Custom design woes on ring

[Papillion]

Is it common for the jeweler to be very vague about the carat weight of the melee that will be used, not specify it on the deposit receipt, and refuse to show where the melee will be placed on the ring on the CAD drawing? I have been trying to pin down my ring maker on all these issues. For one thing, we insured the ring for the setting process, and Perfect Circle insurance company wanted to know the estimated weight of the diamond melee. Verbal only estimates have ranged from 1/4 to 1/2 carat, and now it's "whatever fits with the design."

The CAD drawing is also very vague, and there has been a refusal to show where anything will go as far as stone placement except the one large main stone. The jeweler indicated that they wouldn't know until they laid all the melee stones out and came up with the design. This is to be a vintage replica type ring. I supplied a web page photo of a ring from an antique store, and then I drew a fairly detailed sketch showing placement of milgrain, edging, and modifications. I asked for it to be as faithful a re-creation as possible of the ring in the photo except for my modifications, yet somehow everything seems to be very sketchy and up in the air now. I was told about the CAD that it was "only a rough representation, and that I wouldn't really know what my ring would look like until they were done with it." When we question him and try to pin him down on these issues, he becomes rather irritated and gives the impression that he thinks we're ignorant and meddlesome.

This is a fairly well known jeweler with a great reputation for doing very fine, detailed antique type work. They have terrific reviews on Yelp. No one mentioned having a bad experience with them during the custom process. Is this unusual for a jeweler to work this way? It seems to go against everything I've read about on Pricescope.

 

[madelise]

Yes, that's normal. I did not get an exact melee ct weight, either. They can't know until they make it. 1/4 to 1/2 ct is a very small range, so that's pretty precise IMO.

The design placement vagueness is odd, though. YOU aren't designing it? I'd get a grip on THAT.

Don't go to Yelp for jewelers. Yelp is filled with foodies. Foodies don't know squat about jewelry.

 

[justginger]

Yes, melee weight is always estimated. When my halo was done, Leon charged me based on an estimate of 1.1 cts. It turned out to only be .99 cts, so I received a (very) small refund. Not knowing the placement? That's odd. I'd be unhappy about that as well.

If you are not pleased with the way things are going, it is time to speak up and be firm. Do not allow him to make you feel silly. Assert that this is a pricey, sentimental purchase and you would like to be kept better informed of the process. If that's not ok with him, pay him his CAD fees and find another vendor.

 

[GoldFish8]

" When we question him and try to pin him down on these issues, he becomes rather irritated and gives the impression that he thinks we're ignorant and meddlesome."

I hate when people do this... And I especially hate when someone who YOU are GIVING BUSINESS to does this! I would be very firm and ask him what he means by "you wont really know what it looks like till its done" ... umm HELLO you designed the thing... it should look like THAT! I hope he can give you clearer explanations! Good luck!

Don't go to Yelp for jewelers. Yelp is filled with foodies. Foodies don't know squat about jewelry.

Madelise I LOVE THIS! LOL!!!! This is too funny!!

 

[Papillion]

Actually, I first heard about this jeweler on Pricescope and saw photos of their rings, but I did read personal reviews on Yelp to see how they were treated as a customer and get an idea of what it would be like to work with this business in a custom design project. Yelp people do tend to be very particular about everything in general, not just food, and they'll be the first to complain about someone.

So far this person delights in being vague and having total control about the project. It's not as though I said, "You have free artistic freedom to design something as you wish." Very frustrating. We already gave him a 50% deposit for the start of the project, which was required before any CAD work was done. So then you're in!

 

[chrono]

It is common for the jeweller to give you an approximate ct weight of the melee because he/she won't know for sure until everything is laid out perfectly. However, I don't understand why the CAD is vague. Once the design is drawn in CAD, it is pretty much finalized with all the melees drawn into place. Milgraine and other fine details might not be shown but there is no reason why the melees aren't included. If anything, they are one of the most important part of the design. If the CAD is only to be a rough representation, why even bother with a CAD? A handsketch will be quicker and less expensive.

 

[madelise]

Actually, I first heard about this jeweler on Pricescope and saw photos of their rings, but I did read personal reviews on Yelp to see how they were treated as a customer and get an idea of what it would be like to work with this business in a custom design project. Yelp people do tend to be very particular about everything in general, not just food, and they'll be the first to complain about someone.

Yes, Yelpers will rate, but they can only be taken seriously about the customer service. They don't know squat about jewelry or the jewelry making process. See: the wonderful ratings on sh!tascular B+M chains. THEY might love them, but THEY might be a dime a dozen, posting raves about a company, and making the general public believe the facility is THE BEST jeweler in town. Yelpers don't usually know how to design jewelry, and what to expect, so their opinions should be taken with a grain (or pinch) of salt.

Even the review on the way they treat a customer shouldn't be taken too seriously. Not many Yelpers understand how the setting process is done. I mean, even yourself asked if it's normal to not know the actual total carat weight on a setting prior to actually setting the melee in a setting. Actually, I don't even take Yelp seriously for its food reviews anymore, after being led into some supposedly great restaurants that weren't so great. People make fake accounts, and businesses hire people to do that. I gave up on Yelp as a research tool.


I agree with everything Chrono said. There's nothing vague about design and melee stone placement. Do you mean like, will there be 12 stones in the halo so there can be a perfectly square look to the square halo, or 11 so there can't be a perfect square- type of thing? They shouldn't be treating you like a nuisance when you ask them for details or specifics. It's YOUR money. I'm curious to which PS vendor this may be.

 

[yssie]

Who is this jeweller? PSers might let questionable customer service slide but I'm having a hard time imagining a jeweller who provides vague CADs surviving on here!

Ditto Chrono and madelise.

 

[Papillion]

Do you mean like, will there be 12 stones in the halo so there can be a perfectly square look to the square halo, or 11 so there can't be a perfect square- type of thing?

Not even anything that precise. As in just where any of them will be at all! We felt obligated to question him on it because if the CAD doesn't reflect any, we felt he might present us with a finished ring with no melee on it at all.

I don't want to alienate him further while we're in the process by revealing his identity. But he knows we found him through Pricescope. You would think he would go out of his way to treat us fairly and nicely.

 

[cookies]

I think it's normal for jewelers to not know how many carats of melees will be needed until the end, unless they have made the same ring before. When I had my ring made by James Meyer, he gave me a weight estimate of the melees at the time of deposit payment, but told me that he wouldn't know the exact weight until the ring was fabricated and put together. It turned out the melee size is smaller than his estimate, so I didn't need to pay as much.

However, being vague on the design is not acceptable, unless you really really trust their artistic eye and ability. I mean, even Leon drew a detailed sketch for my approval, before sending over the work order.

 

[minousbijoux]

I have nothing to add that will assist in clarifying anything, but just wanted to say I am sorry that your jeweler is not more receptive. There are a few jewelers that have been discussed on PS that for whatever reasons think their vision and execution are what is being purchased and they have the right to protect their vision from possible "corruption." Often, these jewelers have tremendous track records and those "lucky" enough to work with them understand what they're getting into and know that they'll be expected to relinquish control. Others are just not good at customer service and are brusk or believe they "know better" what the customer will want. Whatever this turns out to be, its YOUR ring and YOU will wear it for a long time. It irritates me to no end when jewelers forget that one little fact...