Obviously you were trying to get a bargain, and it cost you lots of $$. This is always a danger when buying a diamond sight unseen. I know B&M stores get lots of bashing on this site, but this never would have happened to you if you had gone somewhere, anywhere, with a storefront. 99 out of 100 transactions that are web based may be as advertised, but you sure as heck don't want to be that 1.
Yes, I work in a retail jewelry environment. I have heard horror stories from customers who have purchased diamonds/jewelry online only to be disappointed with the quality, or suprised by a fake. To be fair, the happy customers who got a good buy online vastly outnumber the people ripped off, but they still have to bring me their ring to be sized, checked, cleaned, repaired, or just to have an evaluation of what they bought. The nature of web based business does not allow the service level that a bricks and mortar store provide. I also can sit down with a diamond customer, choose a diamond, setting, provide financing, have the diamond set and the ring sized in about 2 hours.. No online business will have this kind of fast turnaround. It may cost more, (10-15%) but we all pay for security, service, speed and comfort every day of our lives, why not for this kind of important service?
Hi!
