Clarity SI2 vs. I1

[frugal]

Help, my husband an I went to a B&M store that came recommended, had no BBB complaints, and is listing "specials" for employees of a major WA company. We bought a nice setting and a diamond for the middle (.65 caret SI2 G color - and the receipt states that). The diamond cost was $1200. After the purchase, there were some major red flags that started going up, so I immediately went to an independent gemologist for an appraisal. Well, the diamond turned out to be an I1, color H. I don''t have a problem with the downgrade on the color, but I do with the I1 rating. I thought it was me (I have eagle eyes), but even my husband noticed that we can definately see an inclusion in the middle of the stone. The gemologist confirmed the fact. We paid with a charge card, and we complained within the 7 day return policy. The problem is I can''t return the stone, only exchange it. I don''t trust this guy now, and even though he claims he will get a GIA certified stone, I figure I still may get screwed. Do I have any recourse?

 

[pqcollectibles]

Since you paid with a Credit Card, and the diamond was not as represented at time of purchase, contact your Credit Card company and dispute the charge. You have documentation from an independent party to prove your claim. Let the Credit Card company handle the situation.

 

[Hest88]

Well, if you bought it with an explicit exchange-only policy you can do one of two things.

1) Chalk it up to your mistake in not knowing enough before purchasing, stick to your contractual obligations, give him very specific parameters for the diamond search, and make sure you inspect the diamond before taking it.

2) Put up such a big fuss that he would rather eat glass then to continue working with you and hope he refunds your money out of pure exasperation.

 

[pqcollectibles]

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On 2/24/2004 2:20:58 PM Hest88 wrote:

Well, if you bought it with an explicit exchange-only policy you can do one of two things.

1) Chalk it up to your mistake in not knowing enough before purchasing, stick to your contractual obligations, give him very specific parameters for the diamond search, and make sure you inspect the diamond before taking it.

2) Put up such a big fuss that he would rather eat glass then to continue working with you and hope he refunds your money out of pure exasperation.----------------

That's a thought too, Hest. I forget about the "Exchange Only" shops. I tend to not buy from them because I may not want an exchange.

 

[mike04456]

Keep in mind that diamond grading is an art, not a science. Two honest, reputable appraisers may differ on a grade. H-I1 is not that far from G-SI2. That said, an eye-visible inclusion right under the table sounds like an I1 to me.




If getting a refund proves to be too much of a hassle, you can insist on a GIA-graded stone and make it contingent on your independent gemologist confirming that the stone matches the report. That ought to eliminate any uncertainties.

 

[elgar]

You could ask Toni Soprano to take care of the problem for you!

 

[frugal]

1) Chalk it up to your mistake in not knowing enough before purchasing, stick to your contractual obligations, give him very specific parameters for the diamond search, and make sure you inspect the diamond before taking it.

Sadly, I thought we DID do a bunch of research. I knew EXACTLY what I wanted. I was not going for BIG, but smaller & nicer. Hence, what I really wanted was a G or H SI1 about .50 carat. He kept pushing us bigger - I am now glad I rejected the 1.2 european cut J SI2 he tried to sell us for $1500.
He also indicated on his web site his diamonds WERE certified. What we did dumb was not DEMANDING to see the paperwork first - but again, he came recomended, has been in business in the same location for over 7 years, and had no complaints on record. URGHHHH! I mentioned "red flags", well let me tell you about a few of them. First, he claimed the "sale" for the company employees was that day only. Of course, the "sale" is still on NOW. Second, he was suppose to set it the same day. Take a guess, it wound up being there a couple of days. Even worse, I had a second gemologist take a look at it (he confirmed the I1 rating), and he told me the setting was "crap". Out of the 6 prongs, only 4 were actually "on", the other 2 were barely touching. And there was gaps in some of the 4. Plus, we DID look at the diamond before purchase, and I did NOT see any inclusions. Yet, the day I picked it up - it was there. I thought at first it was because I was sick, and I was seeing things, but my husband confirmed it when he got home from work that night. Now we are wondering if the diamond got switched.

I have given him exact parmeters this time - and the requirement of the GIA cert. What I am afraid is what he is going to "charge" me for this replacement diamond. If it is within reason, I will do the replacement contingent to confirmation by the gemologist that the diamond matches the report. Then, I plan to take it somewhere else to get it set (where I can watch them).

