Do these people not want my business?

[annam]

Did you try a live chat w/ BGD? I know I've talked to them in the past even on sundays...

+1, try the live-chat! I just spoke with someone at BGD via live-chat on Dec 30th, no problem.

+1 I love the live chat feature.

 

[arkieb1]

My husband-to-be proposed to me on Christmas Eve with a gorgeous asscher in a pave cathedral setting. He knew he wanted to reset the stone, and as soon as I saw the stone I knew how I wanted to reset it. I sent out a number of quote requests, understanding that with the holidays there might be delays. I got surprisingly quick responses from Victor, Steven and Leon (even considering Leon is closed until 1/9!), and nothing from the others (BGD and ERD). Not only did I put through requests online, but I called to follow up on Monday. Nothing, nada, zilch from both. I'm frustrated, I really wanted to see where they would come in and was seriously considering them.

Vent over, just had to get it out.

Did you email JBEG? Those ladies are amazing with communication and their rings are stunning.

+ 1 email Grace and ask for a quote. They make a really nice looking setting like that as well.

You will need to call Brian Gavin several times and chase them up. I have done this and I live on the other side of the world to you which was a huge pain the the backside, but if Leslie is away then you just need to be persistent.

 

[Mayk]

In working with Chris at ERD he was very responsive. But when I ordered in December he reminded me it was the "Silly Season" I did get my bracelet in January but I do think they are all so busy not to mention the lovely weather... I hope you hear soon. I worked with Chris on three projects, I think he's awesome and the prices were very good/competitive.

 

[Laila619]

My husband-to-be proposed to me on Christmas Eve with a gorgeous asscher in a pave cathedral setting. He knew he wanted to reset the stone, and as soon as I saw the stone I knew how I wanted to reset it. I sent out a number of quote requests, understanding that with the holidays there might be delays. I got surprisingly quick responses from Victor, Steven and Leon (even considering Leon is closed until 1/9!), and nothing from the others (BGD and ERD). Not only did I put through requests online, but I called to follow up on Monday. Nothing, nada, zilch from both. I'm frustrated, I really wanted to see where they would come in and was seriously considering them.

Vent over, just had to get it out.

Did you email JBEG? Those ladies are amazing with communication and their rings are stunning.

+ 1 email Grace and ask for a quote. They make a really nice looking setting like that as well.

You will need to call Brian Gavin several times and chase them up. I have done this and I live on the other side of the world to you which was a huge pain the the backside, but if Leslie is away then you just need to be persistent.

I don't know about Hudson, but I dislike having to chase people down to give them my money!

 

[arkieb1]

Normally I would agree with the hatred of chasing up people but you have to understand that some of these vendors get one decent holiday a year and not much more than that. Leslie is a lovely lady and their service is usually fine. Wait another week so that all the vendors are back on deck and then you should have much more luck dealing with all of them.

 

[texaskj]

BGD are not in the New York area but the other side of America in Texas, same building as Whiteflash.

Actually, they both moved. Whiteflash is now in Sugar Land, a suburb on the southwest side of Houston. Brian Gavin is on the Southwest Freeway in Houston between the two loops.

 

[TC1987]

The holiday season has been odd this year because all the days off are in the middle of the week, but most of the NY jewellery district which I would think includes EDR and GOG closes early on Fridays and all weekend. There have been very few working days between Christmas and now so far this year.

LOL Winner, winner! Chicken dinner! And probably the ones that are open have more than one customer, too. December 25 was only 8 calendar days ago and not many of them were working days. And maybe the owners and /or hired help wanted to also have a holiday or even two, with their friends and families. Give them a couple of weeks, HH.

eta: There are TWO times of the year when I will ABSOLUTELY NEVER try to get anything done custom (or done fast, or done right) by any jeweler: Christmastime, and the May-June wedding and anniversary rush. August and September and maybe March/April have worked out pretty well for me, though.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I've been emailing JBEG about a diamond since 12/11 but the return emails have been sporadic. Still no invoice :/
I do think it's just the holiday season.

 

[bgray]

The first time I contacted BGD, I had great success, I had a very long talk with Brian, and second time around Leslie failed to call me back several times, even sent 3 emails that went unanswered....they sell FANTASTIC diamonds etc, but customer service fails to impress.

