do these diamonds look like same color?, etc.

[Odilia]

Would a good jeweler use different color diamonds for side stones in a ring?
When I got my new setting last month from Quest, Pete said to let me know if it needed any tweaks or changes etc... But he was going out of town for a week, and then I was out of town for almost a week; no sooner came back but my FIL died & was out of town another whole week for that, and am still struggling against the current to get caught up. Thus, hadn't been back to Quest yet, but one thing that I was starting to notice (as many of you know, I am a SLOW PSer, in every way) that the smallest side diamonds on my ring seem to be darker than the larger ones. I don't know if it's just an optical illusion, but to me it seems apparent in too many photos to be my imagination. (And IRL) Perhaps the more discerning eyes of other PSers can give me feedback.

To add to my frustration, a diamond fell out of this ring already!

One of my factors in choosing something like this instead of a pave-type ring for example, was I wanted something low-maintenance. I am sure Quest will fix it, but it was NOT what I was expecting at all. Also the larger diamond on the other side also seems to be loose. I must admit I am so frustrated over this whole ring thing, I feel like leaving it in the safe, and never bothering about any of this stuff ever again, never looking at another diamond again...

Any feedback or suggestions would be appreciated. Do the diamonds look different colors to you? (Note the one on the far right, how much darker it seems than the others.)

 

[Odilia]

Here, again the far right one looks darkest.

(Also I guess this shows how unobservant I am, in this one it looks like you can already see the diamond that fell out was loose, but I did not notice it at the time.)

 

[neatfreak]

It does look odd...but I don''t know enough about reflections to know if it could be something else...I would take it back to Quest and show them.

 

[Odilia]

I almost hate to post this one, as all the diamonds look awful, but look how incredibly dark the leftmost one is. Is it my imagination, or would photography do this in so many pictures? Is it because they are at different angles?

 

[Ice Princess Cristy]

I see what you are referring to, but not sure if it''s color or perhaps cut? I keep noticing how the cut can effect the coloring.... do you have any specs on the side diamonds?

 

[Odilia]

This one is not so bad, but I almost feel like posting it to counterbalance that last hideous dark one. Still, with all the sunlight, the far right one does look a tad darker.

 

[niceice]

Hi OFG,

Sorry to hear of the chaos in your life right now, I hope it smooths out soon. Regarding the ring, it is possible that the accent diamonds are of different color grades, but it is also possible that they simply need to be cleaned. Sometimes a little polishing rouge gets stuck under a stone and in the prong configuration and this can result in a color change... Take the ring to the jeweler you bought it from and/or a good local jeweler and ask to have it cleaned thoroughly. You might also consider taking the ring to a local appraiser to have an experienced set of eyes determine whether the color of the accent diamonds is consistent or not. While the diamonds appear to be different tonal values in the photograph, it is impossible for anybody on the forum to accurately judge the color of the diamonds off of a photograph where tonal value varies from computer monitor to monitor and the tonal properties of the diamonds can be altered by lighting, etc.

 

[Odilia]

And last but not least, here''s what the ring looks like now. Hopefully Quest can fix it so the diamonds are all tight and this isn''t a recurring problem.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/21/2008 3:26:46 PM
Author: Ice Princess Cristy
I see what you are referring to, but not sure if it''s color or perhaps cut? I keep noticing how the cut can effect the coloring.... do you have any specs on the side diamonds?

Yes, I wondered the same thing. They are supposed to be H SI1, near-ideal to ideal.
(My center stone is AGS0, H, SI1)

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/21/2008 3:27:44 PM
Author: niceice
Hi OFG,

Sorry to hear of the chaos in your life right now, I hope it smooths out soon. Regarding the ring, it is possible that the accent diamonds are of different color grades, but it is also possible that they simply need to be cleaned. Sometimes a little polishing rouge gets stuck under a stone and in the prong configuration and this can result in a color change... Take the ring to the jeweler you bought it from and/or a good local jeweler and ask to have it cleaned thoroughly. You might also consider taking the ring to a local appraiser to have an experienced set of eyes determine whether the color of the accent diamonds is consistent or not.