2) Put up such a big fuss that he would rather eat glass then to continue working with you and hope he refunds your money out of pure exasperation

Pretty much my next move if this does NOT get resolved to my liking. I am tempted to do the credit card route, but I think I can do more "damage" this way. I don't want anyone else to get "taken", as I felt we did.

 

[phoenixgirl]

You do not have a recourse in the sense that one grade off is not considered fraud by the FTC. This is why it is important to get a stone with a reputable lab -- because one grade difference in both color and clarity will affect your diamond's value, turning a good deal into a bad one. Still, your credit card may press the issue if you want.

The good news is that you figured out the problem. While the jeweler may or may not have intentionally misgraded the diamond, it is unlikely that he would try to fabricate a GIA certificate for a $1K purchase, even if he were unscrupulous. Remember, he may have been misleading in the first place, but he did not break the law, and you did not "do your homework," so to speak. Sure, you may not like having to work with him now, but it may be better than a headache with your credit card company.

Read cut information here on PriceScope, and get a stone with a GIA or AGS cert that has an ok cut. Stones that are cut poorly command a lower price, so the jeweler may try to scrimp on cut now that he has to deliver on color and clarity. Make sure that the depth is not too deep or shallow (it should be 59-62%, give or take a point). An AGS cert will tell you the crown and pavilion angles, which will tell you if everything is aligned for good sparkle or not.

You may want to drop color to stay in the same price range. I would rather have a well cut I SI2 than a poorly cut G SI2.

Also, make sure that your receipt mentions the specifics of the diamond.

 

[frugal]

On 2/24/2004 4:42:42 PM phoenixgirl wrote:
Remember, he may have been misleading in the first place, but he did not break the law, and you did not 'do your homework,' so to speak.

I think it is a VERY sad state of affairs that the "homework" you mention means having to go beyond knowing the 4 c's and now treating every jewelry store (online and B&M) like I would if I was buying from a used car salesman. I understand everyone is in business to make a profit, but it seems like they forgot the second part - making customers happy and satisfied with their purchases. After this experience, I doubt that either my husband or I will ever buy gemstone jewelry again.

get a stone with a GIA or AGS cert that has an ok cut. Stones that are cut poorly command a lower price, so the jeweler may try to scrimp on cut now that he has to deliver on color and clarity. You may want to drop color to stay in the same price range. I would rather have a well cut I SI2 than a poorly cut G SI2.

I actually got specific on cuts as well - my husband and I discussed and we figured at this point spending more money for a better cut diamond is the way to go. I might not have been as upset about the I1 if the cut was good or very good . . . but on top of everything else it turned out to be poorly cut as well. I agree with your point of getting a well cut I SI2, but he claims he can't get a SI2 with a GIA cert, so I agreed to go SI1. Yeah, I know that SI2 with GIA certs are out there, but at this point I really am trying to work with him. I am not trying to be unreasonable. But bottom line, he took what was suppose to be a nice present from my husband for Valentines Day, and make it into a horrible experience.

 

[aljdewey]

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On 2/25/2004 1:14:56 PM frugal wrote:





I think it is a VERY sad state of affairs that the 'homework' you mention means having to go beyond knowing the 4 c's and now treating every jewelry store (online and B&M) like I would if I was buying from a used car salesman.----------------

I'm sorry for your disappointment on this. I do think, though, that you need to accept your responsibility in this too.

I think it's a stretch to say that it's now necessary to treat every jewelry store like a used car salesman. Every purchase - no matter what it is - requires some legwork. If you were buying a car, I'm sure you wouldn't think it was enough to find out "what color is it and how many doors does it have" without asking about options, maintenance requirements, price, etc.

It sounds like you did some homework, and that's great, but that doesn't mean you did enough homework. They came recommended, and that's great....but why not confirm that for yourself? His website said diamonds were certified. This is a HUGE purchase for you, it sounds like. Why wouldn't you see the paperwork pre-purchase? The fact that he came recommended, in bus for 7 years, etc etc shouldn't mean you don't still ask for the documentation. If you rely on the say-so of others, you can still be disappointed.

With a little homework, you would have known that diamond grading is subjective and it's possible to be off by one color grade or one clarity grade. You would have known enough to negotiate a 100% refund window, or to have an appraiser view it PRIOR to purchase.

