do these diamonds look like same color?, etc.

[Ellen]

Date: 4/26/2008 1:17:32 PM
Author: old-fashioned girl

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.

That''s what finally made me say "enough". There was NO trust left that things would be made right in a smooth fashion. Trust your instincts...

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/26/2008 9:22:04 AM
Author: Sharon101
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.

I must admit this didn't bother me too much; other jewelers I got quotes from said similar things: "If you don't like it (the hypothetical ring), we can still tweak it etc..." - it's their way of saying they know custom is risky, and they are willing to tweak things if it's not absolutely right on day 1. But I agree w/ you, I'm surprised they weren't embarrassed by the quality if the sidestones. And it's somewhat humiliating- he knows I'm on Pricescope; I know I'm not a diamond expert like so many of you, but does he think I don't care about the quality at all?

 

[Odilia]

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!

)

Thanks Lynn! That is what I had always heard about Quest, and why I wasn''t too worried about going with him. I am still undecided as to what to do. Hopefully the next few days away will clear my mind. Part of me would like to give him a chance to fix it, although like someone said, I think much of it can''t be fixed w/o remaking the whole ring, and I''m not trusting enough to think it''ll come out right then.

But thanks for the compliment! At its best, ignoring so many of the problems, there is much I like about it.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/26/2008 10:11:49 AM
Author: Sharon101
It actually looks like a torture device.

It didn't feel so much like one when I first got it, but having not worn it the past few weeks since the stone fell out, and w/ warmer weather (i.e. my knuckle may be bigger), I must say today that's exactly what it felt like! It is VERY hard to get it over my knuckle w/o gashing it.

And, I might add, although this doesn't explain the problems w/ Ellen's ring, much of the problems w/ mine may have been due to the Fingermate Shank. Whenever I talked to Pete about them, he always seemed very experienced w/ them etc... And that was partly why I chose Quest. But from that 1st phone call in Feb., (actually the red flag in Jan. that I should have acted upon but didn't) it seemed that apparently there was much he didn't know about them. I don't know if the ones he usually does are for solitaires only or what, but why was mine so complicated? My guess as to his answer why so much of the last stone is covered by the semi-bezel, is because of the FM shank. So my question is, if the FM shank is so limiting, and was going to affect the design in so many (unwanted) ways, why did he not warn me of these to begin with so that I could have made an informed decision? Why did he originally want to use 3 bigger diamonds per side, when even 2 smaller ones as on mine are so squashed due to space limitations? Oh well, here I go again...

 

[mrssalvo]

OFG- aren''t they open on saturdays? If so, I''d give them a call and let them know what you are feeling. then at least maybe you can go on your trip with at least a little peace of mind. Quest actually did a nice job on my ring so I don''t have workmanship complaints and the price was better than expected and I felt I got what I paid for. but, it does seem they are having some quality control issues as of late, maybe the result of growth or something. there was another poster, not a regular that came back with a complaint as well so you and ellen are not alone. i do think Quest wants you to be happy and will be willing to remake if that''s what it takes or should give you a refund based on what you''ve told us here. Good luck and hugs to you. I know what a huge process this has been for you. honestly, things like this are a big reason I just won''t do custom for an e-ring. I know you looked and looked for a ready made setting though and custom was the only way to get exactly what you wanted. I just hope you end up with your dream ring to go along with your dream man, no matter who ends up making it

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/26/2008 3:18:12 PM
Author: mrssalvo
OFG- aren''t they open on saturdays? If so, I''d give them a call and let them know what you are feeling. then at least maybe you can go on your trip with at least a little peace of mind. Quest actually did a nice job on my ring so I don''t have workmanship complaints and the price was better than expected and I felt I got what I paid for. but, it does seem they are having some quality control issues as of late, maybe the result of growth or something. there was another poster, not a regular that came back with a complaint as well so you and ellen are not alone. i do think Quest wants you to be happy and will be willing to remake if that''s what it takes or should give you a refund based on what you''ve told us here. Good luck and hugs to you. I know what a huge process this has been for you. honestly, things like this are a big reason I just won''t do custom for an e-ring. I know you looked and looked for a ready made setting though and custom was the only way to get exactly what you wanted. I just hope you end up with your dream ring to go along with your dream man, no matter who ends up making it

Thanks, mrssalvo! I am hoping that you & others are right; I think Quest does want to keep their good reputation for customer satisfaction, so hopefully he will agree to whatever is best. I appreciate the hugs & good wishes! And also, congrats on the baby! I just noticed you said you had a 2 week old; congratulations!!

