Any recommendations in the Bay Area to have ring set

[TwinkleCootie]

Hello Pricescopers!

Here is the situation:

A few weeks ago, I ordered a 2 carat ACA diamond from Whiteflash and took delivery of the loose stone by itself shortly thereafter. I spent some time at the San Francisco gift center and other Bay Area jewelers to look for a setting but could not find one that my girlfriend wants/likes so I have settled on ordering a Vatche U-113 from White Flash. WF was gracious enough to offer me a Fedex insured label to overnight my stone back to them in Houston so they could set it for me when the setting arrives. The problem is that I do not feel comfortable shipping something so expensive across the country let alone through Fedex (I have had several bad experiences with them and would like to avoid them as much as possible to the extent that I can) so I am looking for a local jeweler to set the stone for me. Can someone recommend a jeweler in the Bay Area to set my stone?

 

[RockyRacoon]

Recently suggested Joe Escobar to my SIL for her re-set and she loved the results:

http://www.escobardiamonds.com/

 

[TwinkleCootie]

Recently suggested Joe Escobar to my SIL for her re-set and she loved the results:

http://www.escobardiamonds.com/

I called Joe Escobar to see if they would be willing to set my stone and they said that their policy is to not set the stone unless it was directly purchased from them.

 

[TwinkleCootie]

I got two quotes. Alan Man Jewelry Design (in the SF Gift Center) quoted me $100 to set the stone. Kerns Jewelry in Burlingame quoted me $350. Alan Man said that it would only take about 30 minutes to do the labor whereas Kerns wanted "a few days". Does this sound right? As an aside, would any Bay Area price scopers happen to have experience with either?

 

[Gypsy]

Joe Escobar is where we go. Alternately Galati in San Mateo would be my choice.

 

[TwinkleCootie]

Called Galati and Ed said he could do it in about 2 hours time but wanted $450...That's pretty steep...

 

[Gypsy]

Yeah, they aren't the cheapest. Which is why Joe Escobar is worth the trip.

There's also a place in Walnut Creek. Not cheap either.

I highly suggest you take it to Joe E.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

He said JE said they would not set the stone. That was my first thought, too, but I cannot blame a jeweler who doesn't want to set a diamond when neither the diamond nor the setting was bought from them.

The diamond needs to be send to Vatche to be set, not to a jeweler. So send the stone back to WF (they have insurance so that is why FedEx can safely be used) and then have them send it to Vatche. You have a high potential for the prongs to not be right if you have anyone else set it. WF sends many diamonds and diamond rings, etc. daily and I am sure there are minimal problems. They have insurance in the extremely rare event there was a problem.

 

[Gypsy]

Oh. I missed that. Joe E. is a Vatche dealer. They might even be able to send it to Vatche for you. But I agree with DS. Just send it back to WF and have them send it in .

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh. I missed that. Joe E. is a Vatche dealer. They might even be able to send it to Vatche for you. But I agree with DS. Just send it back to WF and have them send it in .

Yes, if he did not want to send the stone back to WF, the thing to do would have been to go buy the setting at JE and then they would have sent the stone to Vatche to set.

 

[cflutist]

Yeah, they aren't the cheapest. Which is why Joe Escobar is worth the trip.

There's also a place in Walnut Creek. Not cheap either.

I highly suggest you take it to Joe E.

Gypsy, what is the name of the place in Walnut Creek as I'm in Contra Costa County.

 

[Gypsy]

Oh boy. Spitz in Walnut Creek. The sales people are snottish. But the bench jeweler is a good egg.

There's also King's jewelers. I wasn't a fan, personally. But Clairetek had good experiences there.

 

[TwinkleCootie]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

I've had terrible experiences with Fedex in the past (missing/lost packages, late delivery, etc...) and would like to avoid ever using them again to the extent that I can. I would not be able to sleep easy at night shipping something so expensive and valuable across the country even if the package and the stone itself is insured. For those reasons, I have a strong preference to find a local jeweler to set my stone.

