I adore antique and antique-style jewelry. My husband bought my edwardian style platinum engagement ring from Fay Cullen 2 years ago and it really is the most beautiful piece of jewelry I have ever seen.
Fast-forward to a couple months ago when I notice a strange black mark on the shank of my ring. I couldn''t recall having hit the ring on anything or coming in contact with any abrasive chemicals. I contacted Fay Cullen and they suggested that I remove the center stone and mail them my ring (I am in California, they are in Florida).
I decided to save the cost of removing the diamond, insurance and S&H by taking the ring to a local, reputable jeweler. They examined the ring carefully and determined that my ring had been cast with a flaw and the manufacturer had attempted to repair it with a low-grade, non-platinum solder. They said that this type of repair can''t be expected to last and it was inevitable that it would chip off. This information, of course, was not disclosed to me when I purchased the ring from Fay Cullen.
I explained the situation to my insurance company, but of course they would not cover it because this is considered a "pre-existing condition". Makes sense.
So, I went ahead and contacted Fay Cullen. Sales representative Veronique called me and very kindly suggested that I send them the receipt and a written description of the damage from my jeweler so that they might reimburse me for the damage that seems to be the fault of the manufacturer. Two days later, I faxed these items over. Fay Cullen emailed me shortly after, citing their warranty policy:
"Please note that we cannot be responsible for sizing, stone setting and any repairs executed by any jeweler not employed by Fay Cullen Inc."
I explained to her that my ring wasn''t even covered under their extended care warranty (if I had purchased the warranty, it would have expired a year ago). I said that because my reputable jeweler diagnosed the damage as being caused by the manufacturer, I hoped they would reimburse me. Her response:
"I''m very sorry but it was your decision not to dismount your diamond and return your ring to us for analysis. You choice was made in full knowledge that you were voiding your warranty and precisely because the "cost of fixing my ring locally was less than it would have been to have the stone removed, insure it and ship it across the country". You then decided that FCI should pay for repairs to your ring and termed it
"a matter of good customer service". Your decision to use a local jeweler was clearly and simply made to save money that you are trying to justify FCI paying."
In short, I believe Fay Cullen should have accepted my jeweler''s diagnosis (which was in writing) and paid me the $150. These damages were caused by faulty craftsmanship. I paid thousands of dollars for a 100% platinum ring, not a ring that is platinum with bits of cheap imitation solder.
Fast-forward to a couple months ago when I notice a strange black mark on the shank of my ring. I couldn''t recall having hit the ring on anything or coming in contact with any abrasive chemicals. I contacted Fay Cullen and they suggested that I remove the center stone and mail them my ring (I am in California, they are in Florida).
I decided to save the cost of removing the diamond, insurance and S&H by taking the ring to a local, reputable jeweler. They examined the ring carefully and determined that my ring had been cast with a flaw and the manufacturer had attempted to repair it with a low-grade, non-platinum solder. They said that this type of repair can''t be expected to last and it was inevitable that it would chip off. This information, of course, was not disclosed to me when I purchased the ring from Fay Cullen.
I explained the situation to my insurance company, but of course they would not cover it because this is considered a "pre-existing condition". Makes sense.
So, I went ahead and contacted Fay Cullen. Sales representative Veronique called me and very kindly suggested that I send them the receipt and a written description of the damage from my jeweler so that they might reimburse me for the damage that seems to be the fault of the manufacturer. Two days later, I faxed these items over. Fay Cullen emailed me shortly after, citing their warranty policy:
"Please note that we cannot be responsible for sizing, stone setting and any repairs executed by any jeweler not employed by Fay Cullen Inc."
I explained to her that my ring wasn''t even covered under their extended care warranty (if I had purchased the warranty, it would have expired a year ago). I said that because my reputable jeweler diagnosed the damage as being caused by the manufacturer, I hoped they would reimburse me. Her response:
"I''m very sorry but it was your decision not to dismount your diamond and return your ring to us for analysis. You choice was made in full knowledge that you were voiding your warranty and precisely because the "cost of fixing my ring locally was less than it would have been to have the stone removed, insure it and ship it across the country". You then decided that FCI should pay for repairs to your ring and termed it
"a matter of good customer service". Your decision to use a local jeweler was clearly and simply made to save money that you are trying to justify FCI paying."
In short, I believe Fay Cullen should have accepted my jeweler''s diagnosis (which was in writing) and paid me the $150. These damages were caused by faulty craftsmanship. I paid thousands of dollars for a 100% platinum ring, not a ring that is platinum with bits of cheap imitation solder.
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