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Help - serious problems with popular online vendor

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rtbrown19

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 8, 2007
Messages
14
My response to Brian, in context:

Brian,

As I have stated in the past, I need more information regarding the design and damage to the rings to better understand the issues. To date, I have received nothing in writing from Whiteflash responding to my queries of January 24, 2007. I want to be certain that my recounting of the facts related to the damage is accurate. In this connection, I pasted directly from my 2/10/07 email and raised various yes/no questions regarding the design of and damage to the ring.

FROM 2/10/07 @ 1:27PM, Ryan wrote, in part:


III. QUESTIONS REGARDING DAMAGE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
In my January 24, 2007 email, I raised the following questions:


Are the diamonds in the engagement ring being chipped by the diamonds in the band (and vice versa)?
Is this a usual problem with this type of ring/band configuration?
Will this continue to happen on a regular basis?
If this is an anticipated problem, should I have been apprised of same before agreeing to the configuration?
If this is not an anticipated problem, is this the result of a flaw in the design process?

Based upon my conversation with Leon on the afternoon of the 8th, I understand that WF's response to the queries is as follows:

Are the diamonds in the engagement ring being chipped by the diamonds in the band (and vice versa)?
There is one diamond in the wedding band (second from the end) that is chipped. The girdle of the "second from the end" diamond is the only stone that appears to touch the diamonds in the engagement ring, and almost certainly is the cause of the chips in the 5 stones on the ering.

Is this a usual problem with this type of ring/band configuration?
No. The rings are designed so that the diamonds do not touch. In Leon's 6-7 years of being a jeweler he has only seen a similar problem one time.

Will this continue to happen on a regular basis?
Most likely. According to Leon, the first chip(s) likely occurred soon after the rings were worn together, and additional chips almost certainly will occur in the future unless 1) the rings are remade with larger shared prongs to help space the stones, or 2) the rings are soldered together.

If this is an anticipated problem, should I have been apprised of same before agreeing to the configuration?
This is sort of the million dollar question here; several commentators on pricescope.com indicated that a jeweler should warn the customer of potential problems with any eternity or semi-eternity set. However, others indicated that no warning is necessary when the rings are designed so that the stones do not touch.

If this is not an anticipated problem, is this the result of a flaw in the design process?
This is where I was more than a little confused by the obvious inconsistency regarding the touching of the stones. Per Leon, the rings were designed so that the stones do NOT touch; however, per Leon, the chipped stones are the result of the "second from the end" stone touching/rubbing the stones on the ering. Notwithstanding, Leon indicated that our custom designed set is not flawed. Further, Leon indicated that the damage is not the result of a stone that has shifted or moved, thus making it out of line and rubbing with the other stones.

IV. WHITEFLASH RECOMMENDATIONS
Per my conversation with Leon, I understand that simply repairing/replacing the damaged diamonds will not solve the underlying problem. Further, I understand that simply soldering them together may not solve the problem. I understand that WF is recommending that the rings be remade with wider shared prongs to further space the diamonds . . . in that correct? Also, I understand from Leon that in addition to the additional spacing, soldering the rings would further protect the diamonds in the future. Is your recommendation to remake the rings with additional spacing and soldering them together?

We trust that you know what is best to prevent this problem in the future. Assuming we can work something out on the price/concession end, I anticipate that we will follow whatever recommendations you have for the custom ring set. As you know, we have been pleased in the past with your recommendation regarding the original 2kt stone, the original setting, and the custom wedding/ering set.

V. WHITEFLASH CONCESSIONS
Per my conversation with Leon, WF values us as customers and will consider making some concession on the price. If we go with the recommended remake of the rings (repair/replace damaged diamonds, additional spacing, and soldering) in platinum, what would be the price? Based upon that price, what is the greatest concession that WF would be willing to offer us?
_________________________




***AGAIN - if the above questions/responses/recommendations/concessions are not an accurate recounting of my conversation with Leon regarding the the facts (or now, your understanding of the facts), please advise in writing so that I am better able to understand the facts surrounding the design of the ring, WF's customer service and where we currently stand as far as concessions.***

To reiterate, I am more than a little confused by the inconsistency regarding the touching of the stones. In this connection:
-I understand that the rings were designed with small gaps so that the stones do NOT touch;
-from pricescope, I understand that many vendors would not design or make a custom ring set that had diamond girdles touching;
-from pricescope, I understand that, as a bare minimum, the vendor should warn any customer of the potential damage to the rings when such a set is requested;
-from Leon, I understand that although the rings were designed so that the stones would not touch, the chipped stones are the result of the "second from the end" stone on the wedding ring touching/rubbing the stones on the ering;
-from Leon, I understand that the damage is not the result of the "second from the end" stone that has shifted or moved (wear & tear), thus making the stone out of line and rubbing with the other stones;
-notwithstanding, Leon indicated that our custom designed set is not flawed. Further, you confirmed same by stating that "these rings were in perfect condition when they went out."

