How to upgrade / ERD won't honor their upgrade policy?

[yssie]

Oh, I remember this guy. I remember his parting insult to Gypsy, who is someone I greatly respect - she's one of RT's backbones and any newbie who insults her after she's been helping him is going to get neither my regard nor my help... But really, calling people names is every bit as immature and classless and distasteful.

That said I'm glad gobble did choose to come back - this is the second thread in a fortnight that's left me shaking my head at ERD's practices and I personally won't be recommending them until they make some customer service improvements. They aren't in the wrong here, assuming their old policy did have wording to the effect of "policies subject to change" (which I'm confident was the case), but there are many other vendors who do equally nice work and who sell equally nice stones who I know will honour the spirit of an agreement rather than point a client to the letter of the law.

 

[tracylt]

Oh, I remember this guy. I remember his parting insult to Gypsy, who is someone I greatly respect - she's one of RT's backbones and any newbie who insults her after she's been helping him is going to get neither my regard nor my help... But really, calling people names is every bit as immature and classless and distasteful.

Another vote for Gypsy as well. I love her straightforward approach. While many have different opinions with her, well, good for you! But that doesn't make her devoted help to newbies any less appreciated. I respect ALL people who give out advices here, regardless I agree or will follow them or not.

 

[gm89uk]

Gobble, I feel like you are taking their lack of honouring that email too lightly! I would be furious.

To all the other members, the anti gobble fans are masking what seems to be quite an important issue with customer service and I'm looking forward to seeing any outcomes (should the OP bother to fight for his right).

 

[Diamondz1]

It's tough to read the recent troubles some customers have had with ERD because Chis bent over backwards for my fiance and I last year whIle we were shopping. But, I surprised myself by falling in love with an antique stone from Old World Diamonds and went in that direction.

Because I still follow my favorite vendors on social media, I saw that OWD had another stone recently, with the exact same specs as mine, at a lower price (which makes sense, since prices have dropped). I emailed Adam at OWD and asked if I could use their upgrade policy - which is to trade up at any time for an item of greater value, even if it's only greater by $1 - to exchange my stone for the new lower priced one, and to purchase a second small stone to make up the difference. Admittedly a bizarre idea. *He said that was not the norm but that we could discuss it if that was what I wanted to do.*

I went to see the new cushion and - though it was gorgeous - I discovered that I'm impartial to my current stone and didn't move forward. While I was in his office though, he showed me a few other things and said that if I wasn't completely happy with mine, I should make an appointment to return and he would pull some other diamonds for me to see. Mind you, this is all happening while another client had a tentative hold on his cushion, so truly there wasn't much in it for him if I were to do a trade. To me, this is an example of an amazing vendor/upgrade policy.

I would be very frustrated with the change in policy at ERD if I were in your shoes. Try contacting Grace at Jewelsbygrace.com for her thoughts on what you could consign your ring for. She charges a consignment fee but has a wide reach - that may be more impactful than trying to sell it yourself.

And for what it's worth, I told my fiance about all of this and he was fine with it - he said he wanted me to have what I really wanted.

 

[anne_h]

I just read the original thread in question. Interesting turn of events.

It's never pleasant to hear about misaligned expectations between a consumer and vendor. Hopefully it will be resolved in a mutually satisfactory way.

Anne

 

[gobble]

Gobble, I feel like you are taking their lack of honouring that email too lightly! I would be furious.

To all the other members, the anti gobble fans are masking what seems to be quite an important issue with customer service and I'm looking forward to seeing any outcomes (should the OP bother to fight for his right).

Not much I can do though other than to ask him to reconsider and honor the policy that was offered when I bought the diamond. He was very clear in our email exchanges that YES that was the policy when I bought the diamond but NO he has since changed the policy and isn't open to making an exception or honoring what we effectively agreed to when I bought this diamond.

Posting this in a forum is probably making a big enough stink but I don't think it will change anything. And it's not like I buy a $20,000 diamond every year so if he loses my business that means nothing to him.

I lived in NYC for several years and have been up and down 47th Street enough to know this can be a very shady business.

 

[maccers]

Not much I can do though other than to ask him to reconsider and honor the policy that was offered when I bought the diamond. He was very clear in our email exchanges that YES that was the policy when I bought the diamond but NO he has since changed the policy and isn't open to making an exception or honoring what we effectively agreed to when I bought this diamond.

