A VENT: I quit! I give up! I wave the white flag!

[ame]

I don't need anyone going off on me that I am crazy or too picky. So if that's what you wanna say, don't.

I just want to b!tch about this last year of my life and the ridiculously stupid ring drama.

I got my Vatche Royal Crown back yesterday...I had sent it back (again) to get two prongs that were not really touching the stone (one specifically) and kept snagging on stuff taken care of. When I sent it off, with the exception of the prongs not touching the stone on top, it was fine, not as almost perfect as the original that came with the nick that when repaired came back with a bigger nick/dent thing, with a crack down the cathedral. Surely not the standards I would have expected with a ring that cost over $2,200, but considering how many times they had to redo it to get it right (meaning, have prongs touching the stone and not look like a kid made it in preschool), I was so past the point of tolerating waiting any longer. I let it go for over 6 months til I decided I needed it handled before winter and glove weather.

So I picked it up yesterday after it was up there about two weeks. Looks ok at first glance, prongs are touching with the exception of one, and it's not one that needed fixing as it was touching the stone before this. Not only that, it looks like it's no longer set "level" and kind of lopsided, and it's been turned a little in the setting now, and where it was perfectly aligned, it's not anymore. I haven't really even louped it at all, mostly because I just know Ill want to puke if I look at it under any magnification. The fact that these are so obvious without a loupe...just unacceptable. WHO is their quality control person? Hire me instead. That would never have left the building. IF they acknowledge anything we ask them to take care of--and again, Im not the only one seeing this stuff, and neither of us needs a loupe--I feel like they try to pull a martyr card on me and the jeweler, like "oh we did so much for you, we'll only charge you this much" when if it was done perfectly from the start this wouldn't be this way. The lack of any attention to detail is atrocious. It's insanely frustrating. I also feel like since my jeweler was a new Vatche dealer, that did not help. I should've probably stuck with GOG as originally planned. Another regret I will never forgive myself for.

I give up. Seriously. As far as I am concerned I have wasted over a year, as well as wasted nearly $3k on this thing since there were shipping costs and a resizing fee involved, and now I just get to wait and see how long it takes for my stone to fall out because a prong snagged on something the one day of the month I let myself wear the thing.

 

[Sundial]

Bummer Ame! I am so sorry for all your troubles with your rings. As disappointing and frustrating as this has been, just don't let it take over your life or cause problems between you and your husband. At the end of the day, as much as we may love it and as much sentimental value as we may place on it, jewelry is just "stuff".

 

[ame]

That is what I am TRYING to do. It's just stuff. It's just stuff. It's just stuff. So far I just hope I eventually believe it.

 

[Laila619]

That's BS! I would stop dealing with them and try to get a refund, or an exchange if they refuse a refund.

They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. At this point, they've shown you they are incompetent morons. You cannot trust them to get anything fixed. I would stop trying, and go for the refund or exchange.

I feel so bad for you, Ame. I wish you could have a set that was perfect! I am sorry for all the crap you've had to deal with.

 

[mrssalvo]

Oh goodness, I just feel horrible for you. I had the Royal Crown for a while and it was perfect, so it certainly is possible!! If you really do love the setting ( and I think it's one of the best solitaire designs out there) then I'd try to not lose heart and keep at it. They really do need to just remake it from scratch IMO b/c they obviously are having issue's with the seats and setting of the diamond! I'd be tired of the whole mess but with the amount and time you already have invested I'd try to hang on a bit longer and make them do it right!!

 

[NOYFB]

I am so angry for you, Ame! That is so NOT RIGHT! I don't know who you are dealing with, but is there any way you can use a different vendor to have them start over (from scratch) to get you the ring of your dreams? I know it's not an ideal situation, but it may be worth it in the long run. {hugs}

 

[baby nurse]

I'm so sorry that you're going through this, ame . How absolutely unbelievable. I hope somehow things can be made right.

 

[HopeDream]

Oh Ame, I'm sorry about your terrible experience!