Major purchases involve a great deal of legwork. Would you decide to purchase a house without benefit of a home inspection just because a friend recommended the realtor to you? Of course not.

Again, I'm really sorry for your experience, and I hope what you learn from this will help you resolve the situation and shop smarter next time.

 

[frugal]

If you were buying a car, I'm sure you wouldn't think it was enough to find out 'what color is it and how many doors does it have' without asking about options, maintenance requirements, price, etc. Major purchases involve a great deal of legwork. Would you decide to purchase a house without benefit of a home inspection just because a friend recommended the realtor to you? Of course not.

Lets see, you are asking me how much legwork I would do on a $20,000+ purchase (car) and a $300,000+ purchase (house). . . What do you think? A ton on the house purchase. Quite a bit on the car purchase, but not to the extreme of the house purchase. Which now only confirms the point I was trying to make - why should I have to spend as much time and effort to make sure my $1600 purchase of a ring is on the up and up as I would with a car purchase?

With a little homework, you would have known that diamond grading is subjective and it's possible to be off by one color grade or one clarity grade. You would have known enough to negotiate a 100% refund window, or to have an appraiser view it PRIOR to purchase.

By the way, I never said I was blameless - and maybe I should have done what you suggested - 100% refund window, and/or having an appraiser view it prior to my purchase. But, who would have thought a retailer would take the chance on what probably is to him a "small" purchase. Most people would not have even bothered getting an appraisal. Just think, if I never had the appraisal, I would have never known that the stone was off by one grade and one color, that the cut was bad, and that he could not even set the stone in the setting correctly. I would have been totally oblivious.

 

[Hest88]

For this reason, I actually rarely buy anything from places without full refunds unless I feel I could eat the purchase. I have a friend who buys Shiseido products from a small boutique and I always wonder why when she could buy the exact same thing from Macy's and return it if she wants to.

I know this sounds off-topic, but it isn't. Sometimes when faced with a product they're unfamiliar with, even the most savvy shoppers let their experience go out the window. Don't. The same care and the same conventions apply whether you're buying a pack of gum or a yacht.

 

[aljdewey]

Lets see, you are asking me how much legwork I would do on a $20,000+ purchase (car) and a $300,000+ purchase (house). . . What do you think? A ton on the house purchase. Quite a bit on the car purchase, but not to the extreme of the house purchase. Which now only confirms the point I was trying to make - why should I have to spend as much time and effort to make sure my $1600 purchase of a ring is on the up and up as I would with a car purchase?

Well, what you're saying in essence above is that the $1600 purchase isn't worth your time to properly research, and if that's so, then you shouldn't be too upset about not getting your money's worth because hey, it's only 1600 bucks, right? I, of course, agree that there is a break-point at which one loses....I wouldn't spend two hours researching a $5 purchase. But then again, most $5 purchases are fairly straightforward and I don't need to know much technically about the product I'm purchasing.

Why should you have to spend as much time researching the $1600 purchase? Well......how about because you value your money and want to spend it wisely? Or, because the $1600 purchase is buying a commodity that you know extremely little about, which makes it harder to identify value? If you feel it's not worth your time to research a $1600 purchase, then don't...but understand that you take on the inherent risk that you may not get a good value. If it wasn't worth your time to understand value up front, then it shouldn't be worth your time to complain about not getting value later.

....maybe I should have done what you suggested - 100% refund window, and/or having an appraiser view it prior to my purchase. But, who would have thought a retailer would take the chance on what probably is to him a 'small' purchase.

As I see it, the retailer didn't take chances. I'm sorry....this is going to sound blunt.....but it's not up to the seller to make sure you know what you're doing. It's not up to him to educate you about every nuance relating to your purchase. He is *not* the steward responsible for making sure *you* feel you got value....that's your job as the consumer. His job as the seller is present you with products....as accurately as he can without being fraudulent. Your job is to learn enough about those products make *informed* decisions. If he cannot produce grading reports, you have the choice not to buy from him. It's not up to him to confirm that you understand what "exchange only" means....it's your job to understand the terms of sale and either agree to them, negotiate alternate terms, or walk your business elsewhere. My feeling is you ignored red flags that were occuring *during* the purchasing process because you were instead focused on taking advantage of the one-day "deal".