Please help me understand the above. Stating "I cannot possibly know what has transpired in the time they have been worn" ignores that I have already been told that the damage was caused by the "second to the end" stone rubbing against the ering.

1) How did the rings rub together if: 1) they were designed to NOT rub together, 2) the rings were "sent out in perfect condition" (i.e., no design flaw allowing the rings to rub), and 3) the ring set bands/prongs remain undamaged?
2) Is the single stone in the wedding ring rubbing against the ering?
3) Is the single stone out of line?
4) Are the rings damaged or somehow bent or misformed now to cause the diamond to touch?
5) What is the most logical cause of this type of damage on this type of ring?

Simply saying that "[you] cannot possibly know" is troubling to me. Also, your analogy to the automobile is misguided; if 1) my car's tire is shredded, 2) upon inspection by the dealer, a part of the wheel well touches my tire (although it was designed to not touch), 3) the wheel well touching the tire is the most logical cause of the damage, and 4) the dealer confirms that the wheel well is exactly where it is suppose to be, then you are damn right that I would demand that the dealer to repair the damage.

In the alternative, are you stating that WF is without fault because Leon simply followed our picture (flawed or not) to create the design? Your statement of "with this understanding we made the rings as requested and delivered them to you" apparently attempts to shift any design flaw to us (although, again, WF has stated that there is no design flaw . . . correct?). Although any argument along these lines is significantly flawed, for the sake of argument, I will accept that we picked the design, and WF made the custom ring set attempting to mimic the picture:

6) Did WF make our custom ring set knowing that the diamonds could rub?
7) Would WF make an unsoldered custom ring set with diamond girdles touching?
8) What is the "standard practice" discussion you reference (i.e., "the diamonds in the rings may chip")?
9) How often does WF make ring sets where there are "small gaps" between the girdles of diamonds?
10) Would you or WF try to dissuade a buyer's request that asked for diamonds touching?

I need to know answers to these questions to understand standard practice in the online jewelry industry. As you know, several jewelers who responded on pricescope indicated that they would NEVER custom make a ring SET where diamonds were touching.
11) Is WF's position different?
12) Will WF make anything that a customer requests?

Regarding the above, I must ask how my comment that “(she) will not mind small gaps between the ring and band when worn” reflects that we assumed the liability for the design or the diamonds touching? That argument appears nonsensical to me. We understood that the gaps were necessary. Now I understand that the gaps were in place to KEEP THE DIAMONDS FROM TOUCHING . . . is that incorrect?
13) How does acknowledging the "small gaps" equate to acknowledging that the rings would have "rubbing issues"?
14) Does the word "gaps" mean something different in this context?

Next, your synopsis of my discussions with Bob and Leon, including the statement that "it is standard practice to discuss [the rubbing issues with such a design]", does not accurately reflect our interaction. At no point did Bob or Leon ever mention the possibility of damage/chipping to the diamonds with this design.
15) Are Bob and/or Leon now saying that such a discussion took place?

As indicated in the pricescope forum, the only potential problem ever discussed was that the diamonds may cut away at the prongs. In fact, this was primarily a concern when we were trying to fit the custom wedding ring "flush/flush" with the existing tiffany set ering. So as to be factual, below please find a recounting of the emails exchanged with Bob, including the emails where we discussed pictures (including those on WF's website):
____________________________________
from 3/8/2006 @ 9:31am, Ryan wrote:


...we understand that we have 3 options going forward:

(1) change the ring to an X Prong and keep the band as it is (reducing any gap between the rings and creating visual consistency with the bands);
(2) keep the tiffany 6 prong ring as it is and change the band (I believe that you stated that you could use smaller diamonds (10 points?) in a band and get it close to flush with the 6 prong ring); and
(3) change both the ring and band;
We were hoping to get some help from you as we choose between the 3 options. Below, I have provided our thoughts regarding each of the above options.

*******
(3) I believe that my wife is leaning towards option 3. The attached picture is of a ring and band we saw online. She would want the 6 prong head with the ring band done in small diamonds, and then a matching band in the same size diamonds. This choice allows her to keep the tiffany 6 prong setting with the thin, delicate band (now with diamonds in it . . . surprise, surprise). Also, with the smaller diamonds in the band, we are optimistic that we can get the ring and band closer to flush. Further, my wife indicated that, visually, she did not mind the small gaps between the ring and band because they were less noticeable between rows of diamonds compared to a row of diamonds and a gold band. I do not know what size of diamonds would be best to maintain the thin, delicate ring band that my wife wants. Can you give me your thoughts on this? Is this a ring/band combination that you can do? Would the diamond band need a small curve around the bottom prong? Any help that you can provide would be greatly appreciated.