 

[Lynn B]

OFG,

You know, I think that sometimes giving a vendor another chance (even if it means totally remaking a ring) may be your BEST bet at getting something done *perfectly*. It seems to me that in those cases, the vendor realizes that they dropped the ball and they tend to go *above and beyond* to really be sure that the job is done right the NEXT time. That's my opinion from my personal experience, anyway.

I also agree that *trust* is vital... but unless a vendor undeniably lied to me, or unfairly ripped me off, (or maybe spit in my eye!

) I probably wouldn't be likely to dismiss trust based solely on a less-than-stellar job.

But again, I don't know (or need to know) all the specifics of your interaction with Quest, so maybe I am off base here. This is just my humble opinion based on the facts as I am aware of them.

But which or whatever -- I wish you all the best; and most of all, a STUNNING, KILLER RING

-- however you end up going about that!

 

[cayce]

OFG,

I just got my ring back from Quest last week (sorry, no pics -- camera is lost) and honestly, the workmanship is exquisite.

As it should be for what they charge!

I paid almost as much for a simple ring (no pave) and providing my own sidestones as I would have for a Leon Mege setting.

IMO, when a jeweler charges the kind of money that Quest does, they really need to provide the quality and service that go along with that high price.

After having met Pete (and the other staff there) and interacted with them through the design and build process with my ring, I cannot imagine that they would not want to remake that ring and get it right this time.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

That's kind of a surprise Cayce, because I have always thought Quest quotes were lower than some of the others and that is why people used them. If the prices were close, I'd definitely choose Leon, Maytal, and Mark Morrell over Quest because I have seen enough rings that they have done with exceptional workmanship. But that's great that your ring is like you hoped!

OFG, I am so very sorry. This reminds me of the problems people started having with Lockes. I always thought that they must have lost the benchman who made that solitaire, and no one else they had could make it to that level of perfection. I am wondering if they have someone new at Quest since you and Ellen had problems. I think the shank is unacceptable and the stone quality would bother me. I'd tell them they could try remaking it or either refund my money. But if the second try is not acceptable, I'd still want my money back. Then get Mark Morrell to make this setting.

 

[lesco]

OFG. I am very sorry to see that your ring did not turn out so good. I share some of the same feelings with you in terms of "not wanting to burn bridges".
I am also unhappy with how things turned out with my ring so I can totally understand the frustration.
OFG, I really hope it works out, with whatever it is that you decide to do, either asking for your money back or asking for a redo.
WOW, it seems we are having a rough week with settings here on PS, seriously!

ETA: Mark Morrell sounds lovely...

 

[cayce]

Date: 4/26/2008 8:54:21 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
That''s kind of a surprise Cayce, because I have always thought Quest quotes were lower than some of the others and that is why people used them. If the prices were close, I''d definitely choose Leon, Maytal, and Mark Morrell over Quest because I have seen enough rings that they have done with exceptional workmanship. But that''s great that your ring is like you hoped!

OFG, I am so very sorry. This reminds me of the problems people started having with Lockes. I always thought that they must have lost the benchman who made that solitaire, and no one else they had could make it to that level of perfection. I am wondering if they have someone new at Quest since you and Ellen had problems. I think the shank is unacceptable and the stone quality would bother me. I''d tell them they could try remaking it or either refund my money. But if the second try is not acceptable, I''d still want my money back. Then get Mark Morrell to make this setting.

Honestly, $3,000 sounds ridiculous for the setting that Pete made for me, but my FI is an engineer and he and another engineer friend of his were blown away by the workmanship.