It may be good business practice for him to attempt to satisfy you after the fact.....after you've made an ill-informed purchase....but it's *not* his obligation. You note you and husband didn't see the inclusion in store....and you then insinuate that the stone could have been switched after sale. I'd suggest a more likely scenario......blinding jewelry store lighting masked the inclusion, and you didn't know enough to view the diamond away from such favorable lighting. Again, not the vendor's fault. But it's easier to cast aspersions on the vendor and think that "the diamond got switched".

Most people would not have even bothered getting an appraisal. Just think, if I never had the appraisal, I would have never known that the stone was off by one grade and one color, that the cut was bad, and that he could not even set the stone in the setting correctly. I would have been totally oblivious.

I'm sorry it sounds harsh....I really don't mean it to be.....but if it was worth your time to get an appraisal after the fact, it certainly would have been *more* worth your time to get that appraisal before the fact...prior to purchase. It really doesn't matter what "most" people would have done.....because they aren't the ones dissatified with the buying decision.

Every consumer has choices in spending their dollars. If you're willing to gamble those dollars on an uninformed purchase, then you take the risk that the purchase may turn out to be a poor choice. Lesson learned, and chalk it up.

 

[pqcollectibles]

I think $1600 is significant enough to do a fair amount of research before plunking down the cash. Otherwise, I might as well go to the Casino. Odds are in favor of the House there too!

 

[vinniedog]

As I see it, the retailer didn't take chances. I'm sorry....this is going to sound blunt.....but it's not up to the seller to make sure you know what you're doing. It's not up to him to educate you about every nuance relating to your purchase. He is *not* the steward responsible for making sure *you* feel you got value....that's your job as the consumer.

I see it this way: the reseller better educate the buyer if he wants a happy and satisfied buyer who will keep buying from him/her and refer others. If he fails to do so this is what happens. Now you seem to be kinda bitter with your replies full of "Caveat Emptor", and I "hate to be blunt" but it also sounds like this is how you do business in which case I wouldn't buy from you or would I recommend anyone to you. And I am sorry if that sounds harsh.

Oh and he's something to think about as us consumers chalk up that buying experience: a satisfied buyer may tell a handfull of people about their good experience, but a dissatisfied customer will tell hundreds (like a forum setting for example) about their experience w/ a vendor.

Every consumer has choices in spending their dollars. If you're willing to gamble those dollars on an uninformed purchase, then you take the risk that the purchase may turn out to be a poor choice. Lesson learned, and chalk it up.

A dissatisfied customer over a $1600 purchase may cost that retailer THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS in lost future purchases and referals...yea great advice to a scorned purchaser.

 

[aljdewey]

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On 2/25/2004 4:25:17 PM pqcollectibles wrote:





I think $1600 is significant enough to do a fair amount of research before plunking down the cash.
----------------

As you can tell, PQ, I obviously feel the same way.....but I realize that not everyone feels this way. Some people don't think $1600 is a big deal, and that's fine, too.

My feeling, though, is that you can't have it both ways. If the purchase isn't large enough to warrant the legwork, then it's not large enough to regret the decision later.

 

[aljdewey]

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On 2/25/2004 4:56:48 PM vinniedog wrote:





I see it this way: the reseller better educate the buyer if he wants a happy and satisfied buyer who will keep buying from him/her and refer others. If he fails to do so this is what happens. Now you seem to be kinda bitter with your replies full of 'Caveat Emptor', and I 'hate to be blunt' but it also sounds like this is how you do business in which case I wouldn't buy from you or would I recommend anyone to you. And I am sorry if that sounds harsh.

Oh and he's something to think about as us consumers chalk up that buying experience: a satisfied buyer may tell a handfull of people about their good experience, but a dissatisfied customer will tell hundreds (like a forum setting for example) about their experience w/ a vendor.

A dissatisfied customer over a $1600 purchase may cost that retailer THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS in lost future purchases and referals...yea great advice to a scorned purchaser.

----------------

Vinnie: Perhaps you could take my comments in better context if you understood who I am. I don't *do business*, I'm not a vendor. I'm a consumer just like the rest of you, and nothing more.

