Has anyone had this happen with their diamond studs?

[nicoleanne]

Most, but not all platinum posts are lightly stamped platinum as would be most 18kt or 14kt posts. Sometimes a hypoallergenic user will accept stainless steel posts, but I would not think that is what you have. Platinum generally is softer and many firms use 18kt white gold posts with platinum heads so the wires won't bend too easily.

Retailers often seem to live to knock whoever made a sale with you. Putting some fear or anxiety in your mind about what metal was used sounds just like what often happens (all too often). The photo someone else posted with a tiny bit of discoloration where the post meets the bottom of the setting is likely a gold soldered joint and not indicative of what either the post or the setting is made of. Many jewelers use gold solder on thin wire connections such as posts to earrings, instead of using platinum solder or welding. It depends on what equipment they have and what they usually do since it really does not matter in any meaningful way. Basically, the jeweler wants to connect the post and setting without melting the post's end. Gold solder just works at a bit lower temperature and certainly holds very well.

Lots of jewelers plate their platinum with rhodium. There is no special need to do it, but it makes platinum items look just as bright and white as rhodium plated white gold items. Platinum is more difficult to polish than white gold, so rhodium plating helps to even out the appearance.

Like many others today, I do have a fully electronic testing unit for gold which plugs into my iPhone. I love gadgets and this certainly qualifies. HOWEVER, it does not work nearly as well as the old acid and touchstone method I have used for 45 years. It is extremely easy to get false or misleading readings from any electronic tester unit and almost impossible to get such junk results with calibrated acid testing. I wish my iPhone tester was perfect, but it isn't....It is non-destructive, but not the best, most dependable method.

There are x-ray test units out in the world today, too. These are very reliable and non-destructive, but cost in excess of $25,000. Acids are nearly free, so don't expect many places to have x-ray testing any time soon.

To me, you don't have a problem beyond fresh cleaning, re-polishing and a coat of rhodium if you want them to be shiny white.

I'd really like to believe this is just a polishing issue, but I don't think so. My picture doesn't show well what I see IRL, but the post is just obviously not the same...

The posts are not stamped. I do believe (though I'm cautious) that the baskets *are* platinum---they have the weight that my other platinum piece does. The posts are in no way white enough to be platinum (even the most patina-d sections of my ring look better and whiter). I have several pieces of rhodium plated white gold, and my wedding set is unplated white gold. The studs don't resemble any of them, unfortunately.

I am less concerned about "shiny white"--after all, nobody sees the baskets since they are against my ear. But I don't want to have reactions to them.

 

[nicoleanne]

Please post the vendor. I'm in the process of deciding where to purchase from and my ears are also sensitive. Not only that, but quality control in general is a big concern of mine. I'll be waiting to hear before making my decision. I hope things are made right for you, but regardless it's important info for everyone. That is a *huge* mistake.

I will absolutely make sure to post the vendor. Since so many of us PSers come to them through this site, I believe we have the right to fair information. I'm waiting to hear back from them, so I want to make sure that I'm doing my best to be fair with them as well. My hope is that this was an honest mix up.

 

[nicoleanne]

Grr...

I took my earrings to my local jeweler today and had them tested with an electric tester. They are NOT platinum. Not gold. I'm really peeved.

The jeweler even doubted the baskets were platinum, although she didn't test those. She thought they were rhodium plated silver, maybe.

WTH?
That does not sound like something a PS-preferred vendor would dream of doing - they'd be lambasted when (not if) it came out and boy do they know it!
What a strange situation

Yeah...

I only hope that it was a mix-up and their bench jeweler used the wrong posts by mistake? I'm pretty confused by the whole thing.

I know it's totally a first world problem, but considering the money that we invest in our jewelry, we should be able to have confidence in our vendors--even for little things like earring posts.

 

[NonieMarie]

It seems to me that I would be very concerned about the quality of the diamonds. If they made an error, not once but twice with the setting, maybe you should make sure the diamonds you purchased are the same as seller described.

 

[nicoleanne]

It seems to me that I would be very concerned about the quality of the diamonds. If they made an error, not once but twice with the setting, maybe you should make sure the diamonds you purchased are the same as seller described.

Nonie--this is not a concern of mine at all. The diamonds are two different colors (one is H, one J). The H matches the H of my engagement stone and the J is more colored from the side. They are also inscribed.

 

[nicoleanne]

The PS vendors are pretty reputable. Are you sure that the jeweler is definitely correct? Maybe take them to another jeweler too, and if they say the same thing...

Can I be 100% sure? No, I guess not. They are a reputable local jeweler and a family business, though, and not a chain. And she could immediately tell they didn't look right. But I trust this PS vendor as well. Heck, when my mom gets her upgrade, I would totally recommend these guys.