Can you approach Vatche directly about having your ring seen to? I don't think they wouldn't want their brand slandered by shoddy workmanship. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, so start squeaking!

They have right on their website that their standard is to produce the finest product attainable, so call them on it! If they let a less than top quality jeweller carry their stuff, I think it's their problem to fix.

Vatche:

CALL US:
customer service: 800.718.2444
sales: 212.764.6883 | fax: 212.719.2348

EMAIL US:
[email protected] for all sales related inquiries
[email protected] for more information on the
Designs by Vatché product line

The literature from their website:

"Today, Vatche has become a much respected designer in the jewelry industry. His entire staff of jewelers are personally interviewed and trained by Vatche himself to assure his customers the very finest product attainable in the jewelry which has become known as the “Vatche” standard."

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Oh Ame-I am so sorry!

I would call Vatche directly, explain how many times it has had to go back, and all the issues and see what they can do.

 

[Glitteratti]

Sorry to hear about your frustrations, Ame. At this point, I would just ask for a refund...

 

[Enerchi]

Major "ARGH"!!! What a frustrating (to put it mildly...) experience. My ring issue was so minor and I spent nights stressing about it - I can only imagine the magnitude you are going thru!

The good thing is that you are following thru with trying to get this perfect and not accepting the errors. Maybe by going direct to Vatche, they will finally get it right...??

I hope the story ends well for you!

 

[ame]

Oh I've been squeaking. The jeweler has been squeaking. This experience I would think effectively ended the idea of this jeweler carrying the line, this was his first real order with them and this is how it went? Yea, no! I stopped badgering for six months because I was so livid I seriously could not sleep for a month over this. I kept having to put this thing in the safe because I can barely look at these rings without seeing thousands of wasted dollars I could've used to fix up my basement or kitchen that instead were WASTED on shoddy and sloppy workmanship that they should be embarrassed to admit is theirs. I wasted a YEAR. A YEAR OF MY LIFE caring about a material item that I thought I might finally have made right and well because this time I paid more than double for the brand name, surely that means better! NO. IT DOES NOT.

I even had a liason that formerly worked for them involved earlier this year since they wouldn't return calls to my jeweler here. Anyone I've ever spoken with besides Mr. Vatche (who was gracious) has been abrupt and annoyed and made sure I could hear it. Mr Vatche himself made this last one and did it quickly for me. It's been remade like 4 times at least. I cannot get a refund nor can I exchange it. I am stuck with it. And I am sick of paying for shipping and stuff to get it tweaked over and over only to see it come back worse than it was. And I am sick of waiting weeks on end and when I need tweaks being sent to the end of the line. They actually told my jeweler that they do work for HW and that they do the same work for people that buy their items as those who buy HW and all of it is done at 10x, which is standard. And to that my exact response was BULLSH!T. HW would NEVER accept this. HW customers would laugh in their faces. It does not have to be "loupe perfect". I have said that repeatedly. But if it's eye visible, it's not ok.

I am literally at the point now where I want to sell the ring and diamond and the flyer band and seriously walk away and wear nothing but a plain band now. This is the final straw. They and Flyer have proven to me that it's simply not possible to make a quality, well made, near perfect piece of platinum jewelry. It just isn't. I made diagrams and specifics and thought it was abundantly clear that if I am paying what I paid for this item, it must be perfect. It's not even like I asked for that much. I just want what I paid for. And if you're selling this idea of perfection, MAKE IT PERFECT, especially when the customer has explicitly described their idea of perfect. Level, uniform, everything touching. Just...frustrating. I am regretful right now that I had gone local on this simply because I feel like having a jeweler who doesn't have the experience with them that say GOG has maybe he didn't have a leg to stand on with them. GOG works with them a lot. DK did not have prior experience. And I feel that both he and I suffered bec of that.

Ah well. I had to get that out. I am so over it, I don't even want rings anymore.

 

[Laila619]

Ame, don't give up on having a beautiful set!

Why not sell the Vatche and Flyer band, and then start over with GOG?

