while the center diamond has a GIA certificate, I now suspect (but could be wrong) that the tiny diamonds on the bands are all rip offs. My SO paid about $30,000 pre-tax for both rings, not sure of the price distribution.
While the store has told him they can exchange the ring, he told me that there was no return policy visible anywhere in the store and no one told him about returns. After his card was swiped and he signed the credit card receipt, the store handed him a store receipt/bill of sale that indicated no refunds. It also indicated that if a certified appraiser places the value BELOW what is listed on the receipt, then the store would issue a refund. At that point he felt helpless but just thought I’d be happy with the ring and he could just exchange it if anything goes wrong.
Based on what I’ve read about the store that’s not good, we are left with anxiety and fear until we resolve this matter. As a principle, I refuse to conduct business with anyone shady and not transparent as the way this store presented itself. He also told me he felt coerced in buying a set (w/ wedding band) but his main intention was really just the e-ring first. In any case, I want the ring fully returned and for SO to get it somewhere else, most likely from the recos on here (I’m know inclined on an asscher cut ring, perhaps a pre-owned piece as I feel that’s the savviest way to stretch our dollar, all based on the recommendations on my thread linked here, which I posted prior to knowledge of this ‘situation’ -- https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/e-ring-confused-and-dizzy.235967/#post-4256129 )
After educating myself and coming up with solutions, this is what we gathered:
- we learned that NYC laws state that if there is no return policy explicitly displayed in a business, they are legally required to issue a refund. How exactly do we claim this? At any given moment, the store could just prop up a sign and claim it was there before, when it wasn’t
- we know this business has complaints filed against them already based on testimonies of others I’ve seen here, but I can not verify that yet
- we called SO’s credit card company (Amex and Chase – he split the amounts) to ask for advice FIRST based on the situation, and both had advised him to settle it amicably first with the merchant, but that yes, they will help him resolve this should the merchant refuse to settle amicably
- SO has an appointment for GIA appraisal tomorrow, he booked this for the purpose of insuring the ring, but we will now use the outcome of this as a potential next step
- SO will go to the store and amicably discuss a return explaining that he’s not ready for this ring and he still needs time to think about the right ring combination – 4cs and design – and that he can not think straight with a mere exchange, that he needs his money back
- If merchant refuses, we will take the next step which is to complain that they did not have a return policy displayed nor informed to him, prior to having him sign the receipt
- If that does not work still, we will escalate this to SO’s credit card company, as well as report them to authorities, particularly for issuing a tax-exemption on his purchase through the use of SO’s friend’s personal tax exemption ID, while the ID owner was not present (this is completely unrelated but by law, giving tax-exemption to someone who is not PICTURED on the tax exempt card is illegal, because that benefit is PERSONAL and non-transferable. We think this would make the store fearful and just give us our money back)
- As a last last last resort and something I don’t want especially after possibly threatening them, we could exchange both rings for a loose diamond, GIA certified, and just get it reset elsewhere. But as I’ve learned in this forum so far, we would like to start a relationship with a reputable and trusted jeweller with the intention of upgrading, getting milestone jewelry, birthday, etc in the future. So upgrade value and buy back value would be important for this ring.
Apologies for that long story but really needed to get it off my chest. I’m also handling this alone, unknown to my friends, and I’m suffering at the sadness of how this is the start of our journey together. I know my SO is already stressed enough and feels utterly foolish, feels stupid and is just as anxious about this and I don’t want to make him feel any worse than he already does. I also want to support him during this period when he already feels so lame about what he’s done. There’s no need to make him, nor us, feel anymore worse so please save the lectures. We just want practical advice on what else we can do to correct this situation.
I need practical advice on what else we could possibly do and how else to handle this situation. We really don’t trust this merchant and don’t feel comfortable. Appreciate any and all suggestions here on practical matters, please. If anyone here is from the diamond district in NYC and maybe this shop is your friend (again, won’t indicate yet), could you may be help us? Also, SO googled a certified GIA appraiser and found one in the diamond district, where he will be going tomorrow. Would anyone have an alternative recommendation of appraisers in the NYC area?
THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO ARE KIND ENOUGH TO READ THROUGH THIS AND OFFER THEIR ADVICE/HELP.
Sorry for the long post...
My SO (significant other) has been acting unusual lately and I’ve picked it up because I’m concerned about him. After some pushing and endless “is everything okay?” questions, he finally confessed last night that he had purchased an E-ring, and he was a bit stressed about it because he caught wind that it’s not an E-ring style I would want, and he feels really stupid about his ‘rushed’ purchase. He went on to admit that buying an E-Ring is like buying a car, need lots of research especially if it is your first time ‘investing’ in diamonds. He felt time-pressured as he wanted to do it before the holidays, and before the new year with the idea that it takes a year to plan a wedding and he wanted it done by end of next year. He also got a matching wedding band for the E-ring based on the suggestion of the shop to him.
I pried him and he eventually gave in and showed me the ring. It’s a princess cut, 2.0X carat diamond, in a four prong basket and 80% pave band, I forgot the color but definitely within D-F range as he was adamant about that specifically. It has no fluorescence (not fully certain but he mentioned it) and as for the clarity, I also forgot but i know he didn’t want to go beyond VVSI2 (forgot the proper terms, sorry). There was a GIA certificate with the ring.
