Advice on my Tiffany ring?

[HDer]

Something else you may want to try is to email the CEO. Companies generally have an executive escalation team that's much more accommodating.

 

[Brunette]

Thanks to everyone! Really appreciate your input and insight.

@atp223 and @MissGotRocks -- I'm not entirely sure what exactly the warranty covers, that's a very good point! I'll have to research that more. Even if it doesn't cover much (and, actually, ESPECIALLY if it doesn't cover much), it still bothers me that they're threatening to take it away simply because I want them to make my ring to look like other rings they've made.

@HDer -- Yes, while the reps I've spoken to by phone in NY have always been quite nice, she's always been rude to me. I'm glad your wife placed a complaint. Escalating to corporate sounds like a good idea, but would the CEO even bother reading an email from me? Seems like it might get lost in the shuffle.

 

[HDer]

@Brunette Most likely it would get routed to a special executive escalation team. I don't know exactly how it works at Tiffany, but I will tell you that I did some work at another bigger company, and our manager would sometimes get an email directly from the CEO forwarding some customer complaint.

 

[Brunette]

@HDer -- Thanks! I'll see how my conversation with the manager goes on Monday (my guess is she'll just reiterate what I was told today) and then figure out what other avenues I could possibly take. Sigh.

 

[MollyMalone]

@Brunette -- Unless you have some sort of special, additional Warranty, I am baffled as to why the Tiffany reps are saying a re-set will void your warranty.

This is the only warranty to be found (or mentioned) on the website of Tiffany US -- and it has nothing to do with the rings themselves, nor does it cover damage to/loss of the center stone. Rather, it outlines the (cumbersome) procedure to be followed if, after receiving the ring, you think your center stone is, for example, actually a H VS 2 instead of the F VVS1 you paid for. It's nothing more than a guarantee of the reliability of Tiffany's in-house diamond grading.
https://www.tiffany.com/shared/pdfs/DiamondWarranty.pdf

 

[Weecam]

I put my pre-loved Tiffany Etoile band in my Magnasonic and a diamond popped out....oops....luckily I found it at the bottom.
I brought the ring (and diamond) in for repair and polishing at the Tiffany in Montreal and they only charged me $70 for the polishing. The repair was free even though I purchased it pre-loved on eBay.

I found all the SA at the Tiffany in Montreal to be very helpful. They even verified my pre-loved diamond solitaire ring knowing I purchased it pre-loved.

Edited to add that I’m sorry you’re having such a hard time with the Tiffany near you.

 

[Yimmers]

@Brunette -- Unless you have some sort of special, additional Warranty, I am baffled as to why the Tiffany reps are saying a re-set will void your warranty.

This is the only warranty to be found (or mentioned) on the website of Tiffany US -- and it has nothing to do with the rings themselves, nor does it cover damage to/loss of the center stone. Rather, it outlines the (cumbersome) procedure to be followed if, after receiving the ring, you think your center stone is, for example, actually a H VS 2 instead of the F VVS1 you paid for. It's nothing more than a guarantee of the reliability of Tiffany's in-house diamond grading.
https://www.tiffany.com/shared/pdfs/DiamondWarranty.pdf

Interesting. Tiffany needs to be clear what warranty they are referring to then if they refuse to set the diamond higher. They should also give you that warranty in writing as to what the terms are, and what voids it. Otherwise, this does seem like a bunch of BS if they won't reset higher. They are not giving a warranty that your diamond won't get lost - I can see that being an insurance issue, as someone else pointed out. So, what exactly is this "warranty" that the SA/Managements insists upon? Ugh.

Lots of complaints on Consumer Affairs about Tiffany's customer service. Then again, the ones who are likely to submit a review are the unhappy customers.

 

[Brunette]

Yeah, @MollyMalone , I don't know either. I plan on asking.

Thanks, @Weecam -- I've heard wonderful stories of their customer service (even from my own family members), but every single time I've approached them for anything, I've been treated rudely and nickel and dimed. It's extremely, extremely frustrating.

 

[sledge]

I'm sorry you are having issues.

Simply stated it's time to take off the gloves. You can remain respectful but you need to elevate and let them know you are dissatisfied and angry/hurt with the situation and your opinion of Tiffany as a whole is being tainted.

I would absolutely escalate this matter to the CEO. Years ago I did this with Dish Network. Man I was pissed at them. To this day I refuse to have their service, and frequently tell friends why when asked. I will say I was impressed that he wrote back, apologized and said he would make it right. Within a few days I was contacted by 2-3 people on his team and they upheld his word. I thanked him for his help when it was over and expressed how I wished that level of service had been shown earlier in the game.

My point is squeaky wheels get greased. You need to squeak as loud as possible. I personally would not offer to pay to fix their mess up. I would ask them to specifically state in MM what is and is not an acceptable height, where that info is published and/or when it was provided to you, and if it wasn't (which I suspect is the case) then how you could reasonably and legally be held to a standard that isn't clearly defined and/or that you were not made aware of at purchase time.