After sending the above email, I spoke with Bob and Leon regarding WF designing a custom wedding/ering set. Both indicated that the custom set was the best choice in lieu of attempting to make a wedding band to fit around the existing ering (given that our previous attempt was unsatisfactory to my wife). At no point, ever, was anything mentioned about potential problems with the diamonds damaging each other. Needless to say, I will be extremely disappointed if Bob and/or Leon now state that I was told/warned/etc. about potential damage to the diamonds. I was not. Had we been warned, we certainly would have chosen another design (as would any logical consumer).


Later that day, I received the following email from Bob:

from 3/8/2006 @ 8:35pm, Bob responded:
Dear Ryan,
Here is the quote for the rings in option #3 that we discussed this afternoon. Custom 18kt white gold engagement/wedding ring set in size 5.5 to contain a 2ct round diamond that is 6-prong set and having shared prong set diamonds half way around each ring and to fit close together. The price on the ring and band only without any diamonds would be $1440. If you add 17 x 0.10ct aca diamonds there is an additional $1950. If you add 17 x 0.15ct aca diamonds there is an additional $3359.
Please let me know what you think?
Sincerely,
Bob Hoskins

from 3/9/2006 @ 9:24pam, Ryan replied:

We want to purchase the "custom 18kt white gold engagement ring wedding ring set in size 5.5 to contain a 2ct round diamond that is 6-prong set and having shared prong set diamonds half way around each ring and to fit close together."
My wife would like to go with the .15ct stones, but is concerned that she may lose the "petite, classic, antique" look that she wants. ... Can you help me out with a visual for her (either a picture of a 2ct w. a .10 on one side and .15 on the other, or a sample from the website? We were looking at the whiteflash website (solitaires with side stones) last night, but I cannot tell what ring(s) would most closely resemble what the ring would look like. I thought the White Fire (but with diamonds halfway around) or Cupid's Quiver. Is that right?

from 3/11/2006 @ 1:58pm, Ryan replied:


Bob,


The picture was great. This will confirm that we want the custom 18kt white gold engagement ring wedding ring set in size 5.5 to contain a 2ct round diamond that is 6-prong set and having shared prong set diamonds (15 points) half way around each ring and to fit close together. I truly appreciate you time and efforts.


Kind regards,

Ryan
__________________________

I hope the above gives you a more accurate picture of our interaction. Please advise if you need actual copies of the emails or notes from our conversations to confirm the above; I have maintained a complete an accurate record of my communication with Whiteflash since early May 2005. I look forward to your responses so that we can have a meaningful discussion regarding the resolution of this dispute.


Next, I am disappointed that you chose to attack me for starting a thread on pricescope. The facts I presented are accurate, and the advice/information received has been valuable to us as we consider our alternatives going forward. Although I was upset when initially posting (and I remain frustrated at WF's refusal to answer simple questions about the design and demand to the rings), I have no obligation to paint Whiteflash in the most sympathetic light. That being said, I was unaware that other experienced posters would recognize the photos and link my post to whiteflash. However, I imagine that vast majority of "rough rock" online ering buyers (your prospective customers) have no idea that I was talking about Whiteflash. Candidly, I thought that I was taking the prudent course in protecting Whiteflash's name by not mentioning the vendor or individuals by name when I did not yet have sufficient information to intelligently discuss the issues presented by Leon in our 2/8/07 conversation. At your direction, in order to avoid further inference from you that I am leveraging or acting in an underhanded manner, I will change the post today to reflect the appropriate names.

Finally, although we were surprised by the speed and severity of the discoloration of the rings, please consider the discoloration issue moot.

Regards,


Ryan

 

Mara

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Date: 2/14/2007 5:09:05 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
I see no way for this to be resolved fairly until the appraiser gives his evaluation of the rings. Every jeweler will have an occasional complaint, and it must be very scary for them to see posts come up here while the situation is in process. I hope the appraiser will be able to make a firm evaluation of the cause of the damage, and that both sides can be satisfied with the outcome. However, this should reinforce for new people that it is very important to get your rings insured!!!
My thoughts exactly. Get the appraiser involved (shoulda done this a week ago) and for the future be sure to get rings insured.
 

kenny

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To quote Brian:
" Bob Hoskins informed you that such a design can encounter rubbing issues (it is standard practice to discuss this). Your e-mail back stated “(she) will not mind small gaps between the ring and band when worn.” With this understanding we made the rings as requested and delivered them to you. "


This is the essence of the conflict.
Ryan since you were informed of rubbing issues (yet still ordered that design) I'd say you have no recourse.

