Great news! Advice needed for diamond setting in UK

[Cleo]

Following the saga of the ''Heartbroken over my prongs'' thread... I have got a result!!

The jeweller has agreed to give me a cheque for £170 to cover the cost of buying a brand new ring mount.

Needless to say I am looking elsewhere to get my diamond set into the new mount, and wondered if anyone had any experience within the UK of somewhere I can get an AWESOME job done on the setting?

I would be most grateful if anyone has any suggestion of where to go... and just as importantly, where to avoid!

Thankyou for all your support. At least I know my ring will be done properly eventually!

x x x

 

[Maisie]

I''m sure Pandora just had some work done on her ring. She will probably be able to recommend someone.

Thats a great result Cleo!!!

 

[Lorelei]

 

[coatimundi_org]

Date: 3/17/2008 1:41:11 PM
Author: Lorelei

Yay Cleo!!

 

[Maisie]

Here are the details of the jeweller Pandora went to:

Richard Ogden - www.richardogden.com. They are based in Burlington Arcade in Mayfair, London.

 

[Pandora II]

Really recommend these people - they did a great job for me!

 

[Cleo]

That''s fantastic - thank you soooo much Maisie & Pandora for your recommendation!

I will email them and find out if they can do the job for me. It''s lovely to know they have already satisfied one discerning Pricescope member!!

Thanks again to everyone else!!

Woohoo!

x x x

 

[Cleo]

Thought I would give you a little update-ette on the whole ring saga.

I received my cheque from the local B&M by post (and popped in to thank the manager in person - he was very gracious about it) - so that was great. Received my new ring mount too... so just had to figure how to get them both to Richard Ogden in London.

Royal Mail will only insure for a maximum of £2500, which isn''t enough... and I just daren''t risk sending it underinsured!

So, I hopped on a train today and visited the store in person.

Robert Ogden was very charming - however the lady I spoke to about the reset was really quite unpleasant (IMHO!). I''d spoken to her on the phone and she seemed a little sniffy then... questioning my choice of a 4-claw setting... blah blah.

I just felt I didn''t go in there to justify my choice of mount - I went there to get my diamond reset!

She didn''t exactly do a great sales pitch either, saying things like '' It will never be perfect, the setting is done by hand... what if you aren''t happy after we reset the diamond?'' ??!?? Uh.. hello? You are hardly filling me with confidence!!

My answer was that I had travelled to them specialy, as they had been personally recommended to me based on the quality of their workmanship - so I hoped that I would have nothing to worry about.

Seriously though - this woman was in the wrong job!

The great news is the Burlington Arcade was just awesome. I seriously wish I could have taken every single PSer there with me.... it was diamond heaven.

I saw OEC/OMC diamonds that must easily have been 10cts... tiaras, necklaces... literally millions of pounds ofthe most amazing jewellery all in the shop windows. As you can imagine I had an absolute field day!

So, my poor finger is bereft of its diamond and is having to wear a little pink sapphire ring to stop it from feeling quite so naked.

I would appreciate it if you could keep all parts of your anatomy crossed that this reset goes well and that I can *finally* have a well-made engagement ring!

Photos to follow when I get my ring back!

x x x

 

[Pandora II]

Was it the blonde haired woman?

If so, I know what you mean.

The indian(?) girl Dupsy who is the GG there I got on really well with and Richard is very nice as well.

Burlington Arcade is amazing though.

I've just got a new commission for an e-ring, so I'm taking the recipient bling window-shopping in New Bond Street on Saturday to see what looks good on her hand. I might well pop down to Burlington.

 

[Cleo]

I dealt with Modupe... a rather striking and attractive black lady.

I'm not one of these people that ever feels inferior at cosmetic counters, designer boutiques or high-end jewellery stores... after all, it's ME that's the customer and I'm a very confident person. I just felt she needed some serious training in making her customers feel appreciated and valued!

Questioning my choice of mount was hardly the most auspicious start to the encounter... still, she didn't have anything to say about my diamond! Heheheh!

I am sooooo going back to Burlington Arcade... I wished I had someone else with me today to share it all with... it's just not the same ogling sparklies on your own!

In any case, I appreciate the recommendation, as I'm sure they will do a great job for me!

x x x

 

[Rhea]

And where exactly are these 10 carat OECs? If you need me to join you, I''d be more than happy

I hope the stone resetting goes smoothly!

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/8/2008 6:51:40 PM
Author: Cleo
I dealt with Modupe... a rather striking and attractive black lady.

I'm not one of these people that ever feels inferior at cosmetic counters, designer boutiques or high-end jewellery stores... after all, it's ME that's the customer and I'm a very confident person. I just felt she needed some serious training in making her customers feel appreciated and valued!