It is so smooth and perfect that TO ME it was worth that much. Escpecially because my sidestones are not particulary well matched or great quality, but have a lot of history and sentimental value.

 

[Sharon101]

Date: 4/26/2008 1:17:32 PM
Author: old-fashioned girl
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.

You are sharing so much here and I am really grateful that you are so open and honest even though this drama has been very painful for you. It is pretty rare that we get a chance to learn first hand from somebody elses mistakes and if nothing else there are so many lessons to be learnt from your experience. The obvious one is that we should not ignore or dismiss a negative feeling we might have about something. You were obviously getting negative vibes but thought that maybe you were imagining them. You were hanging on to the wonderful feedback which you let override your better judgement. You were busy and stressed and probably did not want to face something that seemed inconcievable (eg. that one of our inner circle jewellers here could act so negligently).

Well the real lesson is that we have to trust our intuition always. In this case someone took you for a ride involving jewellery, its fixable at least. Its a lesson to us all ladies and men to be alert to red flags. We have to be cautious with who we let into our lives.

Its traumatic when the people who let you down come highly recommended. Looks like you have to be forever vigulent in evaluating who to give your trust to. All I can say is that I doubt you would ever let this happen again because now you are experienced with what to look out for.

Good luck, I feel it will work out for the best in the end. I feel you will end up with something even better than what you first went for.

ETA- I went thu a similar situation but it involved my trusted dentist!!!!! He talked me into veneers that I didnt need & then he placed them in all wrong!!!! I also couldnt believe that someone I trusted who was an expert could have done such a cruddy job and I let him try to `fix` them. Things went from bad to worse.

Fast forward to today and they all had to be redone at massive expense and physical pain. Its a liability that I will have forever due to what one dentist did to me when I was under his influence. At least my teeth do look great now, but I went through a lot in the last 10 years as I left out many details that are too much to tell!!!!! So I know the feeling of trusting someone and being decieved in an unbelievable way. I hope no one makes a mistake like this with their health. Listen to those red flags!!!!!

 

[Odilia]

I appeciate everyone''s feedback & comments. We went on our trip, which was very enjoyable, except I must admit the ring thing did spoil it a bit at times. Woke up early one morning and couldn''t get it off my mind. Also, I wanted my DH to go with me to Quest, because I always just feel like a pushover and I wanted his support. But with all that''s going on between his job, working on his father''s estate which is out of state, and also another elder-care issue that takes him away almost every day, I couldn''t see when he could go, (and I haven''t had time either) whereas Quest was basically on the way home from our trip. So we stopped on the way home. My DH was determined to get a refund (which would have been the biggest relief for me), but his approach was not the best, and it was very tense. They won''t do a refund, but Pete really does want to try and fix things. Hopefully they can fix enough of the problems to make this all work out. I did not sleep well, and unfortunately the knots at the pit of my stomach that I had during the making of this are back.. I wish that wouldn''t happen. I wish it wouldn''t bother me so much. First thing is, I have an appointment with Martin Fuller to get it appraised on Monday, and then go from there. I had a long phone call w/ Pete today to discuss the issues, and he will try to resolve as many of them as possible.

Pete actually mananged to get the ring to be round yesterday; apparently when you pull on the head of the ring to open the Fingermate shank, it was deforming the shank. He pushed it down onto one of those metal cones they measure ring size with, and got it to be round. Another thing I had no idea about when I decided to go with a hinged shank. Pete said he might be able to reinforce the top to help avoid that in the future, and if necessary, we can change to a different brand of hinged shank ultimately, so hopefully that issue will be okay. Also, most likely the diamond fell out because of the deformation of the shank.

 

[Ellen]

I''m sorry he wouldn''t give you a refund.

I can only guess as to why he did for me, and that is that he truly realized how badly things went through the whole process.

I''m sure he truly does want to make things right, and I hope it goes really smoothly for you. However, I notice you said he would try to resolve as many issues as possible. He should resolve them all, it shouldn''t have any issues when he''s done....

One thought, depending on what Martin says, if it bodes well for your case, you might ask once more for a refund.