Thanks, Todd. That is a good suggestion. Is it safe to assume a custom jeweler would try to match the color of all the sidestones as much as possible? (Of course they were all specified to be so)

 

[Odilia]

 

[Ellen]

OFG, I''m sorry you''re having to go through this. I hope Quest fixes everything to your liking.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/25/2008 7:00:01 PM
Author: Ellen
OFG, I''m sorry you''re having to go through this. I hope Quest fixes everything to your liking.

Thanks, Ellen! I hope so too. How did your aqua ring turn out? (If there was a thread, it''s possible I missed it, having been too busy for PS lately.)

 

[Ellen]

Let us know how it turns out.


And no, you didn''t miss the thread. The ring is taking longer that I had anticipated.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/25/2008 7:55:08 PM
Author: Ellen
Let us know how it turns out.


And no, you didn't miss the thread. The ring is taking longer that I had anticipated.

Thanks. I hope it turns out well. Overall generally I still like the look of the ring, but the quality of the side diamonds is a real bummer, as well as some of these other issues. I am so tired of the whole thing, and this sort of 're-opened the wound' of all the stress I had in February while it was being made. Plus I simply don't have the time to devote to it right now. It feels hopeless that my diamond will ever have a nice setting.

I hope your aqua ring is not taking longer due to such problems ...

 

[Ellen]

Date: 4/26/2008 8:17:42 AM
Author: old-fashioned girl

I hope your aqua ring is not taking longer due to such problems ...

OFG, I have battled on whether to say anything or not, but I feel badly for you, so I''m going to be honest. I was/am going to do a lengthy review at a later date.

My stone isn''t even at Quest anymore. Things went badly from the absolute beginning. My ring was finally completed, but between everything I went through during the process, to what it looked like at the end, I had had it, and told Pete I didn''t want it, and just wanted my money back. He readily agreed, and admitted the ring had not been finished properly. It truly was a frustrating event, and one that has left me scratching my head, because until you, I''d not heard a word on something like this happening at Quest.

I would be adamant with Pete that all this be fixed properly, on the first attempt. And if starting over is a consideration, let him know if it''s not right, you want your money back.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/26/2008 8:48:58 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 4/26/2008 8:17:42 AM
Author: old-fashioned girl

I hope your aqua ring is not taking longer due to such problems ...

OFG, I have battled on whether to say anything or not, but I feel badly for you, so I'm going to be honest. I was/am going to do a lengthy review at a later date.

My stone isn't even at Quest anymore. Things went badly from the absolute beginning. My ring was finally completed, but between everything I went through during the process, to what it looked like at the end, I had had it, and told Pete I didn't want it, and just wanted my money back. He readily agreed, and admitted the ring had not been finished properly. It truly was a frustrating event, and one that has left me scratching my head, because until you, I'd not heard a word on something like this happening at Quest.

I would be adamant with Pete that all this be fixed properly, on the first attempt. And if starting over is a consideration, let him know if it's not right, you want your money back.

Wow, Ellen, I am sorry to hear it, but I am glad you told me. I kinda guessed in my "stess" thread, because I too was having trouble, (it was because of these issues with Q & the "no refund" policy that I started totally having reservations & hence started that thread) and like you said, Quest always had such outstanding feedback on PS, I wasn't expecting this at all. There were so many issues, which I also have held back for now on writing up a lengthy review, partly because I simply haven't had time, but mainly because if I wanted to continue working on this ring w/ them, I didn't want to burn any bridges. But the problems with this ring are mounting (no pun intended), and when I talked to DH about it last night, he, as you said, "had had it" and sounded like he wanted to just get a refund, even though Quest says they won't do returns on custom. I would still like to see if this could work out, but it's good to know there may be a way out. Because honestly, this thing that is supposed to bring one pleasure, seems to have brought me nothing but agony. I was somewhat happy with the ring at first, because certain things I was dreading turned out better than expected. But I noticed some things right away, like the oval shape, and the digging into my knuckles thing, and the semi-bezels covering more of the stone than expected, and kinda thought the diamonds seemed - not quite right - but I am not as quick as other Pricescoper's, and plus my life has been non-stop mayhem since I picked it up, with elder-care issues as I know you can relate to, and a death in the family, etc... DH and I are going away for the weekend for our anniversary, and I had planned on enjoying my anniversary reset, but instead am stressed about it now. (And can't wear it with the missing diamond...) And I want to have all my ducks in a row before I go back to Quest, so we can either resolve it or just get a refund and go back to square one.