Next I have a recommendation for WF.
Beyond just advising the customer of the rubbing issue I'd refuse to make such rings.
Yes, the customer will go elsewhere but you will benefit because your competitor will have all these headaches that come from customers that ignore advice.

Then your competitor will get these unpleasant threads.
 

rtbrown19

Rough_Rock
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Messages
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Kenny - Bob never informed us of the rubbing issue; that is Brian''s "synopsis" of a conversation he was not involved in . . . as noted in his email to me, it would have been "standard" for Bob to give such a warning. He never did.
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
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So now it comes down to who is telling the truth?

Where do we go from here?
 

rtbrown19

Rough_Rock
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Feb 8, 2007
Messages
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Correct Kenny - One aspect of the litgation will be "he said v. he said" intensive. However, how many people would have ordered a custom wedding/ering set after being told that the rings likely (or even possibly) would be damaged if the rings are ever worn together? We, and I believe most reasonable people, would not have purchased this custom set if it could not be worn together without damaging the rings. Who knows, I may be wrong.

Candidly, our most immediate concerns involves getting the rings back to the Chicago area and figuring out a temporary band for my wife while her rings are remade/repaired. We both hate being without our wedding rings; in addition to the general uncomfortable feeling we get as a happily married couple without rings, not wearing a ring can be embarrassing in social and professional environments. My ring should be back from WF in a few days, but she likely will be without rings for a while longer (already nearly 1 month). I think that I need to run out now and buy my wife another Valentine's Day gift.

I will report back once we hear from the appraiser.
 

Maisie

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I have been reading this thread with interest as I am about to become a Whiteflash customer in a few weeks. Initially I was concerned about the things being said here as I live a long way from the US and don''t want the hassle of returning my ring.

While I don''t feel its a problem to post this here to get some support and advice - I think its a bit sad that its turned into something of a public argument. It won''t serve any purpose to post parts of emails or conversations, especially if you don''t show the whole thing and have it in context.

There are a lot of satisfied WF customers here and its fair to say WF have a reputation for excellent customer care. In my opinion it might be better to withdraw now and wait for your appraiser to let you know his findings. If Whiteflash are found to be at fault they will rectify the situation for you. But its best to be sure before you keep this going.

Only my opinion and I don''t mean to offend anyone.

Maisie
 

Lynn B

Ideal_Rock
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Date: 2/14/2007 6:02:09 PM
Author: rtbrown19

I will report back once we hear from the appraiser.
We will all be eager to hear what (s)he says. Did you send it to Rich, or someone else?
 

kenny

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I'm confused.
Why you are involving an appraiser?

The diamonds are chipped.
That is not in dispute.
The ring set design can encounter rubbing issues.
That is not in dispute.

Apparently the dispute is about communication.
An appraiser can't address that.
 

ljmorgan

Brilliant_Rock
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I am really sorry about your wedding set. I''m sorry, but with 6 stones damaged, and looking at the setting, it appears to be a design flaw. I have a shared prong engagement ring/wedding set. VENDORS NEED TO PROTECT/GAP the diamond girdles from rubbing each other. My jeweler and I discussed and discussed this, they told me they would have to keep a small gap between my two bands to prevent the diamond girdles from chipping each other and wearing down platinum.

If she had been wearing a ring from another jeweler, and then got that band from WF and it did damage, I would say it''s not their fault, they did not create a set designed to work together. But they made both bands, and should have designed them to prevent the damage that has occurred.

Even though they are probably responsible, it is really hard to prove it wasn''t your wife''s doing. Except I can''t imagine someone damaging 5 melee in 8 months! Look at the exposes girdles in those pictures... THAT IS ASKING FOR TROUBLE.
 

blingless

Rough_Rock
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Thanks so much for posting this. Anyone can have a customer/vendor problem and what differentiates a good vendor from the rest is how quickly and fairly its resolved. I am actively shopping and WF is one potential source so I am keenly interested in the process as well as the resolution. Thank you for sharing, I hope it turns out well, and I am very sorry that this happened to you. I hope on the next go around you''ll choose platinum.
35.gif
 

ljmorgan

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Date: 2/14/2007 7:13:14 PM
Author: blingless
Thanks so much for posting this. Anyone can have a customer/vendor problem and what differentiates a good vendor from the rest is how quickly and fairly its resolved. I am actively shopping and WF is one potential source so I am keenly interested in the process as well as the resolution. Thank you for sharing, I hope it turns out well, and I am very sorry that this happened to you. I hope on the next go around you''ll choose platinum.
35.gif

I agree, I appreciate everyone''s feedback on online vendors. I have to say that after recent feedback on WF, I am really glad I did not have my shared prong engagement wedding set made by them. My fiance contacted them about it last spring, they e-mailed him back, he e-mailed them back... and then never heard from them again! We were pretty surprised given their glowing reviews, but their lack of communication spooked us, and we had my eternity bands made by Quest Jewelers based out of Virginia. My eternity set had some wear issues that they addressed -- they completely remade my rings for free, making them sturdier and I have had no problems since. They inspect my rings every 6 months. They will also resize (actually REMAKE, since they''re eternity bands) my rings for life for free. They really are a great example of a custom jeweler with great customer service.
 

swingirl

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A very unfortunate thing to happen to one''s rings. So sorry for you.