Questioning my choice of mount was hardly the most auspicious start to the encounter... still, she didn't have anything to say about my diamond! Heheheh!

I am sooooo going back to Burlington Arcade... I wished I had someone else with me today to share it all with... it's just not the same ogling sparklies on your own!

In any case, I appreciate the recommendation, as I'm sure they will do a great job for me!

x x x

That's really odd, she's the girl I got on really well with (she's mainly known as Dupsy) and who had the most amazing rubies! She gave me loads of leads on benches here in London if I want to do some settings for people who already have the rock here, or some small scale production one day. Maybe she was having an off day.

Weird...

She knows her stuff pretty well though, although she told me I was nuts for doing the FGA rather than the GG!

Let me know next time you're down and I'll come and do some oggling with you! Best to find me over on the Coloured Stones bit as I don't drop by Rocky Talk every day.

Addy, the OECs are really good there - the best I've seen in London without a doubt. Come and join us for a jaunt!

 

[Gypsy]

You know I''d sound flat out silly if I said the word jaunt. But I want to. Wish I had an English accent. I''d love to say jaunt without sounding silly. Sorry random thought.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/8/2008 7:41:07 PM
Author: Gypsy
You know I''d sound flat out silly if I said the word jaunt. But I want to. Wish I had an English accent. I''d love to say jaunt without sounding silly. Sorry random thought.

ROTFL

Sounds quite silly in an English accent too!

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 5/8/2008 7:55:37 PM
Author: Pandora II

Date: 5/8/2008 7:41:07 PM
Author: Gypsy
You know I''d sound flat out silly if I said the word jaunt. But I want to. Wish I had an English accent. I''d love to say jaunt without sounding silly. Sorry random thought.

ROTFL

Sounds quite silly in an English accent too!

 

[Cleo]

Wow - isn't that funny?

I'll chalk it up to one of those personality clashes then... you know, when two people just seem to annoy each other for no real reason at all! It's funny, because she seemed really spiky on the phone too - so it must just be a personailty thing. Maybe we had a run-in in a former life..

PMSL at the whole 'jaunt'/English accent thing!

It's unlikely I'll get back to London before we leave for NZ on the 25th May - unless she makes me come and collect my ring... which is a shame as a good ring-ogling session with a couple of PSers would be just divine!

You are so right about the OECs... some of them just took my breath away. Incredible.

I'll have to post some photos of my matching yellow gold tsavorite ring and bracelet for you Pandora.... not as spectacular as your incredible ring - but I bought them in the Maldives and they are really verrrrrrrry pretty!

x x x

ETA - Pandora, could I ask your name so I can tell Modupe it was you that recommended me? She might be nice to me if she knows it was you! LOL!!

 

[gwendolyn]

Cleo, that''s great news about your ring! I hope you get it soon!

I think reading this thread has giving me the itch to want to go down to London and oogle all the pretties (talk of Burlington Arcade and New Bond St). I really can''t do it now--I''ve got tons of work to email my supervisor by Monday evening--but I soooooo want to!! Literally am in the mood to hop on a train and go NOW!

...oh well, I will be good.

 

[Lorelei]

Jaunt is a lovely word and it always reminds me of WW2 pilots old chap - what what - tickety boo and all that.

I am so excited for you Cleo!!

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/9/2008 4:41:01 AM
Author: Cleo

ETA - Pandora, could I ask your name so I can tell Modupe it was you that recommended me? She might be nice to me if she knows it was you! LOL!!

I''d rather not give my whole name out, but if you tell her it was Helen who had the prongs fixed on a tsavorite ring in February that should jog the memory.

She was a bit funny when I spoke to her on the phone - and ticked me off about having a tsav for an e-ring (once I told her that I had no intention of wearing it 24/7 she calmed down). I think sometimes its a tone of voice thing.

When I went to pick it up she was great to talk to. I wouldn''t describe her as a ''warm and fluffy'' kind of person though.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/9/2008 5:10:24 AM
Author: Lorelei
Jaunt is a lovely word and it always reminds me of WW2 pilots old chap - what what - tickety boo and all that.

I am so excited for you Cleo!!

I must confess that I do still use a lot of those expressions - mainly for fun. I quite like odd words. ''I am agog'' is one of my current favourites!

I don''t do the whole ''okay ya'' hooray henry stuff at all though.

But my brother is possibly the nearest thing to a real live Bertie Wooster - looks like him, dresses like him and talks exactly like him.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/9/2008 6:58:42 AM
Author: Pandora II

Date: 5/9/2008 5:10:24 AM
Author: Lorelei
Jaunt is a lovely word and it always reminds me of WW2 pilots old chap - what what - tickety boo and all that.