yikes, I've gone on way too long; sorry to bore you!

 

[iheartscience]

Oh geez, I''m so sorry to hear about everything, ofg! It sounds like this ring is one more upsetting thing on top of many. I didn''t realize this was also your thread until I opened it. I hope you can also just get your money back like Ellen did, if that''s what you want. It seems like there are several issues and you would probably have to get the ring remade because of them (shank and diamonds on end being so covered), so if that''s the case, I would get it remade somewhere else.

I have been extremely happy with the quality of my WF custom setting for my e-ring, and they also made me the handmade bezel setting for my earrings and the quality on those is fantastic also. (Also, they would use ACA melee for your side stones, so the quality of the diamonds would match your center stone.) If you do just get a refund, I would highly recommend them for the redo. I also just wanted to let you know that it is possible to be completely happy with custom work!

Again, I''m sorry about your ring-that''s got to be so disappointing and frustrating. Happy anniversary-I hope you have a great weekend away, ring or no ring!

 

[Ellen]

Honestly, I coined the term "twighlight zone" when referring to some friends about the goings on of this ring. It was so bizzare, and it just kept going, and going....I was totally like WHAT is going on? this is not what I expected, or what I've read about. And the really frustrating part, was Pete didn't seem to "get" it, until the end... I don't get it, but you needed to hear this, and others do too. I don't want anyone else feeling like I did, thinking they are the only one and it must be really bad luck.

I hope things get resolved, whatever you decide to do. And I really am sorry, you've got enough on your plate, and have been through enough, and have waited so long, this should not be happening.

And you did not bore me!!

 

[Sharon101]

Good luck. I would be asking for my money back in this case. The ring is wrong on so many levels that the jeweller who let it leave the shop has a lot to answer for. I would be very firm that the trust is gone and the contract broken by them. Im surprised that they were not embarrest to let you take that thing home. No wonder all they could say about the sides is that they are not garbage. And I thought it was a red flag how you were told to get back to them if anything is amiss. Thats a weird way of handing over a custom made ring. Its like they felt a bit guilty or nervous knowing that they were cheating you, but were still hoping that you would find it acceptable.

 

[Lynn B]

My DD and I have each worked with Quest and each ring turned out fabulous. The quality and workmanship are second to none. Now, while the custom experiences themselves may not have been "110% seamless" (but really, WHAT IS?!), I would still not hesitate for a moment to work with them again.

Of all the vendors I have worked with (and believe me, I am accumulating quite a list!) I have to honestly say that Pete (and staff) were the most responsive and eager-to-please of ANY, EVER. That, to me, speaks volumes.

Personally, I would give Pete the opportunity to make your ring right for you. I know it's frustrating, but I think he deserves every chance to make you 100% happy. Just my humble 2 cents.

Keep us posted. (Beautiful ring, BTW!

)

 

[Sharon101]

Date: 4/26/2008 9:53:25 AM
Author: Lynn B
My DD and I have each worked with Quest and each ring turned out fabulous. The quality and workmanship are second to none. Now, while the custom experiences themselves may not have been ''110% seamless'' (but really, WHAT IS?!), I would still not hesitate for a moment to work with them again.

Of all the vendors I have worked with (and believe me, I am accumulating quite a list!) I have to honestly say that Pete (and staff) were the most responsive and eager-to-please of ANY, EVER. That, to me, speaks volumes.