But how can any jeweler guarentee that something won''t happen down the road that causes damage to what "seems" like a well-designed ring? Women wear stacking rings and shared-prong rings without any damage and a lot have gotten them from this vendor. Fingers have more or less fat on them which prevents or allows the rings to spin and angle themselves against eachother. People''s ring size change with weather/seasons.

How could any jeweler predict which of these variables they should warn against? And as far not being rough, I have read you can damage your rings sleeping in them (people make fists in their sleep and lay on their hands), you put extra pressure gripping a shopping cart or steering wheel, lifting weights, ect and even more use if you are left handed.

But I don''t know how you can hold a jeweler resonsible for not telling you that wear and tear will take place and it might be sooner than later. From the wax models it looks like it was designed so girdles did not touch. But no one does a 72 hour rub test.

I hope you get the issue resolved and put behind you and get your lovely rings either repaired or reset.

Swingirl
 

luckystar112

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I just want to say that I've been following this whole thing and think it's awful that the rings are damaged. I can understand how upset the original poster must be. However, these accusations agains whiteflash are unfounded, as of yet.

I think he jumped the gun and created this post knowing very well that we would figure out it was whiteflash, and that is well....wrong. I mean, the title of the thread is "Serious problems with a popular online vendor", not "serious problems with custom job." It is painfully obvious that it would spark the posters attention enough to look it up, therefore he could get away with it. Why not pretend he got it at a local B&M store to try an get an unbiased opinion? Not only that, he is using pricescope as a scare-tactic to coerce whiteflash into action. I must say that the posted emails on here are extremely unecessary, and the poster is making himself out to look like a bit of a twit by not telling the "whole" story. Kind of makes you wonder if he's telling the whole story about how his wife wears the rings....
33.gif


And finally, at this point I would certainly HOPE that it was a design flaw on whiteflash's part, because if not it looks like they could have a pretty good case for SLANDER.


PHEW. I feel better now. Carry on.
 

kcoursolle

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Why would a designer make a ring that they know would have possible problems in the first place? Communication problems or not, vendors are ultimately the ones who decide how and whether to create a design.
 

blingless

Rough_Rock
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Messages
58
Just a thought and I could be way off base but I thought I''d take a risk and share:

If the original ring cost roughly $21,000 then assuming a $7000 gross profit might be reasonable. If I read the posts correctly the cost of repair would be $1000 to the customer. Since the majority of the cost is likely labor its a soft cost I would approximate at $700. After taxes the actual cost could be under $500 to the vendor. If this were my customer I would have fixed it no questions asked and thanked the customer for his/her business. Lets face it $20K customers don''t grow on trees and building the loyalty of customers is critical to repeat and referal business. This is a repeat customer and potentially a high earner. The real question in my mind is would I spend $500 to have someone with a lot of public contact, a somewhat austintatious piece of jewelry that I made, braging about what a great deal he got at my store and how I fixed the problem he/she had without question? You bet I would ! At the end of the day I still have $6500 of profit.

Please don''t beat me up too badly I''m just sharing opinion and making some basic assumptions involving standard profit margins. I can tell you that this is what I expect from the businesses I deal with and how I am treated. It is how I treat the businesses I have transactions with as well. I can''t imagine why WF would risk all the lost business potential an issue like this presents. What happened to "The Customer is Always Right"??? Look at the difference in Lindey''s experience and the WF experience represented in this post. If you were spending $21,000 would you spend $22,000 for the peace of mind that you''d have Lindsey''s experience or would you rather save the $1000 up front and have a battle royal???
 

luckystar112

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Date: 2/14/2007 8:21:54 PM
Author: kcoursolle
Why would a designer make a ring that they know would have possible problems in the first place? Communication problems or not, vendors are ultimately the ones who decide how and whether to create a design.

Well, that''s the argument right there. Whiteflash says they sent the ring out in perfect condition, which presumably means they made sure the diamonds/rings wouldn''t rub. If it was designed with that in mind, which I''m sure they at least took it into account, than the rings should be fine.
 

swingirl

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If you were spending $21,000 wouldn''t you get it insured?
 

luckystar112

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Date: 2/14/2007 8:44:38 PM
Author: blingless
What happened to ''The Customer is Always Right''???