I am so excited for you Cleo!!

I must confess that I do still use a lot of those expressions - mainly for fun. I quite like odd words. 'I am agog' is one of my current favourites!

I don't do the whole 'okay ya' hooray henry stuff at all though.

But my brother is possibly the nearest thing to a real live Bertie Wooster - looks like him, dresses like him and talks exactly like him.

I do that too as I also love odd words - and old fashioned terms are the best ones, such as looking glass for mirror

Your brother sounds like a character!

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/9/2008 7:07:09 AM
Author: Lorelei

I do that too as I also love odd words - and old fashioned terms are the best ones, such as looking glass for mirror

Your brother sounds like a character!

Don''t!

My mother goes nuts at me if I talk about perfume instead of scent! Or note paper instead of writing paper.

The only one I''m pedantic about is pudding rather than dessert...

Looking glass is a lovely word though.

Have you read Nancy Mitford''s Love in a Cold Climate?

Sorry for the threadjack Cleo!

 

[Cleo]

Oh jolly good show, what!

Pandora - I understand, I was going to put that it was OK if you weren''t comfortable with that, but my fingers were feeling lazy and I figured you''d say if you weren''t! Helen''s great - thankyou - and I''ll mention your (incredibly beautiful) tsavorite ring - I''m sure she''ll remember you!

Thanks so much for all your excitement and best wishes for my ring everyone - it''s much appreciated!

I think the UK PSers should descend en masse to Burlington Arcade in my absence and have a whole orgy of diamond gazing.

Pandora - how often do you wear your ering if you don''t wear it 24/7? I''m not sure I could bear not to wear such a wonderful ring! Your brother sounds lovely - I met a lot of people just like that when I was up at Oxford doing my degree!

x x x

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 5/9/2008 8:19:58 AM
Author: Pandora II
The only one I'm pedantic about is pudding rather than dessert...

Meaning you say "pudding" instead of "dessert" all the time or you don't? I personally find it a little confusing myself. It's like calling all manner of breakfasts "cereal" or all manner of dinners "steaks" or something. Very peculiar (says the American).

Oh, and Cleo, I didn't know you did a degree at Oxford. Does that make us arch-enemies, since I'm at Cambridge?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/9/2008 8:28:32 AM
Author: gwendolyn

Date: 5/9/2008 8:19:58 AM
Author: Pandora II
The only one I''m pedantic about is pudding rather than dessert...

Meaning you say ''pudding'' instead of ''dessert'' all the time or you don''t? I personally find it a little confusing myself. It''s like calling all manner of breakfasts ''cereal'' or all manner of dinners ''steaks'' or something. Very peculiar (says the American).

Oh, and Cleo, I didn''t know you did a degree at Oxford. Does that make us arch-enemies, since I''m at Cambridge?

Indeed, as some of the WWTers know, I am a stickler for pudding rather than dessert too

!

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/9/2008 8:28:32 AM
Author: gwendolyn

Date: 5/9/2008 8:19:58 AM
Author: Pandora II
The only one I''m pedantic about is pudding rather than dessert...

Meaning you say ''pudding'' instead of ''dessert'' all the time or you don''t? I personally find it a little confusing myself. It''s like calling all manner of breakfasts ''cereal'' or all manner of dinners ''steaks'' or something. Very peculiar (says the American).

Oh, and Cleo, I didn''t know you did a degree at Oxford. Does that make us arch-enemies, since I''m at Cambridge?

I say pudding, never dessert or sweet etc

Cereal is stuff that comes in boxes that you put milk on - cornflakes, museli and the ilk.

Steak is a large piece of cooked cow.

Never heard any other variations on those...

When were you at Oxford Cleo? FI was at Brasenose and left in 97.

Oh, and yes Gwen it does make you enemies. My father always says its such a shame I''m marrying an Oxford man. My father was at Caius...

FI and his brother argue about it too - FBIL was at Clare.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/9/2008 8:23:43 AM
Author: Cleo


Pandora - how often do you wear your ering if you don''t wear it 24/7? I''m not sure I could bear not to wear such a wonderful ring! Your brother sounds lovely - I met a lot of people just like that when I was up at Oxford doing my degree!

x x x

Basically, I wear it when I''m at work and when I go out. As soon as I get home it goes in its box.

As I''d take it off anyway to cook, wash dishes etc anyway it just seems safer to put it to bed at the beginning of the evening and then I don''t leave it lying around anywhere. If we have people round I will wear it though.

