Diamond Setting..

[diamond326]

hey guys I was thinking to buy a diamond from online and have it set at some jeweller.. I just feel that jeweller stores sell their stones for much much more money then i can buy it online. I was thinking If I buy a setting online and a stone online would i be able to have it set at a jeweller? How much they charge me? How long is the process? Can I trust a jeweller that he will set my stone up in my setting in a good way? What if he makes it look real bad? I got no money to buy a new setting and do it again? ANYBODY knows a good jeweller in New York who can do this type of job quickly and professionally? Thanks Guys..

 

[cinnabar]

Why would you want it set locally, if you are buying both stone and setting online?  Why not have it set by the vendor of the stone?  If they don''t offer that service to customers who buy a setting elsewhere (and I know some don''t), can you have the stone set by the vendor of the setting?

Or have the diamond sent to an independent appraiser, and arrange for them to have the stone set by someone they recommend.  Getting your diamond properly appraised is something you really need to do in any event.

You have plenty of options, besides having it set locally.

 

[denverappraiser]

diamond326,

I’m a big fan of local jewelers but I have to agree with cinnabar that your plan needs some work. When you get lots of vendors involved as a way of saving money, you leave yourself open for some serious buck passing opportunities.
For example:
“The prongs look like crap because of the jeweler. They were fine when we sold you the mounting.”
“This mounting is icky. The jeweler did a masterful job but it still looks bad because it started bad.”
“The stone is set crooked”
“The stone is set crooked because the mounting is crooked”
“This mounting is defective. I needed to do a bunch of extra work to fix it”
“Broken stone, what broken stone?”
"I didn''t damage your stone, it was broken when you brought it in"
“The stone doesn’t fit the mounting provided”
"Our jeweler is the greatest ever. The mounting you supplied was defective"
"The jeweler you chose was a butcher who destroyed our fabulous mounting"
Much of this kind of thing can be avoided by two simple steps:
First, have the stone examined by an independent professional before having it set. If there is a problem, address it immediately, before you send it to the setter. Second, if at all possible buy the mounting from the same company that does the setting, sizing etc. If it doesn’t fit or if it’s defective, it then becomes their problem. Almost every dealer that sells mounting also sells setting services and almost every setter also sells mountings. This may not result in the rock bottom price for each individual component but the combination is a significant improvement.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Independent Appraisals in Denver