I think you have a good point, but I just wanted to say that "the customer is always right" is about as true as having to spend 2 months salary on an engagement ring. Meaning, the phrase was coined to make a profit and for no other reason. Anyone who has worked in any type of customer service knows first hand that the customer is NOT always right.

I would think that if it only came down to $500 than whiteflash wouldn''t have cared who was right and who was wrong and would have gone ahead and fixed it already. I think they have already over-stepped their boundaries by offering what they have. If it IS a design flaw on whiteflashes part, then by all means they should fix it...but they don''t know! At what point does a ring become the customer''s responsibility? 8 months is a long time, anything could have happened to that ring. You could also argue that 8 months isn''t very long when you take into account the amount of damage. Still, this should have been settled way before this was brought to light on a public forum.
 

blingless

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
58
Swingirl, excellent point that I had never considered until reading through these posts. I''m presently shopping hence the "Blingless" hehe... but I just assumed whatever I owned was covered by my homeowners or umbrella policy. I would have never considered separate insurance for jewelry. That''s why I love PS it allows a lot of information sharing:)
 

bluehue

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Dec 16, 2005
Messages
138
How much $ ballpark is it gonna take to fix these rings??? I see someone threw out 1k. Is that about right?
 

diamondseeker2006

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58,547
I think they do have insurance. But the issue is not just replacing or repolishing stones. If the design is at fault, then the diamonds are going to become damaged again. So until the appraiser looks at it, we really don''t know anything. But if the design is not at fault, I''d still make the insurance claim and start over with the settings.
 

aljdewey

Ideal_Rock
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Messages
9,170
In digesting all of this, RT, a few things jump out at me.

A) Initially, you say:

"Next, your synopsis of my discussions with Bob and Leon, including the statement that "it is standard practice to discuss [the rubbing issues with such a design]", does not accurately reflect our interaction. At no point did Bob or Leon ever mention the possibility of damage/chipping to the diamonds with this design."



In the very next statement, though, you sort of contradict this: the only potential problem ever discussed was that the diamonds may cut away at the prongs. In fact, this was primarily a concern when we were trying to fit the custom wedding ring "flush/flush" with the existing tiffany set ering.

What I get from these two statements together: I think the vendor tried in good faith to point out that shared-prong bands can potentially cut away, and because the prongs of the ering are the most vulnerable place that would happen, prongs were discussed. I think you may have (mistakenly) taken that to mean that *only* the prongs were potentially vulnerable.

It makes me think of the warning on my lawn mower that says something about not putting my fingers near the blades to clear grass because it could result in my fingers getting cut off. Doesn't it stand to reason that if I put my toes or something else in there other than my fingers, those could also incur injury? Should I assume that my fingers are the only digits vulnerable to damage? Should I consider the manufacturer derelict for not expressly pointing out potential damage to my toes, too? If the lawn mower salesman had a discussion with me about proper use of the lawn mower and told me as part of that explanation not to put my fingers near that chute because they could become cut, I'd imagine he'd feel he did his job in warning me about the potential dangers in using it.

B) Another piece of the puzzle that I think contributes to the issue/confusion.....this is directly from your posts, rt:

This choice allows her to keep the tiffany 6 prong setting with the thin, delicate band (now with diamonds in it . . . surprise, surprise). Also, with the smaller diamonds in the band, we are optimistic that we can get the ring and band closer to flush. Further, my wife indicated that, visually, she did not mind the small gaps between the ring and band because they were less noticeable between rows of diamonds compared to a row of diamonds and a gold band. I do not know what size of diamonds would be best to maintain the thin, delicate ring band that my wife wants. ...........

My wife would like to go with the .15ct stones, but is concerned that she may lose the "petite, classic, antique" look that she wants........

we want the custom 18kt white gold engagement ring wedding ring set in size 5.5 to contain a 2ct round diamond that is 6-prong set and having shared prong set diamonds (15 points) half way around each ring and to fit close together

By saying "thin, delicate band" twice and stressing "petite", it seems much emphasis was placed on the band being thin. While you say that *small* gaps are acceptable, you still emphasis that the rings should fit close together. It appears these exchanges occurred in the late-decision making stage....after rubbing discussion, so it seems that you are outlining these specifications after having been advised that diamonds in shared-prong rings can possibly cut (this is because the girdles are exposed.

C) You note your confused by the following:

-I understand that the rings were designed with small gaps so that the stones do NOT touch; ........
-from Leon, I understand that although the rings were designed so that the stones would not touch, the chipped stones are the result of the "second from the end" stone on the wedding ring touching/rubbing the stones on the ering; .......

Please help me understand the above.

Maybe I can help on this. When a woman wears rings, they aren't static. They are constantly in motion and move with her finger/hand.