Having said that, YES, a vendor should do everything in his power to have his customers go away happy - I wholeheartedly agree. But a vendor cannot MAKE a consumer want to learn about something if the consumer doesn't give a crap or doesn't think it's worth his time to learn it.

My friend's son works for Circuit City. The kid knows *everything* about computers - makes me jealous! On several occasions, I've seen people come in wanting to buy a computer. They don't know JACK about what features the computer has, and they don't want to HEAR from the salesperson---they cannot be bothered. In fact, they are RESISTANT to more information because they think the salesman is trying to sell them bells and whistles that they don't need. Eddie is all jazzed to tell them what he knows that will help them.....but they cut him off....they don't WANT to learn.

So consumer says, "I want a computer that I can get on the internet on."....that's all I want to do with it. Consumer doesn't want to hear anything else. Eddie (my friend's son) shows him a computer that will fit the bill...what he said is ALL HE WANTS. Next week, the consumer comes in pissed because computer doesn't have enough memory to operate his 28 video games and download 250 digital pictures. He's pissed because the software doesn't work with his PDA. Mind you, Eddie tried to ASK him about all this, but he didn't want to be bothered......UNTIL he wasn't happy.

Eddie's father, my friend Robby, is a plumber. Robby will get calls to come look at someone's water heater. He tries to explain why the system cannot handle more than X gallons per hour.....customer doesn't want to hear it. All he wants to hear is "what's the cheapest water heater I can buy?". Robby tells him it's $100 (or whatever the cheapest water heater is)....tries to explain why it won't heat enough water for a FOUR-PERSON jacuzzi. Again, consumer rebuffs the information....doesn't want to be educated, just wants the cheapest water heater. Calls back pissed a week later because his wife can't use the jacuzzi because the water doesn't get hot.

Yes, those dissatisfied customers MAY tell everyone they know about their poor service, but if everyone he knows is equally problematic, then perhaps vendor is relieved not to have that kind of business. The vendor *may* lose some business by word-of-mouth.....but he will most assuredly be out-of-business if he has to bear the financial brunt of every uninformed customer's mistakes.

Contrary to popular belief, the customer is not ALWAYS right, and some customers aren't worth having. When I was shopping for my e-ring, I was very specific with my vendor what I wanted. I didn't want anything less than an SI1, and I also didn't want to spend more than X dollars. Vendor had a creative solution (that I was WILLING to listen to) to drop to SI2 (despite my preconceived notions), and helped me get into a gorgeous stone that I couldn't be happier with.

Communication is a two-way street, and both parties have to be willing to participate to make a good buying experience.

 

[pqcollectibles]

The Casino comment was a "Ditto's", AL!!

 

[vinniedog]

aljdewey, yes it is a two way street. I understand your examples, but they don't apply here. Frugal went to a b&m store that she was recommended. Unless she left something out, it appears that the retailer failed to mention the significance of an accompaning GIA report vs his own rating on the diamond and how it would affect the pricing. In your examples the vendor DID DO what I think all vendors should do, try to explain which product would be best for them given their specific circumstances. If they, the customer, fail to listen and then come back to complain, then I agree with you a bazillion percent that they are bad customers. Some people don't articulate stories of their buying accounts well, so we must look past what was literally written and see what the real cause of concern is.

This is what I gather: She's upset because an independant appraiser gave a different grading on her diamond than what the retailer has given her. Now there are extremely valid points given here by individuals way more experienced then I with this and have told her that appraising diamonds is not an exact science, therefore if she is unhappy she should take it back to the retailer and see if he can pleae her with another diamond. Very fair and constructive responses to be sure. But let's not treat her like a child and tell her to "suck it up" or to "chalk it up as experience" as that doesn't help her at all. This is just my $0.02.

 

[frugal]

Communication is a two-way street, and both parties have to be willing to participate to make a good buying experience.