Posting this in a forum is probably making a big enough stink but I don't think it will change anything. And it's not like I buy a $20,000 diamond every year so if he loses my business that means nothing to him.

I lived in NYC for several years and have been up and down 47th Street enough to know this can be a very shady business.

I'd be pretty upset if my vendor randomly changed their policy without grandfathering in customers who had bought under the old policy. I hope you take the time to make a phone call or visit them if possible.

As for the vendor having nothing to lose, that's not true. You most likely won't be recommending them to your friends. And I would think that youy won't be buying any other jewelry from them either. It's short sighted of the vendor, imo. The vendor has many reasons to try and ensure you're satisfied. When you purchased your diamond, what were your dealings with them like? I assume that it's not some personal issue like the vendor not wanting to take you on as a client again?

 

[Niel]

Not much I can do though other than to ask him to reconsider and honor the policy that was offered when I bought the diamond. He was very clear in our email exchanges that YES that was the policy when I bought the diamond but NO he has since changed the policy and isn't open to making an exception or honoring what we effectively agreed to when I bought this diamond.

Posting this in a forum is probably making a big enough stink but I don't think it will change anything. And it's not like I buy a $20,000 diamond every year so if he loses my business that means nothing to him.

I lived in NYC for several years and have been up and down 47th Street enough to know this can be a very shady business.

I'd be pretty upset if my vendor randomly changed their policy without grandfathering in customers who had bought under the old policy. I hope you take the time to make a phone call or visit them if possible.

As for the vendor having nothing to lose, that's not true. You most likely won't be recommending them to your friends. And I would think that youy won't be buying any other jewelry from them either. It's short sighted of the vendor, imo. The vendor has many reasons to try and ensure you're satisfied. When you purchased your diamond, what were your dealings with them like? I assume that it's not some personal issue like the vendor not wanting to take you on as a client again?

This vendor has a whole lot to loose based on some other recent poor reviews.

 

[gobble]

Not much I can do though other than to ask him to reconsider and honor the policy that was offered when I bought the diamond. He was very clear in our email exchanges that YES that was the policy when I bought the diamond but NO he has since changed the policy and isn't open to making an exception or honoring what we effectively agreed to when I bought this diamond.

Posting this in a forum is probably making a big enough stink but I don't think it will change anything. And it's not like I buy a $20,000 diamond every year so if he loses my business that means nothing to him.

I lived in NYC for several years and have been up and down 47th Street enough to know this can be a very shady business.

When you purchased your diamond, what were your dealings with them like? I assume that it's not some personal issue like the vendor not wanting to take you on as a client again?

My experience with him was actually very pleasant. Based on recommendations I emailed ERD and two (I think) other vendors ahead of a business trip I had to NYC. Mark responded saying he knew the owner of the diamond I had held on James Allen and would beat their price by $500. I walked from our office in Rockefeller Center (very close) to his office during a break in my meetings to see the stone which he sent someone to get. His office in on one of the upper floors off 5th Ave, nothing special. Basically I said looks good. He said it looks good. And we exchanged a bank transfer for a FedEx envelope over the next few days. That was it. It's nothing personal, just business.

 

[lovedogs]

Not much I can do though other than to ask him to reconsider and honor the policy that was offered when I bought the diamond. He was very clear in our email exchanges that YES that was the policy when I bought the diamond but NO he has since changed the policy and isn't open to making an exception or honoring what we effectively agreed to when I bought this diamond.

Posting this in a forum is probably making a big enough stink but I don't think it will change anything. And it's not like I buy a $20,000 diamond every year so if he loses my business that means nothing to him.

I lived in NYC for several years and have been up and down 47th Street enough to know this can be a very shady business.

I'd be pretty upset if my vendor randomly changed their policy without grandfathering in customers who had bought under the old policy. I hope you take the time to make a phone call or visit them if possible.

As for the vendor having nothing to lose, that's not true. You most likely won't be recommending them to your friends. And I would think that youy won't be buying any other jewelry from them either. It's short sighted of the vendor, imo. The vendor has many reasons to try and ensure you're satisfied. When you purchased your diamond, what were your dealings with them like? I assume that it's not some personal issue like the vendor not wanting to take you on as a client again?