The fighter and protector in me is running wild now, lol. I cant stand stuff like this and will shut up before I say something I shouldn't.

Good luck, keep us posted.

 

[quaddio]

Ugh this sucks so much, I'm shocked Tiffany would gaslight you like that and ignore visible quality issues with your ring! I have had great Tiffany experiences with my stepmother and this has made me look elsewhere (Cartier) for upcoming gifts. Please do not blame yourself.

 

[Brunette]

Thanks so much, @sledge and @quaddio -- if the manager I speak with on Monday isn't helpful, I'm going to ask to speak with her manager and will also try contacting the CEO to explain the situation. I really don't think I'm asking them to move mountains here.

 

[kama_s]

I think you’re using incorrect terminology with the reps. You need to emphasize that the head of your ring is wonky - it isn’t sleek like its counterparts and the prongs are not symmetrical. Keep repeating that this setting was a lemon, your diamond came loose two years in and you expect them to remake the setting to correct all the issues. Repeat over and over that you are asking him to fix their shoddy worksmanship.

 

[Brunette]

@kama_s -- Thanks so much for the advice! Yes, you're absolutely right that the "taller" terminology gets confusing. It's not that I'm asking them to modify their design for me, I am just wanting mine to look like the counterparts.

 

[Crazie4Cuts]

Any update? @Brunette

 

[Brunette]

@Crazie4Cuts -- Yes, corresponded with Melissa yesterday. In a nutshell, there had indeed been something lost in translation because they thought I wanted my ring remounted AND the diamond set higher than what they would normally do (whereas I just wanted it to be remounted into a setting more like the pictures I had sent along). She said that the remount should achieve the look I desire, but that once it's done, I can review the ring. I expressed my disappointment in their workmanship and customer service thus far and she was nice/polite/apologetic, but I won't breathe a sigh of relief until I see the remounted ring....

Will keep you guys posted!

 

[canuk-gal]

@Crazie4Cuts -- Yes, corresponded with Melissa yesterday. In a nutshell, there had indeed been something lost in translation because they thought I wanted my ring remounted AND the diamond set higher than what they would normally do (whereas I just wanted it to be remounted into a setting more like the pictures I had sent along). She said that the remount should achieve the look I desire, but that once it's done, I can review the ring. I expressed my disappointment in their workmanship and customer service thus far and she was nice/polite/apologetic, but I won't breathe a sigh of relief until I see the remounted ring....

Will keep you guys posted!

Yes, do!! And I hope this is resolved to your satisfaction. Such a gorgeous ring that should be enjoyed!!

cheers--Sharon

 

[Crazie4Cuts]

@Brunette
Good to hear that when you spoke to Melissa you were able to let her know what you want and expressed your dissatisfaction. Did you follow up with an email to reiterate your discussion? I am thinking you may need to have a paper trail of the conversations or ‘someone’ won’t follow up with you!
In addition be sure to request still shots, top, profile, and a video when they complete your reset. Then post the pictures here for us to view/comment.
Crossing fingers and toes!
-C4C

 

[sledge]

@Brunette
Good to hear that when you spoke to Melissa you were able to let her know what you want and expressed your dissatisfaction. Did you follow up with an email to reiterate your discussion? I am thinking you may need to have a paper trail of the conversations or ‘someone’ won’t follow up with you!
In addition be sure to request still shots, top, profile, and a video when they complete your reset. Then post the pictures here for us to view/comment.
Crossing fingers and toes!
-C4C

Excellent advise!

I do this frequently as I have to play CYA. "Confirming conversation" emails seem like a waste of time and effort until procedures are questioned and lawyers get involved.

Obviously you won't have that severity here, but should you not get what you want it will be easy to document the trail that YOU did everything possible, within reason. Eventually it will get to the right person and they should treat you properly.

Please tell me you are not having to pay for any of this.

 

[LLJsmom]

Here is my theory. Your 2 carat stone is bigger than the ones in the pictures you posted. Tiffany probably produces heads with prongs that are ll the same length. Thus when they set a bigger stone it just sits lower. Did you look st any 3 carat solitaires at Tiffany? Did they sit high like you want in the picture or do they sit low in the head like yours? If you want yours to sutnhigher they would have to make the circumference of the base even wider so the angle going up to a higher set stone won’t be too steep. I hope I am making sense. I doubt Tiffany would custom cast a new setting for you, as I am assuming they would not just replace the head. For that much money they had better not! So I don’t have any suggestions in dealing with Tiffany but this is my theory as to why they won’t set it higher for you. If you want it to be a higher height you would probably have to move a mountain at Tiffany or get a custom setting made by an outside vendor which defeats the purpose of having a Tiffany ring. I am so sorry.

 

[Brunette]

@sledge and @Crazie4Cuts — Yes, it’s all in email. I’m a lawyer so I know how important it is to get things in writing.