First, I DID communicate. I told him exactly what I wanted. But, I was quite sick that day, and not my usual "top" form. Second,I Have NEVER complained before about a purchase - NEVER. I am not some "dumb" consumer trying to get the best deal for the least amount of money. I guess my name might be throwing a few of you off. I am frugal, as is my husband. I don't need to throw around money unnecessarily. I don't need a $10,000 ring for my husband to prove he loves me. But, we have been married over 17 years, and he just wanted to do something "nice" and thought it was time to update my wedding set, as it needed some repair work. So, we went to a number of stores that day knowing exactly what we wanted, and how much we wanted to spend. I never misled this guy. I never try to negotiate down from the prices he was quoting me. I gave him plenty of time to educate me. He even went over the 4 c's with us, to make sure we did understand them. I went to this guy because this particular retailer was one of three that makes their own settings. And, they are quite beautiful. I never complained about the ring itself. The "company" they were doing the special for is Microsoft. A lot of retailers want good "word of mouth" and are willing to take less of a profit to get their name around the company. I have taken advantage of "specials" before, and never ever had any problems. If I was satisfied, I would have told actually many (Microsoft has internal web sites for recommendations).

That said, have you noticed 1) I never mentioned who the retailer is - even going so far as not even mentioning the city they are located. 2) I admitted up front we were wrong, but explained why I was "taken" and not as careful as I normally would have been 3)I could have days ago stopped the charge card, but I would rather give the guy the benefit of the doubt. It is just getting harder as I am finding out its beyond a "simple" subjective grading problem. And, I think what finally lost it for me was finding out he did not even take the time or effort to set the stone properly. That was really the final straw.

He really did blow it - I was going to have some work done on other pieces, and he knew that as well. That is why I was a bit shocked that he did not try a bit harder. Maybe you are right, the lighting could have thrown us off, and we should have taken it outside. But, with days to get the setting right, why do such a bad job? I guess I should not have mentioned the possibility of a stone switch. But, I was furious that day when I posted.

My final thoughts 1)I was not a "high" worth customer, not someone who would be bringing in $1000's of dollars of business 2) He knew part of the reason we were keeping it under $2000 was so I would not have to get a rider for insurance 3) I think he never thought I would go get an independant appraisal (because of #2). So, he figured he could sell me a diamond that was borderline SI2/I1, not very well cut, and not take the time to properly set it - and I would not notice.

 

[phoenixgirl]

I'm sorry your Valentine's Day was ruined! There are some scummy people in this world. I hope you can find a sparkly stone that makes you forget the trouble it took to get it! Let us know what you end up finding.

I hope you don't feel that people here are being critical. I had the same thing happen to me -- I bought diamond stud earrings off of ebay (I know, stupid me) that were five to six color grades off, and I had to harrass the seller to get my $ (minus shipping and stress) back. I didn't really feel lucky or appreciative when people told me I was lucky to get my $ back. I just wanted those scummy people to get what was coming to them.

Remember, life is too short to worry about low-life jewelers who prey on the ignorance of their consumers. If I really think deeply about it (which really is a waste of time that could be better spend), I feel kind of sorry for someone whose life is lived that way. That's all he has to show for his life -- making a few extra bucks through deceit and technicalities?

That's why we at PS like to bow down before vendors who, as far as we can tell, are genuine and informative to a fault.

I think that the big end purchases where negotiation is a factor are always stressful. You have to have balls of steel to get a good deal, and I don't have any balls at all (literally I mean, I might have a small bit figuratively).

You're right that most people don't know much about diamonds. My brother bought his wife an almost two carat diamond, and didn't do any research or negotiating! I shudder to think what he (over)paid!

But to play the devil's advocate, it's not like there is a holy book of prices that came down to us from above -- it can be argued that any price that you willingly agree to is the actual value of an item.

In your shoes, I would do whatever will resolve the problem the most quickly and easily at this point.

 

[aljdewey]

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On 2/25/2004 5:48:40 PM vinniedog wrote:





But let's not treat her like a child and tell her to 'suck it up' or to 'chalk it up as experience' as that doesn't help her at all. This is just my $0.02.
----------------

Vinnie, I think you're are doing your level best to find ill intent in my comments where NO ill intent is intended. However, in the interest of giving the benefit of the doubt, I'm happy to try again.

I'm not suggesting that Frugal acted like a child....nor am I telling her to suck it up. Believe me, I feel HORRIBLE for her experience. No one should feel disappointed with a purchase. (Frugal, I'm not thrown by your name either.

I consider frugal shopping to be the ultimate challenge!) I'm saying that informed buying prevents regrets after sale.....and you get out of it what you put into it. If you're unwilling to put much into it, you can't expect to get much out of it.