And again, I''m really sorry OFG. {{{hug}}}

 

[february2003bride]

Date: 4/26/2008 8:54:21 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
That''s kind of a surprise Cayce, because I have always thought Quest quotes were lower than some of the others and that is why people used them. If the prices were close, I''d definitely choose Leon, Maytal, and Mark Morrell over Quest because I have seen enough rings that they have done with exceptional workmanship. But that''s great that your ring is like you hoped!

OFG, I am so very sorry. This reminds me of the problems people started having with Lockes. I always thought that they must have lost the benchman who made that solitaire, and no one else they had could make it to that level of perfection. I am wondering if they have someone new at Quest since you and Ellen had problems. I think the shank is unacceptable and the stone quality would bother me. I''d tell them they could try remaking it or either refund my money. But if the second try is not acceptable, I''d still want my money back. Then get Mark Morrell to make this setting.

Last year I got a quote for two projects from Whiteflash and Quest (which would be local for me). Quest was significantly higher than Whiteflash. Part of the reason was on one of the projects Pete wanted much bigger sidestone than I was thinking. It''s not what I wanted but Pete kept suggesting it, so ultimately I went with WF. Keep in mind, I had done one project with Quest before, and they were awesome. But the price difference for the three stone ring was huge, even comparing the same size sidstones (and then obviously even more when Pete suggested bigger sides). I still think Quest is fantastic and would recommend them again.

 

[Allison D.]

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. 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.

This remark by Todd is an EXTREMELY important comment, and worth highlighting again.

It''s important to know, too, that cameras are limited in their ability to accurately portray what our eyes see in real life. A friend''s 5-stone ring recently had 4 J stones and 1 K. It was *barely*, barely perceptible IRL (we didn''t even realize it until we say the grading reports), but it was far more evident in pictures.

 

[tammyD]

Hey OFG, I just used Quest as well and received my ering and wband in the mail this past Saturday. My prongs are not straight and Pete will be fixing them. My piece is not custom, it is a Natalie K that they carry. No one else has even noticed they are off but I sure did. I am VERY picky and told Pete they need to be straight. I don''t even think you would be able to notice it in this picture but I sure can. It really is more visible in person and for the money we spent it is completely unacceptible to me. BUT I am putting all of my trust in Pete and going to have it corrected. We get married on May 12th so we are waiting to have it fixed. I wish you the best of luck.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/30/2008 1:32:39 PM
Author: Ellen
I''m sorry he wouldn''t give you a refund.

I can only guess as to why he did for me, and that is that he truly realized how badly things went through the whole process.

I''m sure he truly does want to make things right, and I hope it goes really smoothly for you. However, I notice you said he would try to resolve as many issues as possible. He should resolve them all, it shouldn''t have any issues when he''s done....

One thought, depending on what Martin says, if it bodes well for your case, you might ask once more for a refund.


And again, I''m really sorry OFG. {{{hug}}}

Thanks Ellen. I believe he does truly want to make things right also. The reason for the "as many as possible" is it seems there are always all kinds of tradeoffs. For example, he said he could take away that first semi-bezel that covers so much of the smaller sidestones, and make it prongs. So I thought, that would be good. But then, like the Scott Kay that mrssalvo posted (might have been my other thread), should it then have a second ''rib'' still, even with the prongs? Would it look weird with only 1 rib? Then, if we do that to the smaller sidestone, there is the larger sidestone which also is covered up quite a bit by the semi-bezel. If we do the change to the smaller sidestone, then will the larger one look weird? (i.e. the small sidestone having prongs, while the larger one has a semi-bezel) At least now they''re sort of symmetric, even if it makes them look more like oval diamonds than rounds. So these are the maddening kind of tradeoffs that make my head ache.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/30/2008 1:40:28 PM
Author: Allison D.

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

This remark by Todd is an EXTREMELY important comment, and worth highlighting again.