If I ran a company such as any of these, getting back to the customer would be a priority. My husband owned a company where he stressed customer service, both him and all employees...it pays

poor or inconsistent service is not acceptable and I am not making excuses for anyone but ---BGD and a few others are very small operations where they wear many hats and are trying to run a highly customer service type business with a small staff to be competitive and still earn a living.

 

[Gypsy]

I'm so sorry that this has been so frustrating.

If I can offer a little tiny bit of advice?

You just got engaged. It's right after the holidays.

I get wanting to get your ring just right, I really do. But you know, as well as we do, that you WILL get your dream ring, I'm mean you are a PSer. You have access to resources a plenty and already several top benches have responded. So, maybe just enjoy the engagement warm with the knowledge that with a little patience you'll get your ring finalized soon? The setting it is in is very elegant, so when you look at the ring, maybe you can see it for all the positives (the stone looks fantastic) and not see that the setting isn't perfect just yet?

And honestly, as much as I love BGD, etc and think that CAD products are great when properly done (and have many of them), for the three stone style you are considering if it were me, I'd be looking exclusively at Steven and Victor anyway (budget allowing). There's just a fluidity to the designs they execute that I haven't seen in CAD.

I had an excellent experience with Steven. He really understands Customer service and wants his clients to be happy. And every time I've talked to Victor he's been amazing as well.

If you have the funds, and you asked me who to work with, those would be my top twp choices anyway.

That said, I work as an extension of a sales team that has a grueling and horrendous December. I respond to requests I get most of the year within 24 hours. I respond to requests I get in December within minutes. Because I have to. There is a tight deadline for what I do (December 31st) and when that passes I am wiped and exhausted -- my whole team is. I have gotten three requests yesterday and today and... I just let them sit. And I plan to let them sit until next week so that I can rest over the weekend. The start of January is always slow. We're all limping and barely coherent. And we can't close. And we are too small a group for more than one of us to take time off at the same. One of my coworkers was off Thursday and Friday. Another is off on Monday and Tuesday. And I am off next Thursday and Friday. Another is off the following Monday and Tuesday.

So I understand that a small organization like BGD would be limping behind on their responses after the holiday season. That said, they should have an automatic response that says that they are a bit slow right now and that they will respond within a week and if you need faster services to call. And the people on the phone should warn you that they are a bit slow right now, and tell you they will respond is a set time frame and do so. I'm sorry they aren't doing that.

But ... as I said... I would be heavily favoring Steven and Victor right now anyway. SO maybe the lack of response is just a sign that you have what you need already.

CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement Hudson Hawk!

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

The holiday season has been odd this year because all the days off are in the middle of the week, but most of the NY jewellery district which I would think includes EDR and GOG closes early on Fridays and all weekend. There have been very few working days between Christmas and now so far this year.

LOL Winner, winner! Chicken dinner! And probably the ones that are open have more than one customer, too. December 25 was only 8 calendar days ago and not many of them were working days. And maybe the owners and /or hired help wanted to also have a holiday or even two, with their friends and families. Give them a couple of weeks, HH.

eta: There are TWO times of the year when I will ABSOLUTELY NEVER try to get anything done custom (or done fast, or done right) by any jeweler: Christmastime, and the May-June wedding and anniversary rush. August and September and maybe March/April have worked out pretty well for me, though.

Understood. I guess when I see a vendors site that states 24-48 hr turn-around I don't expect weeks. And if it's longer than that, just let people know.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I just wanted to say that I agree with Gypsy that I'd really only be considering Victor and Steven for your project, anyway. I expect the 48 hour thing to work most of the time, but I think a lot of jewelers and benches actually shut down for a week after Christmas. Many of them were open extra hours and days the whole month of December, and I think they or their employees simply are taking time off through this week.

 

[Andelain]

I've had similar issues with BGD. I chatted with Jamie a couple weeks ago, and asked for a quote on a custom bracelet. She said I'd have ti back in a couple days, but nothing so far. I'm also waiting for the finished pics of a pair of earrings I orderer mid December.

 

[zoebartlett]

Congratulations, HH! I'm really happy for you! Your ring is beautiful, and I also love your inspiration ring. Beautiful!

I hope you hear back from vendors soon. I'd chalk it up to it being the holiday season but it would be nice to get some type of reply or at least a post on their websites.

 

[lknvrb4]

I have contacted Erd through the online system and never heard back either, I am not sure why they offer quotes online if they don't respond.