disappointment in WF

[samkongado]

I bought my ring from WF about four months ago. A couple weeks ago my fiance had taken the ring off, and I picked it up to look at it, and noticed that the stone was very off center. It was like someone had taken the diamond and pulled it down to the side. We were both very surprised, since she had not knocked the diamond at all (to her knowledge) and had been very very careful while wearing the ring. So we''re really not sure how it happened.

So I sent the ring back to WF thinking that it would be covered under warranty (my thought was that most likely the metal was weaker than it should be, although once again I really have no idea). But my understanding was that it was a lifetime warranty. Turns out they said that it probably took an impact and that it would cost me to repair it, plus the money to ship it back. Now the total out of pocket will be about $120 which isn''t huge, but now I feel like I will never want to send the ring back to them to repair. They charge $50 just for shipping- no questions asked! So much for the lifetime warranty...

So that''s my short story, I just wanted a place to vent and see if anyone else has had similar experiences sending the ring back to WF for repair.

 

[swingirl]

Do you have the original photos WF sent to you when they completed your ring? Did you take any close-up photos you can use to verify whether the ring came that way or if was caused by pressure or a hit. I bent my setting not from a hit but from slow pressure while I was kneading bread dough. WF seems to have a pretty good reputation. Sorry to hear about the mishap either way.

By the way what does WF's lifetime warranty include? Isn't it lifetime trade-up on the diamond only? Is there any warranty on the setting? Did you have the ring resized at a local jeweler?

 

[decodelighted]

Hum. Sorry to hear about the problem with the ring.

I hadn''t realized that shipping to & from & repair would top $100 each time you need to service the ring. That seems like it should be a consideration for some folks who are saving less proportionately by buying online (i.e. - smaller stones). $100 a pop would add up over time to be more than the savings possibly .. versus, say, buying a B&M stone with a lifetime free service, repair type of deal.

Maybe in your case it makes more sense to have a local "fix it" jeweler take a look at it & see how much a repair there would cost. If they say there are workmanship issues with the ring, then reapproach Whiteflash about replacement or refund options??

 

[mrssalvo]

I''m sorry you''re disappointed however their warranty, as with most vendors is for workmanship issues. If the ring was damaged it becomes your responsibilty to pay for the repair even if you fiancee doesn''t remember hitting it. WF is an honest company and I believe if they recognized the problem was workmanship related they would handle it accordly. As for the shipping, that is a bummer and one of the downsides to purchasing online rather than working with a local jeweler.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 9/26/2006 1:33:37 PM
Author:samkongado

I bought my ring from WF about four months ago. A couple weeks ago my fiance had taken the ring off, and I picked it up to look at it, and noticed that the stone was very off center. It was like someone had taken the diamond and pulled it down to the side. We were both very surprised, since she had not knocked the diamond at all (to her knowledge) and had been very very careful while wearing the ring. So we're really not sure how it happened.

So I sent the ring back to WF thinking that it would be covered under warranty (my thought was that most likely the metal was weaker than it should be, although once again I really have no idea). But my understanding was that it was a lifetime warranty. Turns out they said that it probably took an impact and that it would cost me to repair it, plus the money to ship it back. Now the total out of pocket will be about $120 which isn't huge, but now I feel like I will never want to send the ring back to them to repair. They charge $50 just for shipping- no questions asked! So much for the lifetime warranty...

So that's my short story, I just wanted a place to vent and see if anyone else has had similar experiences sending the ring back to WF for repair.

Hi Samkongado.

I wanted to let you know that the terms of our lifetime warranty can be found on your original invoice (sent March 30) and on our website’s FAQ. I'm sorry the Fed Ex cost was a shock. The $50 shipping/insurance quote was included on your original order confirmation (sent March 27). This was a time-of-purchase quote, subject to change, but there has been no Fed Ex increase/decrease since March - so it was still $50 (we follow their shipping & insurance schedules with no markup). This carrier service has proven very trustworthy with our clients' treasured possessions.

We realize the above information was issued at time of purchase and understand how it may not be recalled 6 months later. We also realize you just want her ring back healthy and happy! I assure you, this is what we want as well.

We were pleased to offer you the free resizing and we wish you both many happy years of enjoyment.

 

[samkongado]

It''s not that I think WF is trying to rip us off, and I know they''re an honest company. But unfortunately, the cost of shipping back and forth for any repair is high, and it makes much more sense just to have a local company do repairs. The downside of that is the warranty becomes invalid (for both the diamond and setting) even if the repairs are just on the setting. It''s kind of like you''re damned if you do and you''re damned if you don''t.

 

[kenny]

It is just the reality of shipping and insurance costs.
Remember you saved a bundle more than $100 buy buying from Whiteflash.

These cost are not their fault.
If they absorbed them they would have to raise prices.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Just curious as to what metal this ring is made from????