So, if they are simply on my finger (or on one of those cardboard jewelry finger things) with no other forces near them or touching them, they will likely lie together as intended without touching....sitting perfectly north/south, so to speak. If I close my fingers around the bar of a shopping cart, though, and the bottoms of my rings press against the bar, it's likely the position of my rings will shift. No longer will they sit precisely next to each other; both 'tilt' slightly forward toward my knuckle, as though on a 10 or 15-degree axis. Usually, one rides a bit higher than the other at such times. When I've done laundry, I've caught the head of my ering against the edge of the washer tub, which presses my ering back toward my hand (away from the knuckle)....and pressed it against my wedding ring. Then my rings are touching in a way that is influenced by outside forces (the shopping cart, the heavy bag I'm carrying, etc). Those are all variables of my life depending on my activities and lifestyle.

My point is, when you wear rings, they move. That's not a design flaw, it's life. So, it's possible that the stones don't touch when the rings aren't subject to outside forces. When they are, though, they may be pressed to touch. Unless you solder them or glue them to her hand, that's going to happen.

Your car analogy (the tire touching the wheel well) is flawed because the wheel well and tire position are static; rings aren't. Rings that sit flush when they are placed next to each other won't stay flush when subjected to activity. The only way I can think to explain this: A clock pendulum is designed to swing both right and left an equal distance from the center...... AS LONG AS the clock is hung level. If you tilt the clock (subject to the outside force of pushing the clock to one side or the other), the pendulum now won't swing equi-distant relative to the center of the clock. OR, if you press on the pendulum with your finger (outside force), it won't swing naturally (or the way it was DESIGNED to swing).

D) Several have commented that wedding "sets" should be designed to work together, but no one seems to note that until recently, it was the norm to solder wedding *sets* together. It was expected when buying a set that you'd have them soldered post-wedding. My mother's wedding set is soldered (she's mid-60s); so are many of the sets of gals I went to H.S. with who married 20/25 years ago. I know this isn't popular today, but neither are wedding "sets".

E) About the shared prong design, you say: Had we been warned, we certainly would have chosen another design (as would any logical consumer).

Rt, you'd think so, wouldn't you.....but you're not accounting for emotion here. People don't always do the logical thing, and a ring isn't a logical purchase for many. In my 4+ years here, I've seen several gals get pissed/resistant/adamant about their design wants DESPITE jewelers explaining that those desires might compromise the durability/structural integrity of the pieces.

Examples: *gals who want 1.7 or 1.8mm pave bands despite being told by the jeweler that it has to be at least 2mm for the metal to properly hold the stones in
* gals who insist on ridiculously thin prongs for a honker stone, even after being told that the prongs won't withstand it.
* gals who just HAVE to have the look of pave, but are then pissed when they lose a stone because they didn't want to hear that pave rings can be delicate and don't stand well to daily wear.

Just this week, a gal doing a custom project was upset because she heard that her designer felt that the requested elements of a ring would result in a structurally unsound piece. When the designer offered possible modifications that the client didn't like, the client started a thread about how upset she was, how she didn't think her wants were structurally unsound, and asking posters here (most of us with NO expertise or bench experience) if we agreed that the initially proposed design was structurally sound. I understood her disappointment (having done a custom piece myself, I understand that sometimes things you want don't fit together), but on the other hand, I'm always bemused when people want to dismiss the concerns of an expert in his field.

F) Not every consumer sees things the same, so you can't assume that everyone else would choose what you would. For example, I own a shared-prong band, but I accepted that it may scratch my e-ring a bit and I was willing to live with that to get the look I wanted. I realize it might mean more maintenance, and I accept that as a cost of having what I want. Some folks are okay with the idea that having pave means accepting a certain amount of maintenance, and those who aren't okay with it aren't good candidates for pave rings. Just as with investing, everyone has their own personal threshold for risk tolerance, and each has to weigh that against his own perceived benefit for assuming the risk.

More than anything, I'm convinced that the key issues here are miscommunication snags, and I think those would be further exacerbated by either party approaching this in an adversarial manner. I really hope you can both work together toward a satisfactory outcome. From my many dealings with Brian, I've always known him to be exceedingly fair and reasonable, and I'm sure he wants to work with you on an outcome that makes you happy.
 

diagem

Ideal_Rock
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Joined
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Messages
5,096
Date: 2/14/2007 7:00:09 PM
Author: *Lindsey*
I am really sorry about your wedding set. I''m sorry, but with 6 stones damaged, and looking at the setting, it appears to be a design flaw. I have a shared prong engagement ring/wedding set. VENDORS NEED TO PROTECT/GAP the diamond girdles from rubbing each other. My jeweler and I discussed and discussed this, they told me they would have to keep a small gap between my two bands to prevent the diamond girdles from chipping each other and wearing down platinum.