Personally, I would give Pete the opportunity to make your ring right for you. I know it''s frustrating, but I think he deserves every chance to make you 100% happy. Just my humble 2 cents.

Keep us posted. (Beautiful ring, BTW!

)

Lyn you might be right, but the way I see this situation, this ring is beyond repair. It needs to go right back to the starting over stage. Im not saying that mistakes dont happen or that things dont go wrong, but this is just a discraceful piece of second rate work. It actually looks like a torture device. I personally, going by this ring, would take my money and run. It really should not have been handed over the counter in the first place.

Of course there are always two sides to a story and Im open to hearing the vendor explain this one. Maybe it was a very unfortunate set of circumstances that saw this ring slip through the cracks of quality control. But it does sound to me like the person giving her the ring was covering themselves by trying to sound generous about letting them know `if` you find any problems.

 

[Ellen]

I wonder if Lynn saw the second thread.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/questions-for-jewelers-about-shank-should-it-be-shaped-like-this-etc.83980/


And Lynn, up until this last experience with Quest, I thought they were great too. Remember, he fixed up my mangled OMC ring. He truly was my hero. Not this time. I think something is going on there, but of course couldn't say what.

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 4/26/2008 10:16:16 AM
Author: Ellen
I wonder if Lynn saw the second thread.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/questions-for-jewelers-about-shank-should-it-be-shaped-like-this-etc.83980/


And Lynn, up until this last experience with Quest, I thought they were great too. Remember, he fixed up my mangled OMC ring. He truly was my hero. Not this time. I think something is going on there, but of course couldn''t say what.

Hmmmmm.... no, I hadn''t seen that thread... and yes, I agree, that ring definitely doesn''t look right. In those pictures, it doesn''t even look like it was made by Quest, IMVHO, it looks like some mall ring! Maybe something IS going on at Quest... although I hate to think so.

Obviously, I don''t know the whole story, and I''m sure OP will do the best thing for her... but I still think I would give Pete a chance to make it right. Even if that meant a complete re-make, from scratch. But again, JMVHO.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/26/2008 9:20:49 AM
Author: thing2of2
Oh geez, I''m so sorry to hear about everything, ofg! It sounds like this ring is one more upsetting thing on top of many. I didn''t realize this was also your thread until I opened it. I hope you can also just get your money back like Ellen did, if that''s what you want. It seems like there are several issues and you would probably have to get the ring remade because of them (shank and diamonds on end being so covered), so if that''s the case, I would get it remade somewhere else.

I have been extremely happy with the quality of my WF custom setting for my e-ring, and they also made me the handmade bezel setting for my earrings and the quality on those is fantastic also. (Also, they would use ACA melee for your side stones, so the quality of the diamonds would match your center stone.) If you do just get a refund, I would highly recommend them for the redo. I also just wanted to let you know that it is possible to be completely happy with custom work!

Again, I''m sorry about your ring-that''s got to be so disappointing and frustrating. Happy anniversary-I hope you have a great weekend away, ring or no ring!

Thanks, thing2of2! Yes, this has been just one of many stressors lately, and I have almost no time to work on it or think about it. It is so frustrating. When I went to Quest in January, I still wasn''t 100% sure what to do, but I just wanted to get it over with, so I thought, just go with them, they have a good reputation on PS, and how hard could it be to get 2 round diamonds flanking a round to be beautiful? argh.. So here it is April, and my 5th wedding anniversary, ring still a quandary and not wearable, prices thru the roof since I ordered it, and I could be back to square one..

Thanks for the reassurance about custom, (although after this experience I will be more wary than ever), and also for the wishes about the weekend. I really should be packing!

 

[Ellen]

OFG, I forgot to say, do try and have a wonderful weekend. While you may not have the ring of your dreams, you have the man. And that really is most important. Remember that.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/26/2008 11:51:04 AM
Author: Ellen
OFG, I forgot to say, do try and have a wonderful weekend. While you may not have the ring of your dreams, you have the man. And that really is most important. Remember that.

