Help-- Ordering A. Jaffe ring from Pearlman''s?

[cheryllynn]

Hello!

I posted earlier this week for advice on buying an A. Jaffe setting in Chicago. We purchased our diamond from Dimend Discassi downtown Chicago.

We tried on the A. Jaffe setting at Robbins Brothers (just so we could see it) but then I found out they are the only retailer in the Chicago area that sells A. Jaffe

Robbins Brothers told us the setting was $1495, and they would then charge us $300 to change the "head" of the setting to fit my diamond + $100 for labor.

This seemed a bit ridiculous, so we called Pearlman''s over in Battle Creek, MI (Since you all speak so highly of them!!) Ironically I grew up in Kalamazoo, MI and that is where my fiance and I met (Kalamazoo is 20-30 miles from Battle Creek)

Pearlman''s of course has the seetting for $200 cheaper and won''t charge us anything additional to reset our diamond


But here''s the catch- and I''m hoping someone can give me their opinon- they said they will take our diamond and send it to A. Jaffe, then A. Jaffe will send the ring back with our diamond set it in it.

I personally don''t want to part with my diamond for too long, but what has to be done has to be done.

Has anyone done something similiar with Pearlman''s (or another jeweler through A. Jaffe?)

Do you know how long this might take?

We''re in Chicago, so we''ll probably drive to Pearlman''s and drop off the diamond in person. Then I guess he''ll just send it out to them? I was originally hoping he''d order the A. Jaffe setting and once it came in, we''d be able to drop the diamond off and have it reset. My fiance pointed out it''s good if A. Jaffe sets it since it''s their setting, but as I said, I am slightly apprehensive about all of this.


Has anyone does this before?

Thanks for your input!!

 

[mrssalvo]

Pearlmans will always recommend sending the stone to the desigener for the setting. We have seen so many designer settings that get messed up when the local jewelers try and set the stones. dee jay had her Jack Kelege set by her chicago jeweler and the messed up her prongs. she ended up having to ship it to kelege to be fixed. Butterfly17 had a similar situation with her Ritani, Jas12 with her Michael B etc. I totally understand being nervous but the designers do yhis day in and out so you really have nothing to worry about. Normally designer settings take 4-6 weeks. sometimes faster, sometimes longer. Pearlmans should be able to give you the accuate expected timeframe.

I bought my ring from pearlmans and it had to be sent to the designer so i''m right there with ya...

 

[ImpatientOne]

Date: 4/23/2008 10:57:59 AM
Author: mrssalvo
Pearlmans will always recommend sending the stone to the desigener for the setting. We have seen so many designer settings that get messed up when the local jewelers try and set the stones. dee jay had her Jack Kelege set by her chicago jeweler and the messed up her prongs. she ended up having to ship it to kelege to be fixed. Butterfly17 had a similar situation with her Ritani, Jas12 with her Michael B etc. I totally understand being nervous but the designers do yhis day in and out so you really have nothing to worry about. Normally designer settings take 4-6 weeks. sometimes faster, sometimes longer. Pearlmans should be able to give you the accuate expected timeframe.

I bought my ring from pearlmans and it had to be sent to the designer so i'm right there with ya...

I purchased my setting from another PS recommended vendor and had it shipped to me before having it set by a local jeweler. The local jeweler totally botched the job and I ended having to send the whole thing back to the original vendor to fix it. What a pain! I only wish I would have had the original vendor set it in the first place.

 

[rainydaze]

i did this with my reset - i mailed my diamond out to Pearlman''s, they shipped it to the ring designer i chose. the designer built the setting around my diamond then shipped it back to pearlman''s who then shipped it back to me. everything went smoothly! i forget exactly how long it all took - probably around 6 weeks from the time i shipped my diamond out to the time i got the ring back.

pearlman''s was a pleasure to deal with and i was completely comfortable going about it this way with them. i highly recommend them!