It''s important to know, too, that cameras are limited in their ability to accurately portray what our eyes see in real life. A friend''s 5-stone ring recently had 4 J stones and 1 K. It was *barely*, barely perceptible IRL (we didn''t even realize it until we say the grading reports), but it was far more evident in pictures.

Thanks Allison. I realize that too, but it''s in real life that I notice the difference, and others have as well. But that is why I''m getting the appraisal at Martin Fuller''s next week, to get an official ruling. Although I must admit, even if some high-tech equipment says they''re ''in spec'', it will still bug me how different they look. But I think Pete is going to try to resolve that in any case.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/30/2008 1:42:23 PM
Author: tammyD
Hey OFG, I just used Quest as well and received my ering and wband in the mail this past Saturday. My prongs are not straight and Pete will be fixing them. My piece is not custom, it is a Natalie K that they carry. No one else has even noticed they are off but I sure did. I am VERY picky and told Pete they need to be straight. I don't even think you would be able to notice it in this picture but I sure can. It really is more visible in person and for the money we spent it is completely unacceptible to me. BUT I am putting all of my trust in Pete and going to have it corrected. We get married on May 12th so we are waiting to have it fixed. I wish you the best of luck.

Thanks Tammy! Beautiful rings, BTW! I appreciate the input, and I have no doubt Pete will make things right for yours. And I know he wants to make mine right. I guess this is really just a lesson that I should never have gone custom, because I did not realize all the tradeoffs there would be in the design; at least with an off-the-shelf ring that's not "perfect", you know exactly what the tradeoffs are off the bat, and can resign yourself to them ahead of time.

ETA: Best wishes for your wedding!

 

[Allison D.]

Date: 4/26/2008 9:22:04 AM
Author: Sharon101
. 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.

I understand the distress of of being upset when a piece has problems, but I think it's a bit of an unfair leap to suggest that a respected PS vendor has intentionally or knowingly tried to 'cheat' a consumer.

There isn't a vendor in existence who won't experience mistakes/troubles from time to time; no one is perfect. That said, what matters more is how they respond and resolve them and how well both parties communicate with each other.

I haven't seen the piece in person, but it's enough for me that OFG isn't happy with the piece. OFG, I sincerely hope you reach a resolution that makes you happy and satisfied and wish you the best in it.

 

[Odilia]

Well, maybe changing that last diamond to prongs could work. (?) I looked at pictures I had of the Scott Kay ring, not the one with the ribs but the "fan" one. The first diamond is held by a semi-bezel or bar or whatever, while the rest are prongs. Maybe it wouldn''t look weird? And then if he softened the remaining "rib" to blend better into the shank, maybe it could work. Although, I think he might also have mentioned strength/security again, and I don''t know if the semi-bezel gives that last stone more security than prongs would?

I wish I knew how to post 2 pics side by side, but I guess I''ll post them in sequence. Here is the Scott Kay ring. I wish I knew how to photoshop, to put a soft little rib after the last prongs.

 

[Odilia]

A similar view of my ring:
(it sure would be nice to see more of that second diamond, as in the Scott Kay ring)

 

[Ellen]

I couldn''t really give good advice without seeing things in person, but just make an appt. with Pete to discuss all the pros, cons, alternatives. Write them down before you get there too so you don''t forget anything. Then just see what can work and what can''t.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/30/2008 1:56:05 PM
Author: Allison D.


I haven''t seen the piece in person, but it''s enough for me that OFG isn''t happy with the piece. OFG, I sincerely hope you reach a resolution that makes you happy and satisfied and wish you the best in it.

Thanks again, Allison. I do appreciate it. Everyone''s support makes me feel better.

 

[Odilia]

Date: 4/30/2008 2:32:35 PM
Author: Ellen
I couldn't really give good advice without seeing things in person, but just make an appt. with Pete to discuss all the pros, cons, alternatives. Write them down before you get there too so you don't forget anything. Then just see what can work and what can't.

Thanks, Ellen. I am doing that, and in fact Pete even suggested that I ask Martin Fuller about some of these issues as well, to get a 3rd party expert opinion. I already started typing up some of these pro's & con's, questions, etc. Hopefully I'll think of them all.