Help with Brian Gavin pendant decision

[MamaBee]

This forum has been so helpful to us over the past 12 years. I hate to post about a negative experience, but wish I would've seen the few negative BGD posts before sending this diamond to be reset. I think that posting honestly about experiences will help people in the future.

The reason that they're giving for the diamond not being set higher/more forward is the cut of the diamond. Because it's not one of their "super ideal" BG cuts, they say that they cannot set it higher. It is an excellent cut stone, although not purchased from BG. Interestingly, the cut didn't affect how it was set before by a local jeweler. And I have already spoken to another jeweler that is confident that he can reset it as we all know it should be set. It is a "special" diamond to us and I thought that they could be trusted with that and not be dismissive about the diamond itself. I have a Whiteflash ACA e-ring diamond and can still love a lesser-cut stone. I remember people talking about other jewelers back in the day not wanting to set certain stones... this is the first time I've experienced this sort of thing. BGD is not the place to send a diamond from elsewhere to set or one that's less than ideal, apparently.

Lesley kept telling my husband, "It's just the American way that if something's not right you just want your money back." Um, no, we just want it set like the sample photos or keep the setting and send me my diamond back. The emails that they have been sent... well, PM me if you're seriously considering BGD.

On another note, has anyone considered a credit card dispute in matters like this?

If you paid by PayPal I would go through them. The item ordered was not as advertised. I had to use PayPal for something other than this..They contact the vendor first..and if they decide it’s warranted..they will refund your money. The credit card companies do the same thing...It’s worth a phone call. Let us know how it turns out..Good luck..

 

[lovedogs]

I'm so sorry that it's gotten to this point. What a disaster. I would strongly consider a dispute via CC if I were you.

 

[tigertales]

I hope I don't sound too sharp here, but I was always wary of BGD. I'm sorry. I just have to say why.
The Brian Gavin "blue" thing is such a brilliant marketing technique to sell (less valuable) fluorescent diamonds I just really see through it. And, when checking out his website, I was really turned off by his strict and weird TOS (terms of service). Read it sometime. He reminds you of his right to track your every movement on his website, logging every page or item you look at, and how often. His upgrade policy favors him quite measurably, not you, etc. etc. Plus, I hate the orange and black. Also, putting diamonds on a black, dark, sultry looking background isn't glamorous to me. It's dark and creepy, and in no way clearly shows off the diamond, but disguises flaws.
There. I've said it.
JUST MY HONEST OPINION.
And they should have told OP straight up her diamond wouldn't lend itself to their bezel setting she had in mind. It's obvious even to me, and I'm just a little consumer.

 

[TreeScientist]

The Brian Gavin "blue" thing is such a brilliant marketing technique to sell (less valuable) fluorescent diamonds I just really see through it.

I've had similar thoughts about the marketing of the Blue line. It's brilliant really. The way they word the copy on their website makes it seem like the Blue line is the ONLY safe way to buy a fluorescent diamond that doesn't exhibit haziness or transparency issues. That's obviously not true (a majority of diamonds with fluor don't exhibit haziness), but by phrasing it this way, they've been able to create a niche market where they can sell fluor diamonds at a premium compared to well cut non-fluor diamonds from other vendors. Simply brilliant.

I also didn't have the best experience the one time I contacted BGD while searching for an E-ring diamond. Their customer service seemed haughty and brushed off a lot of my questions. The few people I spoke with at WhiteFlash, on the other hand, were the epitome of professionalism, and were gracious and congratulatory when I informed them that I would be going with another vendor.

While I personally wouldn't purchase a SuperIdeal diamond myself (I like the "hunt"), if I were asked by a friend to recommend diamond vendors that make the buying process easy and straightforward with excellent customer service, I would (and have) recommend WF and HPD any day over BGD. While I have not personally interacted with HPD, the reviews of people on this site for both WF and HPD are typically excellent, and if there is a problem, WF and HPD will make it right. There's been too many complaints from people on this site about BGD's customer service in the last two years for me to recommend them.

 

[gm89uk]

I have a friend with a terrible experience with BGD with a 360 eternity ring not sized correctly confirmed by 2 different local jewellers. After a large struggle, they eventually got a refund and had it made locally satisfactorily. Having read the correspondence myself I was shocked at BGDs customer service after all the positive testimonies here.

For this reason, I'd probably buy a loose stone if it was a good deal, but not much else from BGD.

 

[Gussie]

This forum has been so helpful to us over the past 12 years. I hate to post about a negative experience, but wish I would've seen the few negative BGD posts before sending this diamond to be reset. I think that posting honestly about experiences will help people in the future.