 

[HopeDream]

I'm sorry Ame - sounds like a break from rings for a while is a good idea. Sell the whole mess and try again in a year or two if you feel like it. You deserve a massage and some nice flowers.

Sometimes it seems that with metalwork- if it wasn't perfect to start with, any fixing will just make it worse. Simpler classic styles are especialy vulnerable because any alteration to the sleek lines and symmetry aren't masked with millgrain and pave.

I hope you feel better soon!

 

[ame]

Thanks ladies. I am just going to let it go for a while. I may leave it locked up while we travel to cool off a bit. I just HAD to get it out and see it on the screen and know that what I was feeling was not "uncommon" frustration, at least among jewelry lovers. I have a few people in my life that I can say this stuff to but the majority are looking at me like I have four heads.

I am extremely thankful for what I have, and that my husband lets me do my thing. I am grateful to have had anything I have ever worn, regardless of it's state. WAY too many people in this country, this world, have little or nothing especially life's needs. So this is like a first world problem Im trying to not let get too big.

I don't want to be mixed up in holiday nonsense, let the proposal rings get taken care of. I really would be so sad if some poor kid who saved for months for a ring for his intended got bumped behind because of me and my stuff. Im an old married lady. I also remember saying this exact thing last year.

 

[ame]

Sometimes it seems that with metalwork- if it wasn't perfect to start with, any fixing will just make it worse. Simpler classic styles are especialy vulnerable because any alteration to the sleek lines and symmetry aren't masked with millgrain and pave.

THIS is extremely true. Flaws and tweaking definitely show very easily.

 

[susimoo]

Ame,

Nothing constructive to add. Just wanted to say I feel your pain . It is unacceptable, what you have gone through. Sending you (((hugs)))

 

[sunheds]

So sorry to hear that.

 

[frankiextah]

UGGH !!!! i'm livid just reading your words !

can i suggest you to send the ring to Victor Canera and have him fix it ? he's a total OCD perfectionist and will 10000% take care of this for you.... i'm sure he can use your current setting and just charge you a little bit of labor ? email him right away, walk away from these sucker companies, NOW !

a little story to help ease your pain .... i BANGED my VC halo ring into a metal door, finger got caught in which caused a deep dent on the lip of the halo.... one of the melee diamonds cracked also ! Victor used his LASER WELDING MACHINE and seamlessly ADDED micro bits of metal into that dent (so the halo remains 100% symmetrical and no metal lost further), polished it smooth, and replaced the melee diamond .... it took him literally 24 hours to fix this, i sent in my ring on tuesday from NYC to LA, received my ring back in NYC on friday lunch time !!! the ring looked BRAND NEW AND NO SIGNS OF REPAIR AT ALL !! it's all about the laser welding machine that VC invested in totally !

this is the machine is something very similar to what he uses to do micro repairs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3qQeHwAi_0&feature=related

 

[Laila619]

UGGH !!!! i'm livid just reading your words !

can i suggest you to send the ring to Victor Canera and have him fix it ? he's a total OCD perfectionist and will 10000% take care of this for you.... i'm sure he can use your current setting and just charge you a little bit of labor ? email him right away, walk away from these sucker companies, NOW !

a little story to help ease your pain .... i BANGED my VC halo ring into a metal door, finger got caught in which caused a deep dent on the lip of the halo.... one of the melee diamonds cracked also ! Victor used his LASER WELDING MACHINE and seamlessly ADDED micro bits of metal into that dent (so the halo remains 100% symmetrical and no metal lost further), polished it smooth, and replaced the melee diamond .... it took him literally 24 hours to fix this, i sent in my ring on tuesday from NYC to LA, received my ring back in NYC on friday lunch time !!! the ring looked BRAND NEW AND NO SIGNS OF REPAIR AT ALL !! it's all about the laser welding machine that VC invested in totally !

this is the machine is something very similar to what he uses to do micro repairs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3qQeHwAi_0&feature=related

YES! Great idea, Frankie! Victor won't let you down, Ame.

 

[Imdanny]

Oh Ame, I'm sorry about your terrible experience!