 

[lisaC]

Platinum

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I see a real pattern of problems with rings made from 95% platinum around here. I''m not blaming WF at all, but I think there is a myth among consumers that platinum is stronger, harder, or more durable than white gold since it is so much more expensive, but it certainly doesn''t seem to be true as all the problems lately have been with platinum rings.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Yes, I am seeing the same pattern that DiamondSeeker is. Plat seems to bend more easily than WG.

I remember my jeweler 15 yrs ago saying Plat will bend in a situation where WG would break.

Also on PS someone said that today''s Plat isn''t as good as it was in the old days.

SORRY to hear about your ring problems. But glad you noticed them and that nothing terrible happened to the stone.

 

[strmrdr]

You know I may be off base but but sounds like the setting did its job.
It took a hit held the stone and protected it.
The diamond wasnt broken and didnt go flying accross the room/street/car so thats a win in my book.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 9/26/2006 11:31:54 PM
Author: Stone Hunter
Yes, I am seeing the same pattern that DiamondSeeker is. Plat seems to bend more easily than WG.

I remember my jeweler 15 yrs ago saying Plat will bend in a situation where WG would break.

Also on PS someone said that today''s Plat isn''t as good as it was in the old days.

SORRY to hear about your ring problems. But glad you noticed them and that nothing terrible happened to the stone.

the ring I''m having made is in 14k gold and I''m VERY glad for it. purity is overrated lol

 

[Mara]

i don't know about a PATTERN about 95% platinum...quite honestly everytime we see a post about someone's ring who bent or broke or similar...i just think that's typically wear and tear or it taking a hit or something unless it's something like a porosity problem or something. i mean we wear these things on our hands..which see a lot movement and banging around on a daily basis. i know i hit my ring from time to time and that's just the times i actually NOTICE. i personally like platinum and would always choose it over white gold for a ring, just because i like how it looks. do i care that it can bend or break? not really. don't all metals at some point? my ring is insured, pretty much for the stone since that is the valuable part, so that's all that matters.

 

[j_yeh]

This sounds more like a problem due to workmanship. The setting came loose, and you could have lost your center stone!

The good thing with whiteflash is that they have a wonderful guarantee for their products, but the not so good thing is that its mail order and you have to go through the hassle of shipping the item back and losing sleep over whether it arrives back to them safely.

I also purchased something from them recently, and decided to return it because I found a Jubilee stone instead. I must say I now would rather go to a good local jeweler. Sure it might cost more but face to face beats emails anyday.

Plus you are not saving that much if this happens on more than one occasion. The shipping adds up and you start to forget why mail ordering was such a good idea.

 

[Jelly]

Seems like maybe you''re frustrated with the cost of fed-ex. WF isn''t gaining any money for fixing this ring of yours. Is it really fair to say you''re "disappointed in WF" if they really didn''t do anything wrong?

 

[maxspinel]

Date: 9/27/2006 12:16:56 AM
Author: Cehrabehra

Date: 9/26/2006 11:31:54 PM

purity is overrated lol

A lot of people like me are allergic to alloys such as white gold. Purity of the Platinum is the only way to go.

All my rings are in platinum and I never have one bent or a pave diamond falling out. Most of the problems are probably due to the difference in workmanship.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 9/27/2006 1:23:07 AM
Author: Jelly
Seems like maybe you''re frustrated with the cost of fed-ex. WF isn''t gaining any money for fixing this ring of yours. Is it really fair to say you''re ''disappointed in WF'' if they really didn''t do anything wrong?

Good point....

 

[Mara]

Date: 9/27/2006 12:47:46 AM
Author: j_yeh
This sounds more like a problem due to workmanship. The setting came loose, and you could have lost your center stone!

I'm curious as to how this sounds more like a problem due to worksmanship. The original poster said that the head was BENT to the side and looked like someone had pulled it. Sure she didn't remember hitting it, but how exactly does a setting flaw mean that the head flops over to the side? Does metal even do that on it's own? That ring in my opinion sounds like it took a good knock.

In any case, neither you nor I actually know what happened to the ring but can speculate all we want...I do know that when WF gets a ring like this back they check into it pretty carefully and would not ask for a repair on the ring unless it was determined to NOT be a flaw in the ring itself.

 

[gailrmv]

Date: 9/26/2006 11:12:37 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
I see a real pattern of problems with rings made from 95% platinum around here. I''m not blaming WF at all, but I think there is a myth among consumers that platinum is stronger, harder, or more durable than white gold since it is so much more expensive, but it certainly doesn''t seem to be true as all the problems lately have been with platinum rings.

It is certainly marketed this way!

 

[j_yeh]

The original poster stated that they only had the ring for a few months, and to have a problem with the setting already just seemed odd to me. It would definitely bother me if that happened to me, and then having to fork over shipping charges, granted its minimal compared to the actual cost of the ring. I am just stating that it is a bother, and more convenient to work face to face. Didn''t you visit WF before?