This vendor has a whole lot to loose based on some other recent poor reviews.

Yeah, I agree. Although the original thread from Gobble irritates me, the overarching (and more important) point is that it is really unfair of a vendor to not honor the original policy that was in place when you purchased the stone. It is fine that he changed the policy in the meantime, but not honoring what was in place at the time of sale is shady at best. Between this and the other thread I am very turned off by ERD's customer service (or lack thereof).

 

[PintoBean]

Not much I can do though other than to ask him to reconsider and honor the policy that was offered when I bought the diamond. He was very clear in our email exchanges that YES that was the policy when I bought the diamond but NO he has since changed the policy and isn't open to making an exception or honoring what we effectively agreed to when I bought this diamond.

Posting this in a forum is probably making a big enough stink but I don't think it will change anything. And it's not like I buy a $20,000 diamond every year so if he loses my business that means nothing to him.

I lived in NYC for several years and have been up and down 47th Street enough to know this can be a very shady business.

I'd be pretty upset if my vendor randomly changed their policy without grandfathering in customers who had bought under the old policy. I hope you take the time to make a phone call or visit them if possible.

As for the vendor having nothing to lose, that's not true. You most likely won't be recommending them to your friends. And I would think that youy won't be buying any other jewelry from them either. It's short sighted of the vendor, imo. The vendor has many reasons to try and ensure you're satisfied. When you purchased your diamond, what were your dealings with them like? I assume that it's not some personal issue like the vendor not wanting to take you on as a client again?

This vendor has a whole lot to loose based on some other recent poor reviews.

Yeah, I agree. Although the original thread from Gobble irritates me, the overarching (and more important) point is that it is really unfair of a vendor to not honor the original policy that was in place when you purchased the stone. It is fine that he changed the policy in the meantime, but not honoring what was in place at the time of sale is shady at best. Between this and the other thread I am very turned off by ERD's customer service (or lack thereof).

Being that anonymity may embolden some of us, I have to take it with a grain of salt when we have a thread about a PSer's unfortunate experience with ERD, and not too long after, another PSer all of a sudden appears after a 2 year absence and now alleges that they are having issues with ERD. The direction in which OP's previous thread went may have people wondering if OP is a troll.

 

[lovedogs]

Pinto you make a totally fair point.

Also a new diamond fitting OP's specs just popped up on DB for sale (H color, EGL cert, 2.20 ct, etc), so seems like OP is going to try to sell privately? OP: you might be able to get a better deal by consigning versus trying to sell yourself, but you'd have to look into consignment fees to be sure.

 

[cmd2014]

I'm shocked that a vendor won't honor the upgrade policy that was in place when a purchase was made. In my mind that's a violation of the purchase contract which should be widely publicized (here, Yelp, other consumer forums) and reported to the BBB. After all, for many people that is a huge consideration in deciding which vendor to purchase from and it's highly shady business practice to fail to honor it. This vendor should no longer be recommended/preferred/trusted here if this is going on.

It might even be worth filing a claim in court (although your particular stone is valued too highly for small claims court and you'd pay more in legal fees than you'd benefit). You have proof via the email.

I think this should be the focus of the thread way more than bashing the OP for being obnoxious in his initial thread. It's not like he ran out and bought an EGL; he followed advice given here both in what he bought and from whom, and has been cheated because of it.

 

[chrono]

Could it be than it is because the stone is EGL and not GIA / AGL? Most PS vendors do not accept EGL stones for upgrades or trade ins. I recall that the OP was advised NOT to buy an EGL stone but went ahead with it anyway.

 

[wildcat03]

Could it be than it is because the stone is EGL and not GIA / AGL? Most PS vendors do not accept EGL stones for upgrades or trade ins. I recall that the OP was advised NOT to buy an EGL stone but went ahead with it anyway.

I think this is a good point. It's an EGL stone rather than GIA/AGS which makes it somewhat less desirable to have in inventory. Perhaps BE would be more accommodating if it were a GIA/AGS stone.

 

[gobble]

Now this forum is turning crazy again!

I never said it was an EGL stone. Do they even sell EGL stones? This was a James Allen listed GIA diamond that I purchased from ERD that tested as Excellent on the HCA scale. It's very nice and is one that was recommended to me in forum postings.

Why would I make this all up?