Can you approach Vatche directly about having your ring seen to? I don't think they wouldn't want their brand slandered by shoddy workmanship. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, so start squeaking!

They have right on their website that their standard is to produce the finest product attainable, so call them on it! If they let a less than top quality jeweller carry their stuff, I think it's their problem to fix.

Vatche:

CALL US:
customer service: 800.718.2444
sales: 212.764.6883 | fax: 212.719.2348

EMAIL US:
[email protected] for all sales related inquiries
[email protected] for more information on the
Designs by Vatché product line

The literature from their website:

"Today, Vatche has become a much respected designer in the jewelry industry. His entire staff of jewelers are personally interviewed and trained by Vatche himself to assure his customers the very finest product attainable in the jewelry which has become known as the “Vatche” standard."

The bolded in such self-serving made up nonsense.

As an aside, Tiffany's website literally says they are and have been the world's premier jeweler since 1837. The golden age of Cartier 1900-1930, it was all a dream.

Ame, I am so sorry! Hugs!

By rights your setting should be replaced with a brand new one. Although I love the idea of having VC fix it.

 

[ame]

Thanks everyone. I might email VC, I don't know how he would feel about working on someone else's work though? I mean, he didn't make it so Im not sure how he would deal with that. Ill figure out how to word it and see what he says. I don't want to again get lost in holiday proposals and valentine proposals.

I laugh my arse off every time I see someone say something about Tiffany being better and "ideal". NO, they're not. And NO, the stones they sell are NOT all ideal. They can call it whatever they want, but it doesn't make it true. But boy has their marketing worked on some people. I was young and stupid once, and I believed it. But my blinders came right off.

 

[yssie]

Thanks everyone. I might email VC, I don't know how he would feel about working on someone else's work though? I mean, he didn't make it so Im not sure how he would deal with that. Ill figure out how to word it and see what he says. I don't want to again get lost in holiday proposals and valentine proposals.

I would definitely not ask him to work on it further - honestly, it sounds like that ring has had all it can take. I'd ask him to remake it completely. Obviously it would be a bit different to avoid copyright issues, but... his work is incredible, I found him very capable of capturing the look and feel of my vision, and when I wasn't entirely thrilled with the first iteration he said "send it back, I'll do what I can because I want you to be happy", and he did. When I wanted a specific change he explained why my many ideas wouldn't work and found an alternative which I'm very happy with. It's the combination of skill and total lack of God Complex that makes him unique, I think - well, that and the turnaround!

But - I'm guessing it won't be cheap. My ring (albeit an unusually complicated design to handforge) was 6k for a plain gold setting with a pair of 3.3mm melee, and he undercharged because that's all I could afford! My CAD quotes, by contrast, were 2-2.5k.

 

[ame]

HOLY MACKEREL. Wow. I'd be supplying all the stones involved for either ring to be recrafted, so it would simply be him remaking something. I would definitely change up the setting design, especially in the height. This is WAY too low, and I've said that repeatedly but this is how he designed it. But I say this as though I will be able to afford another new setting anytime this decade. Ill have to save cash on the side for a while before I can do anything.

 

[pregcurious]

Hi Ame. I feel your pain. I had a ring that was semi-custom order go very wrong, and the original vendor actually refused to modify the head of the ring which was poorly made and attached so it look like an afterthought. They said what I was asking for was not even possible. I ended up going to Quest Fine Jewelers in Virginia (in case you are in the DC area), and they took one look at the ring and said the mod would not be a big deal. They have a laser welder also (not used on my project) that can be used to resize eternity bands. They made exactly the modification I wanted, and charged me an extremely reasonable fee. To the original vendor's credit, they refunded me the cost of the modification. I think it took me a year to get everything resolved.

Even after this, there are still issues with the ring, but I'm not sure anyone can address them.

 

[slg47]

Thanks everyone. I might email VC, I don't know how he would feel about working on someone else's work though? I mean, he didn't make it so Im not sure how he would deal with that. Ill figure out how to word it and see what he says. I don't want to again get lost in holiday proposals and valentine proposals.