Anyway, you are right though, as neither one of us has actually seen the ring or the damage. In order to succeed I think WF would have to carefully inspect each item to insure it wasn''t a fault on their end prior to charging their customer or guaranteeing their work.

Good feedback!

 

[Mara]

Yep I have visited WF twice now...mostly to see the stones in person rather than the setting...though personally I am glad that I have not had a custom setting made where I'd void a warranty if I took it to a local jeweler. I personally hate shipping my ring out and back and forth and it would drive me nuts to do so...forget the $100, I'd be more stressed about something happening to it and just the waiting of it all. I take my ring to be serviced locally but I also don't have any sort of warranty on it either. But definitely, I do agree that people should take this kind of thing into consideration when thinking about having custom made with an online vendor who is not local...that you may need to ship the ring back and forth a few times over it's life, or maybe once every 2 years if it's micropave or something, and factor that cost into the whole thing. If it's not worth it, then buy designer locally (in my experience you can get B&Ms to almost match prices for online designer settings) or get custom locally.

 

[bex891]

Date: 9/27/2006 1:23:07 AM
Author: Jelly
Seems like maybe you''re frustrated with the cost of fed-ex. WF isn''t gaining any money for fixing this ring of yours. Is it really fair to say you''re ''disappointed in WF'' if they really didn''t do anything wrong?

Yep.....she''s allowed to say she felt disappointed, if that''s how she feels.

If that happened to a ring I had only recently purchased, I wouldn''t have been disappointed, I would have been devastated!

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 9/27/2006 1:57:21 AM
Author: j_yeh

The original poster stated that they only had the ring for a few months, and to have a problem with the setting already just seemed odd to me.

I can understand that it''s disappointing to "have a problem" after just a few months......but seeing that the problem wasn''t workmanship-related, the length of time isn''t really relevant.

The vendor can warranty their workmanship; they cannot warranty your care of the piece.

If I buy a new car and it breaks down for a mechanical reason within 3 months, that''s a defect/workmanship problem. If I buy a new car and I get into an accident within 3 months, that''s not a workmanship/defect problem. That''s operator error.

 

[Anthony K]

Now as I have always understood it (and correct me if I''m wrong) but isn’t platinum technically softer but denser than gold not " stronger, harder, or more durable".

Cehrabehra when you said you were allergic to white gold I would bet that if you had it mixed with Palladium instead of nickel you would be fine especially in 18k.

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 9/26/2006 11:32:41 PM
Author: strmrdr
You know I may be off base but but sounds like the setting did its job.

It took a hit held the stone and protected it.

The diamond wasnt broken and didnt go flying accross the room/street/car so thats a win in my book.

i agree completely. I don''t think plat. is marketed as the stronger more durable metal. any small amount of research shows that''s it''s softer and more dense. also, it''s more likely to bend rather than break which is why many jewelers prefer plat. prongs at least. if the head gets hit a wg prong has a better chance of breaking where plat. will bend possible saving the stone.

 

[Mara]

def agree re platinum bending vs breaking...i''d much rather have my head knocked to the side but still ON the ring rather than the whole head coming off with the stone in it somewhere because gold is more brittle.

 

[maxspinel]

Date: 9/27/2006 12:59:10 PM
Author: Anthony K

Cehrabehra when you said you were allergic to white gold I would bet that if you had it mixed with Palladium instead of nickel you would be fine especially in 18k.

Sorry, Anthony. I am the one who is allergic to WG, not Cehrabehra. I somehow put my response under her quote. I haven''t had any luck on white gold, yellow gold or rose gold so I suspect it is not just Nickel that I am allergic to. I develope a reaction for 14 kt alloy gold in approximate 6 hours of continuous wearing. 18 kt takes longer for the irritation to develope. I can get away with alloy gold only for necklaces or items which I don''t wear constantly. For earrings or rings that I wear all the time, I''ve always used platinum.

 

[Anthony K]

Oh! Ok.... If I were you I would look into Palladium jewelry as opposed to Platinum you would defiantly save yourself some money.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 9/27/2006 2:07:50 PM
Author: mrssalvo

Date: 9/26/2006 11:32:41 PM
Author: strmrdr
You know I may be off base but but sounds like the setting did its job.

It took a hit held the stone and protected it.

The diamond wasnt broken and didnt go flying accross the room/street/car so thats a win in my book.

i agree completely. I don''t think plat. is marketed as the stronger more durable metal. any small amount of research shows that''s it''s softer and more dense. also, it''s more likely to bend rather than break which is why many jewelers prefer plat. prongs at least. if the head gets hit a wg prong has a better chance of breaking where plat. will bend possible saving the stone.

I''m not really saying that I think it is marketed that way, but I see people here state it erroneously from time to time. I think if people knew more about it, they''d insist on the 90/10 plat/iridium like Mark Morrell uses.