If she had been wearing a ring from another jeweler, and then got that band from WF and it did damage, I would say it''s not their fault, they did not create a set designed to work together. But they made both bands, and should have designed them to prevent the damage that has occurred.

Even though they are probably responsible, it is really hard to prove it wasn''t your wife''s doing. Except I can''t imagine someone damaging 5 melee in 8 months! Look at the exposes girdles in those pictures... THAT IS ASKING FOR TROUBLE.
Where do you see the exposed girdles... in which pictures???
 

pyramid

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
4,607
When I read these types of stories I always think it is unfair on the vendor. You can have your say but they cannot. I would always try to sort things out privately between the vendor and myself first because I think writing on the web just harms the communication between you. Have you tried sending them a two sentence email just asking for a reply to your easier questions within 48 hours?
 

Efe

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Aug 8, 2006
Messages
774
Date: 2/15/2007 6:09:32 AM
Author: Pyramid
When I read these types of stories I always think it is unfair on the vendor. You can have your say but they cannot. I would always try to sort things out privately between the vendor and myself first because I think writing on the web just harms the communication between you. Have you tried sending them a two sentence email just asking for a reply to your easier questions within 48 hours?
I so agree. If vendors were given a "free pass" for a day, I wonder what kind of stories we would hear. While both sides may have very valid points, if I were the vendor I would take offense at the pubic airing approach and the legal threat. I think that only hurt his cause. What comes natural in the legal field doesn''t always set well with the general public. That said, I think it would be wise for both sides to take a deep breath and be willing to work out a reasonable compromise that everyone can live with.
 

ljmorgan

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
1,037
Date: 2/15/2007 5:44:05 AM
Author: DiaGem
Date: 2/14/2007 7:00:09 PM
Where do you see the exposed girdles... in which pictures???

Hey DiaGem, I see them in the picture they provided where Whiteflash circled the damaged stones (where the girdles are chipped.)

In any case, I am attaching a picture of my shared prong rings. I don''t have a side profile shot of them, but even from a top down view I think people will be able to tell that the metal comes all of the way up to the girdle. With my rings on, my diamonds can''t actually touch. You can see that the metal protects the edges of the diamonds. The rings are pushed close together, that''s about as close as they get to each other.


rings3.jpg
 

strmrdr

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 1, 2003
Messages
23,295
sheesh is this thread still going on...
There is nothing here that can be settled without looking at the rings themselves.
Once we see what the appraiser has to say then there might be room for debate.

btw posting emails is pretty low and against the PS rules.
 

Phoenix

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 5, 2006
Messages
9,975
Phew! That was tiring reading all the posts!

If I may, i''d like to suggest, as many others here have done, that you try to resolve this issue amicably with WF. My DH is a lawyer too (in fact, his father was as are 7 of his brothers and sisters). His and their approach to resolving any issue, of whatever nature, is to try and go about it in a non-confrontational way, with any (threat of - implied or otherwise) legal action to be taken as a last resort. For you to mention right of the bat that you''re a lawyer, seems to me confrontational and unnecessary. Whilst it is true that this forum is for us all to air our problems and to obtain help from others, I dare say that you''ve gone rather OTT. This is not to say that I am not sympathetic to your problems, nor am I taking WF''s side (I''ve never bought anything from them), just that the way you''ve approached it doesn''t seem right to me, personally.

Just my 2 cents.
 

risingsun

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 19, 2006
Messages
5,549
Date: 2/15/2007 8:49:50 AM
Author: lienTN
Phew! That was tiring reading all the posts!

If I may, i'd like to suggest, as many others here have done, that you try to resolve this issue amicably with WF. My DH is a lawyer too (in fact, his father was as are 7 of his brothers and sisters). His and their approach to resolving any issue, of whatever nature, is to try and go about it in a non-confrontational way, with any (threat of - implied or otherwise) legal action to be taken as a last resort. For you to mention right of the bat that you're a lawyer, seems to me confrontational and unnecessary. Whilst it is true that this forum is for us all to air our problems and to obtain help from others, I dare say that you've gone rather OTT. This is not to say that I am not sympathetic to your problems, nor am I taking WF's side (I've never bought anything from them), just that the way you've approached it doesn't seem right to me, personally.

Just my 2 cents.
This post reflects my opinion, as well. The OP has made a point of saying he wants to demonstrate the "principle" of the situation, as much as to repair the rings. To my way of thinking, this means he wants to be told he's right and WF is wrong. As I tell my clients, would you rather be "right" or resolve the problem. I've reread the first post and I am sympathetic to the damage to the rings. I would be upset, too. But the initial tone taken with the vendor was threatening and "demanding." Not a good way to start a discussion.
 
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