I would definitely not ask him to work on it further - honestly, it sounds like that ring has had all it can take. I'd ask him to remake it completely. Obviously it would be a bit different to avoid copyright issues, but... his work is incredible, I found him very capable of capturing the look and feel of my vision, and when I wasn't entirely thrilled with the first iteration he said "send it back, I'll do what I can because I want you to be happy", and he did. When I wanted a specific change he explained why my many ideas wouldn't work and found an alternative which I'm very happy with. It's the combination of skill and total lack of God Complex that makes him unique, I think - well, that and the turnaround!

But - I'm guessing it won't be cheap. My ring (albeit an unusually complicated design to handforge) was 6k for a plain gold setting with a pair of 3.3mm melee, and he undercharged because that's all I could afford! My CAD quotes, by contrast, were 2-2.5k.

ame...I am sorry about your ring. I am really shocked that vatche would let it pass QC like that. It sounds like it needs to be totally remade.

threadjack...yssie do you have your ring back yet?

 

[kenny]

ame sorry you have to go through this.

In some way's I'm just like you.
I appreciate top quality and am willing to pay for it when an item is important to me.
When I pay top price but don't get the quality I paid for I'm beside myself with disappointment.
I take it personally; maybe I shouldn't but I do.
Apparently you do to if you have not slept for a year.

When I do something important myself I dedicate my whole existence to making it as perfect as humanly possible, and the results are worth it.
When I see prestigious companies get away with shoddy work (as with your ring or with Steinway pianos) my heart sinks.
It is not just disappointment with the ring or the piano, what offends me is the message that the effort that I put into making things perfect is likely wasted.
IOW, nobody cares about quality anymore.
Mediocrity is the norm now.
The lowest quality for the most money seems to be the mantra of too many of today's businesses.

There are different types of people, some more discerning than others.
I realize that I (and perhaps you) are not the norm.
I'll bet zillions of rings that are currently worn by happy (but not very discerning) customers would not meet our standards.
It's not just that workmanship varies, owners vary.

It it precisely my understanding that I'm demanding in a compromising world that I do not get my FCDs set.
I'd probably have to spend a fortune and commission something from some uber-high end house like VCA or Graff to be satisfied, and they would probable decline the job as being beneath them because of how cheap and small my FCDs are.

I'm not blaming you for this mess.
Clearly it is Vatche's fault.
Vatche is a high end expensive brand but most of their customers will not expect or recognize less than perfect work.
You do.
Even if you are more discerning than the norm it is their job and their business to do whatever and spend whatever it takes to satisfy the most discerning customer out there.
Their profits are amortized over thousands of customers, and part of a fine company doing business is making those few more-expensive customers happy too.

 

[ruby59]

I agree with Yessie, and even said so in your other thread. The more you bend back the prongs and work on that setting the worst it is going to get. All that handling is like wearing it for a long time. No matter what you do, it is not going to look new again. That is why I suggested you scrap the original setting, as imo, it is beyond repair. Get your money back and then go this new person and let him make you the ring of your dreams.

 

[Blue-Seeker]

I posted on your other thread, too, ame. I'm sorry you're still having this trouble with your rings. My advice remains the same: Buy a thick, high-quality plain gold or platinum band. Timeless. Simple. Understated. Perfect.

I'd never spend $6,000 on a setting, but that's just me. If you want perfection, though, that seems to be the going rate. In all honestly, even the higher-end engagement-and-wedding jewelry manufacturers are probably not going to work up to your standards. They cater to first-time, typically uneducated jewelry buyers, and they charge what the market will bear. Now that metals and diamond prices have skyrocketed, so have jewelry manufacturers' prices, but there's not been a corresponding increase in quality, that's for sure.

 

[yssie]

Ame - yeah, that was kinda my first reaction I'm sorry this has been such a mess for you, though, I really am.

slg - I do! I've been holding off on posting until I get some decent photos, and I keep missing the sunlight I think I got some this morning before work though, so hopefully tonight!