But having said that, there are ways to minimize that from happening. She noted that his website said the diamonds were all certed. She noted they should have demanded the paperwork.....but she didn't. She took someone else's word on the recommendation and took the vendor's word on the certification. When I spend my money, I don't rely on someone else's word to make my buying decisions.....sure, it's helpful to have input, but that shouldn't make one less savvy about purchase details.

She notes she's been married for 17 years, so I'd have to assume she's quite a savvy woman. I expect that means she's been around long enough to understand how important terms of sale are. I think much of the problem here came from the fact that she was trying to be TOO reasonable, perhaps, with the vendor. That's unfortunate. As smart consumers, we have to be mindful that NO one else has our bests interests at heart the way we do individually. Trust comes from verifying what we hope is true.

In no way does this mean I think she's an idiot, a child, or any other thing you insinuate. PG commented that she didn't do enough homework, and I agreed with that observation head-on....and I still do. I think she didn't do *enough* homework, and it came back to bite her. In my humble opinion, she sold herself short....she let her trust in others recommendations override her otherwise cautious buying practices. That doesn't mean I think she "deserved" to be disappointed or treated shabbily, but at the end of the day, it's up to her (or me or you) to make sure we spend our money wisely. There were several opportunities to stop the sale.....when the paperwork wasn't produced, when the sale terms were outlined. These are things that could have made the difference now in her efforts to reach a happy resolution.

You'll notice I never mentioned the poor setting workmanship, etc. .....because they were things she could NOT have reasonable known prior to sale. I think she needs to be VERY VERY vocal on her displeasure with that.

It's always sad to me that one bad buying experience can sour a customer on an entire industry because there are so many great vendors out their who bust their tails to do a superior job.

 

[frugal]

You'll notice I never mentioned the poor setting workmanship, etc. .....because they were things she could NOT have reasonable known prior to sale. I think she needs to be VERY VERY vocal on her displeasure with that.

Just got off the phone with the Jewelry store (they just called me). And yes, I made 100% clear about my displeasure about the setting. He of course appologized and said he would personally make sure it was done 100% correct this time. He actually did not set it - but rather his brother. I also made it clear that I will be going back to the same Independant appraiser to verify everything.

They found a replacement diamond - this time concentrating on the cut.
It is a SI1, color H, Ideal H&A, excl. sym & polish .60 with an AGSL cert. The Price is $1700.

I checked this site (as well as Blue Nile) for prices, and it looks like yes, I could do a bit better online, but based on my research on the B&M stores around town, this is an price I can easily live with. Remember too, I can only exchange. I am relieved and feel much better, since I was worried about the price.

So, I will go ahead and this time double check everything.

The diamond is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I should know next week how everything goes.

By the way, can't remember which one of you said it, but yes, I was probably a bit too trusting. I volunteer at a number of charities, and so I get to work with companies/executives that are GREAT, caring individuals.

 

[pqcollectibles]

Congrats, Frugal!! Sounds like one brother at the B&M is concious of good customer service!! Hope the new diamond is a real sparkler and every thing works out for you!!

 

[frugal]

Just a quick update: The new diamond came in, and boy can you tell the difference between a triple Ideal and a moderate cut stone. The owner went out of his way to make sure I was satisfied after the original problems. He even suggested that I get it appraised BEFORE they set it. Afterwards, the owner actually let me go with him to the back of his store so I could watch him set it. I could tell after a few minutes there was some sort of problem, and he APOLOGIZED over and over again. It turned out there was a problem with the prongs, which explained why the other diamond was set improperly. He ordered new prongs, and last Wednesday, it all came together. I had my appointment this morning with the independant appraiser to look at the completed ring. All I can say is YEAH followed by

I don't regret that I went back and resolved all the issues. It was worth the time, the uncomfortable 15 minutes, and the final 30 minutes today at the independant appraiser.

 

[pqcollectibles]

Many Congrats, Frugal, on your new ring!!

Please do post pics for us. We all love eye candy here!!

 

[aljdewey]

AH - congratulations on a happy ending! Glad to hear your new stone is pleasing and the setting work was done to your satisfaction.

 

[Patty]

Wow, I'm so happy that it worked out this well!

 

[caratgirl]

So nice to hear a success story instead of further aggravation. After all that, you must post pics!