Ugh, I just hope I'm wrong altogether. I'd much rather be the dummy here.

I might try taking them somewhere else tomorrow.

 

[acupunk]

If your ears are reacting, the posts look like that, *and* the 2nd opinion told you it wasn't platinum... with all of those factors combined, I'd hardly think you're the dummy here.

And thank you for committing to keeping us informed. I really, really hope that this situation gets settled. Even if it was an "honest mistake", it's still a quality control issue. 1. Allergies of any sort are no joke. 2. You paid for platinum.

 

[nicoleanne]

If your ears are reacting, the posts look like that, *and* the 2nd opinion told you it wasn't platinum... with all of those factors combined, I'd hardly think you're the dummy here.

And thank you for committing to keeping us informed. I really, really hope that this situation gets settled. Even if it was an "honest mistake", it's still a quality control issue. 1. Allergies of any sort are no joke. 2. You paid for platinum.

Thank you for saying this. I spent an hour last night staring at my earrings trying to decide if I was crazy. This makes me feel a lot better.

 

[nicoleanne]

So, another update.

I went to my town's downtown area today, and my little guy and I visited two more local jewelers.

Jeweler #2 - Looked at the earrings under the microscope. She could tell the posts were different. She did an acid test on both the head and the post and neither tested as gold, but it didn't test for platinum ( ). She was sure the posts were not platinum.

Jeweler #3- Immediately said that the posts weren't right when looking at them with a loupe. She took them back and looked at them under microscope. She was very confient they weren't platinum, but thought they might be 10k gold. I really liked this jeweler--I could tell she wasn't trying to bash the company I got them from, and wasn't trying to sell me anything. She invited me to bring them back next Tuesday because they would have an independent appraiser on-site, so that I could get documentation if proof was needed.

She also let me know how much the repair would cost in case the vendor was going to compensate me for the work. She quoted me about $200 less than the first jeweler I visited. And they had a cool selection of Niessing rings.


I heard back from the vendor and they are going to take care of it, though no details were given as yet.

 

[NonieMarie]

A careless mistake has everyone taking a closer look at their settings. Let us know how they handle the repair. They should be trying to make you very happy.

 

[nicoleanne]

I'm returning with a really positive update.


I have been in touch with from Lynda at GOG (the vendor we purchased the earrings from). Apparently, the designer who created them was somewhat unscrupulous, as they had other issues with them as well. They no longer work with the designer. My husband and I guessed that maybe he used cheap posts to pad his bottom line?

I will be sending the earrings back and they will be remaking the settings. I'm very happy with GOG's response and feel they are definitely making the situation right. They've taken the problem seriously from the beginning, which I sincerely appreciate.


Someone posted earlier about being concerned with quality control. I feel that this is not something their staff would have been easily able to identify--obviously, I wasn't able to at first or even after a while of wearing the earrings. Since they don't work with the designer anymore, it seems that they did pick up on other problems, and dealt with those appropriately.

Anyway, it's a bummer situation, but a win for GOG's customer service. Which is good, because I don't have nearly enough AVRs. I'm thinking maybe a band of 10 pointers.

 

[yssie]

Great to hear!

I hope the repairs go quickly and smoothly And an AV band sounds delightful!!

 

[pearamour]

I would call the vendor and explain what is happening and see what they say. Since they are a reputable vendor I am sure they can address the problem for you.

+1

 

[Mili-Lani]

Yay another great reply from Jonathan and his team.

I love your earring settings by the way.

 

[NonieMarie]

So happy to hear that everything has been resolved. An unscrupulous subcontractor can sure play havoc on a vendor's reputation.

 

[nicoleanne]

Yay another great reply from Jonathan and his team.

I love your earring settings by the way.

Yes, Jonathan and Lynda have been great.

And thanks! I will do a post on them in SMTB after they are reset. I gave my husband a few ideas and he came up with it with GOG's people. It's kind of like a compass rose meets martini.

 

[nicoleanne]

An unscrupulous subcontractor can sure play havoc on a vendor's reputation.

No kidding!

 

[nicoleanne]

And... the stud-post saga comes to a close.


I sent my earrings to GOG last Monday and got them back this morning. In the end, they were not remade completely. Instead, GOG replaced the posts. They would have been remade had the settings not been platinum.

The posts were palladium, as it turns out.

Anyway, I feel that GOG certainly met my expectations for amending the situation, and the earrings look good. So I'm happy.

You can see them over in SMTB: https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-studs-in-custom-gog-4-prong-martinis.190827/