My novice/noob eye thought the diamond was pretty – very sparkly, looking at it objectively. However, I’m definitely no fan of the way it was set and you can tell it was a shitty setting job. He told me where he got the ring – a diamond store from the Diamond District in NYC where we live. Now here’s the part that has caused me and him great anxiety and caused me a night of no sleep and a lot of stress.
I googled the store and they have terrible reviews in multiple social platforms. I actually saw a thread here, after searching their name, about a few people with negative experience from them although their experience was completely different. I will not name the store until this matter is resolved for fear of retribution or that the store has people here and cause us further stress. I will name the stores once this matter is resolved. From the reviews, we saw a lot of people say this store has sold them clarity-enhanced diamonds. So while the center diamond has a GIA certificate, I now suspect (but could be wrong) that the tiny diamonds on the bands are all rip offs. My SO paid about $30,000 pre-tax for both rings, not sure of the price distribution.
While the store has told him they can exchange the ring, he told me that there was no return policy visible anywhere in the store and no one told him about returns. After his card was swiped and he signed the credit card receipt, the store handed him a store receipt/bill of sale that indicated no refunds. It also indicated that if a certified appraiser places the value BELOW what is listed on the receipt, then the store would issue a refund. At that point he felt helpless but just thought I’d be happy with the ring and he could just exchange it if anything goes wrong.
Based on what I’ve read about the store that’s not good, we are left with anxiety and fear until we resolve this matter. As a principle, I refuse to conduct business with anyone shady and not transparent as the way this store presented itself. He also told me he felt coerced in buying a set (w/ wedding band) but his main intention was really just the e-ring first. In any case, I want the ring fully returned and for SO to get it somewhere else, most likely from the recos on here (I’m know inclined on an asscher cut ring, perhaps a pre-owned piece as I feel that’s the savviest way to stretch our dollar, all based on the recommendations on my thread linked here, which I posted prior to knowledge of this ‘situation’ -- https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/e-ring-confused-and-dizzy.235967/#post-4256129 )
After educating myself and coming up with solutions, this is what we gathered:
- we learned that NYC laws state that if there is no return policy explicitly displayed in a business, they are legally required to issue a refund. How exactly do we claim this? At any given moment, the store could just prop up a sign and claim it was there before, when it wasn’t
- we know this business has complaints filed against them already based on testimonies of others I’ve seen here, but I can not verify that yet
- we called SO’s credit card company (Amex and Chase – he split the amounts) to ask for advice FIRST based on the situation, and both had advised him to settle it amicably first with the merchant, but that yes, they will help him resolve this should the merchant refuse to settle amicably
- SO has an appointment for GIA appraisal tomorrow, he booked this for the purpose of insuring the ring, but we will now use the outcome of this as a potential next step
- SO will go to the store and amicably discuss a return explaining that he’s not ready for this ring and he still needs time to think about the right ring combination – 4cs and design – and that he can not think straight with a mere exchange, that he needs his money back
- If merchant refuses, we will take the next step which is to complain that they did not have a return policy displayed nor informed to him, prior to having him sign the receipt
- If that does not work still, we will escalate this to SO’s credit card company, as well as report them to authorities, particularly for issuing a tax-exemption on his purchase through the use of SO’s friend’s personal tax exemption ID, while the ID owner was not present (this is completely unrelated but by law, giving tax-exemption to someone who is not PICTURED on the tax exempt card is illegal, because that benefit is PERSONAL and non-transferable. We think this would make the store fearful and just give us our money back)
- As a last last last resort and something I don’t want especially after possibly threatening them, we could exchange both rings for a loose diamond, GIA certified, and just get it reset elsewhere. But as I’ve learned in this forum so far, we would like to start a relationship with a reputable and trusted jeweller with the intention of upgrading, getting milestone jewelry, birthday, etc in the future. So upgrade value and buy back value would be important for this ring.
Apologies for that long story but really needed to get it off my chest. I’m also handling this alone, unknown to my friends, and I’m suffering at the sadness of how this is the start of our journey together. I know my SO is already stressed enough and feels utterly foolish, feels stupid and is just as anxious about this and I don’t want to make him feel any worse than he already does. I also want to support him during this period when he already feels so lame about what he’s done. There’s no need to make him, nor us, feel anymore worse so please save the lectures. We just want practical advice on what else we can do to correct this situation.
I need practical advice on what else we could possibly do and how else to handle this situation. We really don’t trust this merchant and don’t feel comfortable. Appreciate any and all suggestions here on practical matters, please. If anyone here is from the diamond district in NYC and maybe this shop is your friend (again, won’t indicate yet), could you may be help us? Also, SO googled a certified GIA appraiser and found one in the diamond district, where he will be going tomorrow. Would anyone have an alternative recommendation of appraisers in the NYC area?
THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO ARE KIND ENOUGH TO READ THROUGH THIS AND OFFER THEIR ADVICE/HELP.