I don''t think I''d wear a diamond ring any more than I do my tsav though. I don''t think it''s a great idea to wear any ring 24/7. I have friends that NEVER take theirs off - shower in them, cook in them, sleep in them etc.

They have some idea that diamonds are incredibly tough and can withstand any kind of knocks, bashes etc and do look a bit horrified when I explain that diamond is exceptionally hard but not that tough. It''s also hard on the setting if you wear them all the time - especially if you have pave.

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 5/9/2008 10:34:02 AM
Author: Pandora II

Date: 5/9/2008 8:28:32 AM

Author: gwendolyn
Meaning you say ''pudding'' instead of ''dessert'' all the time or you don''t? I personally find it a little confusing myself. It''s like calling all manner of breakfasts ''cereal'' or all manner of dinners ''steaks'' or something. Very peculiar (says the American).

Oh, and Cleo, I didn''t know you did a degree at Oxford. Does that make us arch-enemies, since I''m at Cambridge?

I say pudding, never dessert or sweet etc


Cereal is stuff that comes in boxes that you put milk on - cornflakes, museli and the ilk.


Steak is a large piece of cooked cow.


Never heard any other variations on those...

That''s just what I mean! Pudding is only one type of dessert, so why use the word ''pudding'' to mean any and all types of dessert? Doesn''t make sense to me, just like it wouldn''t make sense to say "cereal" and mean bacon and eggs--cereal is only one type of breakfast, and has nothing in common with bacon and eggs except that it''s usually eaten at that time of the day!

In short, I don''t get why ''pudding'' = ''dessert''

When were you at Oxford Cleo? FI was at Brasenose and left in 97.


Oh, and yes Gwen it does make you enemies. My father always says its such a shame I''m marrying an Oxford man. My father was at Caius...

FI and his brother argue about it too - FBIL was at Clare.

Hahah, oh that''s a shame. I really quite liked Cleo.

(Sorry for the hijack, by the way, m''dear--I just always wanted to ask that about ''pudding'' and never really had the opportunity until now!)

 

[Lorelei]

' Pudding' in the UK traditionally encompasses all types of ' desserts', I think it is one of those things that you say or you do not really! For example, tea to me means a high tea with small sandwiches, cake, biscuits, as well as a pot of tea served mid afternoon, or just afternoon tea traditionally served in it's simplest form as a a cup of tea with cake or biscuits. " High tea" is more elaborate. Some refer to dinner as ' tea' for some reason. But generally this is what I say and go by!

Breakfast

Lunch

Tea ( mid afternoon)

Dinner with pudding ( if I am lucky!)

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/9/2008 11:09:36 AM
Author: Lorelei
' Pudding' in the UK traditionally encompasses all types of ' desserts', I think it is one of those things that you say or you do not really! For example, tea to me means a high tea with small sandwiches, cake, biscuits, as well as a pot of tea served mid afternoon, or just afternoon tea traditionally served in it's simplest form as a a cup of tea with cake or biscuits. ' High tea' is more elaborate. Some refer to dinner as ' tea' for some reason. But generally this is what I say and go by!

Breakfast

Lunch

Tea ( mid afternoon)

Dinner with pudding ( if I am lucky!)

Agree with most of this...

Afternoon tea is served around 4pm and is tea, small sandwiches, cake etc

High tea is served around 6-7pm and is cold meats, hard boiled eggs, salad, pickles etc. I tend to do High Tea on a Sunday when you don't want anything that substantial after Sunday luncheon. It's also what you give young children - fishfingers etc

There is then Supper v Dinner.

Supper is something like spaghetti or microwave curries (guilty...) that you eat in the kitchen or on your knee in front of the television (guilty...), whereas Dinner is more formal and involves a table and more than one course - hopefully puddng!

There are savoury puddings as well as sweet puddings - black pudding and steak and kidney pudding come to mind. But all sweet things that aren't cake or biscuits are puddings.

Dessert is a word that like serviette and toilet came into fashion because people thought that they sounded French and gentile.

I like my words British and so use pudding, napkin and loo (lavatory sounds weird if you are under 50

).

I will also admit that there is a lot of snobbery involved in word choice in the UK - I will probably get flamed for this, but you can tell a lot about someone's background depending on if they say:

Loo or Toilet
Napkin or Serviette
Sitting/Living Room or Lounge - (you can only have a Drawing Room if you also have a Sitting/Living Room)
Pudding or Dessert
What? or Pardon
Sofa or Settee

I got into terrible trouble at school over the 'Pardon' one - they tried to make me use it and so I told my teacher that 'mummy says its a worse word than F***'.

Maybe we should start a new 'pudding and other weird anglicisms' thread in hangout. I'm having problems relating it back to sparklies!