With that said, how difficult is it to actually set a round brilliant diamond stone into a classic 6 prong setting? I would like to think that all of these jewelers (JE, Galati, etc...) do this day in and day out and should have plenty of experience with my setting (since it is nothing fancy) which is why I am perplexed as to why I am getting so many different quotes from different jewelers to do the job. Given that this is a standard round brilliant diamond and a standard setting what is the likelihood that a jeweler will damage either?

 

[snoopy916]

With Whiteflash, you actually ship it back via USPS (not Fedex) registered mail which can be insured up to $25,000.

 

[TwinkleCootie]

Thanks but I am uncomfortable shipping altogether...Any other suggestions to have the ring set? Is this something that is that hard?

 

[swingirl]

Thanks but I am uncomfortable shipping altogether...Any other suggestions to have the ring set? Is this something that is that hard?

Jewelerys don't make their money off of setting stones although they risk a lot should they happen to damage your stone or setting. And some stones are more difficult to set. While shipping a stone makes you uncomfortable that is what most of us do and I have not heard of many PSers with bad experiences other than a late delivery. Using WF label and instructions help.

 

[TwinkleCootie]

Curious, does anyone know how long would it actually take to set a brilliant round diamond into a standard 6 prong?

 

[4_cs]

I'm probably the last person to make recommendations as I am still learning. That being said I have been to Spitz and have had a good experience even though I didn't buy anything. I know someone who had a ring set there and it is beautiful.I have used King's Jewelers three times but they send their stuff out. They have a beautiful selection of colored stones and I can get lost in there. There is a Vatche dealer in San Carlos and they have a bench. Some work I love and some is OK.They have a beautiful setting I want to set a colored stone in. I had talked with Nancy Stacy (appraiser) on the phone and she recommended a small jeweler in Clayton.R&L Jewelers. I haven't been by to check them out. I have been to Joe Escobar and they would have done my reset with my stone, but I was there in person when I asked.I didn't have it done there at the time as I wasn't sure I was keeping the stone.Hope I haven't added to your confusion.

 

[thebigjdoe]

Curious, does anyone know how long would it actually take to set a brilliant round diamond into a standard 6 prong?

I think you are missing the point. It won't take much time to have it set but that is not why there is such high cost and resistance to do it. It has to not only be worth their time, but also worth the risk.

It's like when you're minor and want some older person to buy you booze. Sure it will only take them 10 minutes, but there is a lot more that makes it not worth dealing with.

I personally would be even more uncomfortable having some schmuck set it or paying one of the quality local jewelers a ton than sending it back. The package is insured anyway, and besides... How did the stone get to you in the first place?

 

[4_cs]

Developing a relationship with a local jeweler can have advantages. Its finding that relationship that can be difficult.

 

[TwinkleCootie]

Curious, does anyone know how long would it actually take to set a brilliant round diamond into a standard 6 prong?

I think you are missing the point. It won't take much time to have it set but that is not why there is such high cost and resistance to do it. It has to not only be worth their time, but also worth the risk.

It's like when you're minor and want some older person to buy you booze. Sure it will only take them 10 minutes, but there is a lot more that makes it not worth dealing with.

I personally would be even more uncomfortable having some schmuck set it or paying one of the quality local jewelers a ton than sending it back. The package is insured anyway, and besides... How did the stone get to you in the first place?

I understand that Jewelers make most of their money selling the stone as opposed to providing services (i.e. setting the stone, cleaning, repairs, etc...). However, my question was out of curiousity: How long would the actual labor take. I understand that jewelers can charge however much they want but I have had some jewelers say it would take an hour, others two, some want to keep my stone for several days.

To each their own. I would rather pay hundreds of dollars than ship my stone. The point of this thread is so that I don't find "some schmuck" to work on something that I paid so much for.