I’m paying for the remount, Melissa did not offer anything to me. Her explanation was that Tiffany tweaks designs a bit as time goes by and mine was just an older “look.” (My ring is less than 4 years old though....)

Although so much of this is still frustrating, at this point, I just really want my ring back, looking how I want it to look. It’s been about a month and a half since I first dropped it off. I want to keep fighting the good fight, but it seems like they always come up with an explanation for everything, and I have a newborn at home to deal with right now, so the time and energy I have to keep dedicating to this is wearing thin.

ETA: I fully intend to email the CEO or a regional manager at some point and lay out what happened and how I don’t think any customer should have to go through this and jump such hoops, but it’s just that I don’t have the time on my hands right now to sit down and put that together.

 

[MollyMalone]

No wonder you're aggravated & feeling worn down! But whenever you feel like writing the letters, here's the roster of Tiffany & Co's top management team.
http://investor.tiffany.com/corporate-governance/management

I'd suggest writing Mr. Bogliolo (the CEO) and Ms. Andrea C. Davey, who was named to her current position as Senior VP, Global Marketing earlier this year but started with Tiffany in 2013 as the VP for North America Marketing. Both of them have their offices at the flagship location: 727 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10022.

Hope you're soon able to happily post back with photos of a new ring you adore!

 

[Brunette]

Thanks so much for the info and well wishes, @MollyMalone ! Really appreciate it. And really appreciate all the advice everyone has given me so far!

 

[voce]

Like @scarsmum I agree that the 12 and 6 o'clock prongs do not look centered. Whoever repaired this did a sloppy job. I don't think you're being too nitpicky at all.

Yeah, @MollyMalone , I don't know either. I plan on asking.

Thanks, @Weecam -- I've heard wonderful stories of their customer service (even from my own family members), but every single time I've approached them for anything, I've been treated rudely and nickel and dimed. It's extremely, extremely frustrating.

It's so sad Tiffany reps have treated you so rudely. I guess their customer service is no longer what it was? Still, if I were you I would call, complain and insist until you're 100% satisfied with the ring. Your DF or DH paid a premium for the brand name, so you deserve no less than perfection when it comes to your ring.

 

[mrs-b]

Thanks so much for the info and well wishes, @MollyMalone ! Really appreciate it. And really appreciate all the advice everyone has given me so far!

Hi @Brunette

I once had a bad experience at Costco - huge company, as you know. I got their corporate info online and sent a long, detailed email to their board of directors. I also sent it to their head honcho via registered mail.

About 2 weeks later I received a phone call from said head honcho (I can't recall his name off hand) who apologized for my experience and offered me a $500 gift card. The email I sent was very detailed, including photos, and worded very directly. I think they just wanted me to go away - but for a $500 gift card and an apology (more important to me than the gift card), I was happy to.

Costco is a huge company and the average person would have no idea who the heck is in charge. But a little digging and a reasonable amount of effort, and I had their CEO on the phone and money in my pocket.

So all that to say - always give it a shot. In my experience you get results about 50% of the time. And NEVER deal with low level sales reps. They have no power to approve anything anyway, so you may as well save your time.

Good luck!

 

[Brunette]

***UPDATE***

Hi everyone! Sorry it's taken me so long to give an update. I went back to work from maternity leave so things've been crazy, as I'm sure you can imagine...!

Since I last posted: I waited around 2 weeks for the remount. I thought about reaching out to someone at Tiffany to share my frustrations during that time, but I got to the point where I just wanted it safely back first. I was SO nervous to see it, but it ended up perfect. A few weeks later, I contacted the Director of Customer Service in NYC recapping my experience. She responded the very next day and we spoke on the phone. She was incredibly apologetic, recognized that things had been mishandled, and refunded me for the remount. Most importantly (to me), she said that if I have any issues with my ring in the future, I should feel free to contact her directly and she'll work with my local store to make sure things go smoothly. So all's well that ends well. It was a long road, but at the end of the day, I'm so happy my ring finally looks right and so happy I was finally heard.

Thanks again everyone for all your advice and for listening. Looking forward to posting more when I can, I love seeing everyone's sparklies!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Gorgeous!!! Hand shots please!!!

cheers--Sharon

 

[SimoneDi]

@Brunette this is such a lovely update! I am happy that your ring was fixed to your satisfaction. It looks gorgeous! Also, congratulations on your bundle of joy!

 

[holeydonut]

Glad everything worked out!

I don't know if it was answered for you regarding the prong angles ... I think your ring is platinum? can't really tell. But, the prong-angle that GIA recommends for platinum settings is 62 degrees. Your prong angle seems just a bit lower than this, but still really close to the 62-degree mark.

Of course, I'm basing this off of a single low-res picture, so maybe it's exactly 62 degrees...

 

[MissGotRocks]

So glad they were able to redo this to your satisfaction! It does indeed look beautiful and can't wait for more handshots!

Congrats on the new addition to your family - I can certainly understand how busy you are these days!

 

[pearaffair]

Gotta love a happy ending!