The reason that they're giving for the diamond not being set higher/more forward is the cut of the diamond. Because it's not one of their "super ideal" BG cuts, they say that they cannot set it higher. It is an excellent cut stone, although not purchased from BG. Interestingly, the cut didn't affect how it was set before by a local jeweler. And I have already spoken to another jeweler that is confident that he can reset it as we all know it should be set. It is a "special" diamond to us and I thought that they could be trusted with that and not be dismissive about the diamond itself. I have a Whiteflash ACA e-ring diamond and can still love a lesser-cut stone. I remember people talking about other jewelers back in the day not wanting to set certain stones... this is the first time I've experienced this sort of thing. BGD is not the place to send a diamond from elsewhere to set or one that's less than ideal, apparently.

Lesley kept telling my husband, "It's just the American way that if something's not right you just want your money back." Um, no, we just want it set like the sample photos or keep the setting and send me my diamond back. The emails that they have been sent... well, PM me if you're seriously considering BGD.

On another note, has anyone considered a credit card dispute in matters like this?

"It's just the American way that if something's not right you just want your money back"

Nothing wrong with that after two efforts. Proud to be an American. And aren't they American as well?

 

[Dancing Fire]

I have had worked with Lesley and Brian many times in the past and always had great experience with both of them. Maybe I'm just an easy customer?...

 

[yssie]

I wouldn't be so quick to put down Tiffany quality. Are they overpriced? Yes. But the QC on their jewelry pieces is second to none. Their pieces, while simple in design aesthetics, are executed to perfection. There's a reason that they climbed to the top of the designer jewelry ranks. While a large part of their success comes down to brilliant marketing, an equally large part is due to their customer service, after service care, and overall execution of their pieces.

Ditto @TreeScientist.
Tiffany finish is exceptional.
Do you pay a premium for the brand name?
Yes.
But @sep004 - DBTY is one of Tiffany's most popular lines for a reason!! They've perfected them.

Back on topic - I'm sorry to read your updates in this thread.

Lesley kept telling my husband, "It's just the American way that if something's not right you just want your money back." Um, no, we just want it set like the sample photos or keep the setting and send me my diamond back. The emails that they have been sent... well, PM me if you're seriously considering BGD.

This is completely appalling. And she is no newly-minted sales associate! I will say that I also had issues with a custom DBTY-style bracelet from BGD many, many years ago - I also received somewhat condescending responses but nothing like this sentiment.

I have had worked with Lesley and Brian many times in the past and always had great experience with both of them. Maybe I'm just an easy customer?...

Glad that you've had great experiences. OP didn't. How about we try to be somewhat sensitive - y'know, like grown-ups - and not blame her for a situation she did not create and for rudeness she did not solicit?

 

[sep004]

I have had worked with Lesley and Brian many times in the past and always had great experience with both of them. Maybe I'm just an easy customer?...

Maybe lucky? I have at least 7 custom pieces (all more expensive and detailed than this) from PriceScope vendors alone and have never had to have anything remade before. Also, I have NEVER asked for a refund before. My collection is extensive at this point with several custom pieces, estate pieces, VCA, Cartier, Tiffany, etc. With each of those purchases, I've never had anything less than stellar service. That's why this is so shocking to me. I'm guess I'm picky (aren't well all?) but also willing to pay for good service. Seeing the Whiteflash thread about the bracelet where they offer to either remake or refund the customer affirms that there ARE good vendors out there. Hey, mistakes happen. It's custom jewelry. It's all in how people handle mistakes and this has not been handled well by BGD.

I'm still hopeful for a good outcome. It's the optimist in me and also I'm probably naive because this is my first negative experience with a PriceScope favorite.

 

[Laila619]

Call me crazy here, but if something I purchased/ordered is not correct, especially after multiple attempts to rectify, I do tend to want my hard-earned money back, oddly enough.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Glad that you've had great experiences. OP didn't. How about we try to be somewhat sensitive - y'know, like grown-ups - and not blame her for a situation she did not create and for rudeness she did not solicit?

Where in my post did I blame Sep004? all I said was that I have had great experiences purchasing from Lesley.

 

[bludiva]

Maybe lucky? I have at least 7 custom pieces (all more expensive and detailed than this) from PriceScope vendors alone and have never had to have anything remade before. Also, I have NEVER asked for a refund before. My collection is extensive at this point with several custom pieces, estate pieces, VCA, Cartier, Tiffany, etc. With each of those purchases, I've never had anything less than stellar service. That's why this is so shocking to me. I'm guess I'm picky (aren't well all?) but also willing to pay for good service. Seeing the Whiteflash thread about the bracelet where they offer to either remake or refund the customer affirms that there ARE good vendors out there. Hey, mistakes happen. It's custom jewelry. It's all in how people handle mistakes and this has not been handled well by BGD.

I'm still hopeful for a good outcome. It's the optimist in me and also I'm probably naive because this is my first negative experience with a PriceScope favorite.

You're not being too picky. I would have a hard time enjoying and wearing the pendant as delivered to you (either version). Especially for 800ish dollars. Hope they make it right.

 

[sep004]

You're not being too picky. I would have a hard time enjoying and wearing the pendant as delivered to you (either version). Especially for 800ish dollars. Hope they make it right.

Thank you!