Thanks, Ellen! I do appreciate it, and all the feedback. You are right; I have a wonderful man, and that really is most important. Hopefully I can forget this stupid ring and just enjoy the trip.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/26/2008 9:20:52 AM
Author: Ellen
Honestly, I coined the term ''twighlight zone'' when referring to some friends about the goings on of this ring. It was so bizzare, and it just kept going, and going....I was totally like WHAT is going on? this is not what I expected, or what I''ve read about. And the really frustrating part, was Pete didn''t seem to ''get'' it, until the end... I don''t get it, but you needed to hear this, and others do too. I don''t want anyone else feeling like I did, thinking they are the only one and it must be really bad luck.

I kinda felt like that last night, talking to DH about it. It was bizarre, and very disappointing, and as you said, NOT what I expected, given Quest''s reputation here on PS. And like I said, I too have been torn, because part of me was like, "let''s not hammer Q too bad on PS, because I don''t want to burn a bridge; but on the other hand, I do want people to get honest feedback, because as you said, I don''t want someone else to go thru the same thing. But obviously, even on my SMTR thread, I was holding back, because I wanted it to be positive. You''ll notice I never posted the picture of the whole shank on there.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 4/26/2008 12:09:33 PM
Author: old-fashioned girl

I kinda felt like that last night, talking to DH about it. It was bizarre, and very disappointing, and as you said, NOT what I expected, given Quest''s reputation here on PS. And like I said, I too have been torn, because part of me was like, ''let''s not hammer Q too bad on PS, because I don''t want to burn a bridge; but on the other hand, I do want people to get honest feedback, because as you said, I don''t want someone else to go thru the same thing. But obviously, even on my SMTR thread, I was holding back, because I wanted it to be positive. You''ll notice I never posted the picture of the whole shank on there.

Yes, I had a feeling there was more going on with you than you were letting on. Bizzare is the word. What has gone on with you and I is nowhere to be found in any review, at all. It''s just really, really strange. I do wonder now though, if there may be a few others, who were affraid to say anything, because of that fact. We''ll see when I/you do a review.


And yes, forget the ring, and have fun!

 

[Odilia]

As you can see I am answering these during breaks which helps bump the thread!

Date: 4/26/2008 9:22:04 AM
Author: Sharon101
Good luck. I would be asking for my money back in this case. The ring is wrong on so many levels that the jeweller who let it leave the shop has a lot to answer for. I would be very firm that the trust is gone and the contract broken by them. Im surprised that they were not embarrest to let you take that thing home. No wonder all they could say about the sides is that they are not garbage. And I thought it was a red flag how you were told to get back to them if anything is amiss. Thats a weird way of handing over a custom made ring. Its like they felt a bit guilty or nervous knowing that they were cheating you, but were still hoping that you would find it acceptable.

Thanks, Sharon. I am still torn, but definitely starting to lean in that direction. You are right that there are multiple problems, (probably some that no one has even mentioned...?), but especially - "the trust is gone." Looking back on it, there were some red flags the very day I gave Quest my deposit, which should have made me stop there and rethink it, but alas, I was so anxious to get it done, and I am a slow operator. For about a month (before I heard from him again), I was happily awaiting my beautiful ring, and then in early Feb., the fruits of those red flags started showing up, and I was really second-guessing my decision to go w/ them totally. I was tempted at times to say, stop right now & lets cut our losses. (I didn''t think he would give the deposit back.) When the ring was done in March, I was so glad that some of the ...Problems - without going into the detail - were gone, and that he captured more or less the idea of what I wanted, that I wasn''t too critical of the ring right away. Plus as I''ve said I was gone for nearly 2 weeks, but even driving the 6-hour long drive back from the week in OH for the funeral, I kept looking at the ring on my hand and was starting to notice...

Oh well, going into more detail again than necessary again, but the general point is, mostly the TRUST is gone, and that would probably be my main incentive to try to get the refund and start over w/ a new plan.