 

[GearGirly]

SMH they definitely will lose way more business from bad reviews here than the $800, so short sighted when they clearly made the mistake.

 

[quaddio]

+1 for Tiffany quality

 

[Austina]

I can assure you it’s not just the ‘American’ way. I’m English, and if something’s not right, I’d be expecting a full refund too. How many people would be prepared just to shrug it off and accept it, I don’t know any?

Good luck with getting this resolved.

 

[TreeScientist]

SMH they definitely will lose way more business from bad reviews here than the $800, so short sighted when they clearly made the mistake.

My thoughts exactly. When it comes down to their actual costs for this pendant (or two pendants if you consider the remake) it's what, maybe $50 in materials and 2-3 hours of labor? What kind of company would demean a customer and fight tooth and nail over $50 materials and 2-3 hours of labor? You dun F***ed up. Just refund the money and move on.

This is completely appalling. And she is no newly-minted sales associate!

Also my initial reaction when I read the "It's the American way" comment. My mom worked in phone customer service for about 15 years after I went to elementary school. She was good at her job, and her company let her work a very flexible schedule because they wanted to keep her. Any new customer service rep is automatically taught the golden rule of customer service "The customer is always right." And even if you disagree with the customer, you should always be kind and gracious in any debates on the phone.

If my mom had ever made a condescending comment like that to a customer on the phone, her butt would've been kicked to the curb before she could so much as utter "But! But! The customer said ___!"

Most companies that deal in sales don't play around with that kind of behavior. In the age of the internet with widely-disseminated customer reviews, it only takes a few sour experiences like that to tarnish a company's reputation among its broader customer base.

 

[sep004]

UPDATE: They have apparently agreed to refund the cost of the setting minus a nominal shipping fee and are sending my diamond to my appraiser for a check to make sure it's not damaged. I don't expect any damage to the stone as their workmanship is careful and they had the diamond/setting inspected by a third party. I'll post a final update when the entire matter is resolved. Thanks for the advice, everyone!

 

[Laila619]

That's terrific! Are you happy with that? Sounds like a good plan.

 

[CheeSauce]

I have never purchased from Brian Gavin before but was surprised when they refused to take a photo of two diamonds side by side (for studs). I never ran into a problem when I requested this from Whiteflash or HPD.

Maybe it is lucky I decided not to continue to look into the BGD stones. It seems like they have been running into quite a few snafus recently with their bench. I find it very unfortunately that people have to come to pricescope and write about their situation before BGD rectifies the situation. You would think after the prong issue that BGD would be more sensitive to bad press.

OP, I am happy they are now willing to work with you to resolve this. I hope you are pleased with the result!

 

[sep004]

Yes, happy that we were able to work this out!

 

[sep004]

They sent the piece to an appraiser in Maryland (David Atlas) who found no issues with the craftsmanship. Diamonds with a higher crowns would work better with a bezel than this particular diamond (see quote from Mr. Atlas below). Because I was unhappy, they offered a refund. I haven't yet received the refund but will let everyone know when I do. They have already removed the diamond from the setting and sent the diamond to my personal appraiser. He found the diamond to be still in excellent condition after it was removed from their setting and I appreciate them sending him the diamond for my peace of mind. This is a great quote from David Atlas for anyone that's looking for a diamond specifically for a bezel setting. I would encourage everyone to find a diamond with a higher crown for a bezel setting and BGD could help you source the diamond. Here's the quote:

"The proportions of some diamonds put more pavilion depth below the girdle than those with higher crowns and shallower pavilions. Very few observers ever take note of such minor detail, but for a person who is disturbed by this commonplace tilt due to the style of such bezels, it may be problematic."

 

[CMN]

This forum has been so helpful to us over the past 12 years. I hate to post about a negative experience, but wish I would've seen the few negative BGD posts before sending this diamond to be reset. I think that posting honestly about experiences will help people in the future.

The reason that they're giving for the diamond not being set higher/more forward is the cut of the diamond. Because it's not one of their "super ideal" BG cuts, they say that they cannot set it higher. It is an excellent cut stone, although not purchased from BG. Interestingly, the cut didn't affect how it was set before by a local jeweler. And I have already spoken to another jeweler that is confident that he can reset it as we all know it should be set. It is a "special" diamond to us and I thought that they could be trusted with that and not be dismissive about the diamond itself. I have a Whiteflash ACA e-ring diamond and can still love a lesser-cut stone. I remember people talking about other jewelers back in the day not wanting to set certain stones... this is the first time I've experienced this sort of thing. BGD is not the place to send a diamond from elsewhere to set or one that's less than ideal, apparently.

Lesley kept telling my husband, "It's just the American way that if something's not right you just want your money back." Um, no, we just want it set like the sample photos or keep the setting and send me my diamond back. The emails that they have been sent... well, PM me if you're seriously considering BGD.

On another note, has anyone considered a credit card dispute in matters like this?

Sorry to ask a stupid question - how do I PM you on this forum?

 

[WillyDiamond]

There is no PM.......just ask your question of the members.