I could post my email exchanges but I don't think that's appropriate. The question raised by this thread was "how do I swap diamonds if the original vendor won't honor his policy". I think that's been answered.

 

[lovedogs]

Now this forum is turning crazy again!

I never said it was an EGL stone. Do they even sell EGL stones? This was a James Allen listed GIA diamond that I purchased from ERD that tested as Excellent on the HCA scale. It's very nice and is one that was recommended to me in forum postings.

Why would I make this all up?

My fault. See above where I thought your stone was the one for sale on DB since it fit all your descriptions and just became available yesterday. That one had an EGL cert, but if it isn't yours then that concern doesn't apply.

 

[gobble]

The real problem is I bought a stone for $18,000 that he probably paid $15,000 for (guessing) and today that stone is worth $17,000 so if he sold me a new stone for $27,000 the $3,500 (guessing) that he'd make on that new stone would be offset by the $4,000 (guessing) he'd lose when he wholesaled mine away.

The numbers work when diamond values are increasing, especially when you wait like 10 years to upgrade, because he's paying less than current market value for the trade. That logic falls apart in a down market. So what do you do, you change your policy effectively sticking your middle finger up to your prior customers that bought with a promise no longer being honored.

I didn't know diamond values were down when I started this thread.

 

[PintoBean]

Reach out to James Allen. Didn't Frankiextah buy a stone from a different vendor and upgrade to her current stone through JA because they were willing to purchase her former stone at a fair price?

 

[Niel]

Reach out to James Allen. Didn't Frankiextah buy a stone from a different vendor and upgrade to her current stone through JA because they were willing to purchase her former stone at a fair price?

 

[Niel]

Idj might buy it as well

 

[susief]

Actually I sympathise with the OP. I have never heard of a reputable vendor going back on an upgrade policy (or any policy) agreed at the time of sale. That is unethical. You want to change your policies? Fine, but you do it for future not past sales.

I would encourage you to challenge this OP, and report back. And if ERD/BE are reading this, it would REALLY be in their interests to clarify the situation if it is not as described.

 

[VirginiaZee]

Instead of upgrading the diamond, would upgrading the setting (say, to a halo, three stone, etc., assuming it's currently a solitaire and also assuming one of the goals is more finger coverage) be acceptable?

 

[PintoBean]

Reach out to James Allen. Didn't Frankiextah buy a stone from a different vendor and upgrade to her current stone through JA because they were willing to purchase her former stone at a fair price?

I'm trying to understand the picture. Is that a ninja with a rock on his back? LOLOLOLOL! You're making me feel old right now because I don't "get it".

 

[Niel]

Reach out to James Allen. Didn't Frankiextah buy a stone from a different vendor and upgrade to her current stone through JA because they were willing to purchase her former stone at a fair price?

I'm trying to understand the picture. Is that a ninja with a rock on his back? LOLOLOLOL! You're making me feel old right now because I don't "get it".

Just an character from a resident evil. I didn't think anyone would get it it was more for personal gratification

 

[gobble]

Instead of upgrading the diamond, would upgrading the setting (say, to a halo, three stone, etc., assuming it's currently a solitaire and also assuming one of the goals is more finger coverage) be acceptable?

Unfortunately no, she already has an exact copy of the Cartier ring she wanted, so well done by a local jeweler in Chicago that we've walked into Cartier stores and haven't had funny looks from the sales people. I think her real issue is we go to my work conferences and women have larger diamonds then her. I don't notice but she does. I don't get why she cares. 2.1 seems respectable to me.

If they're reading this thread and want to make good on a promise I'll report back, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[gobble]

I'll call James Allen. I don't know what IDJ is.

Edit: James Allen said they don't buy diamonds in trade if they didn't sell the diamond originally.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

ID Jewelry is probably more willing to work with you. Ask for Yekutiel.

https://www.idjewelry.com/

I assume you realize she will need to have her setting remade, right?

 

[lovedogs]

I'll call James Allen. I don't know what IDJ is.

I.D. Jewelry, one of the jewelers in NY that we often recommend here. They are very nice and helpful, but I think the entire diamond district closes down the first 2 weeks in July, so they might be out of the office for a few more days. I'd call them as well.

But I really would try to fight a bit harder to get ERD to honor what was in writing at the time of your purchase. At the very least I hope they see this thread and speak up so we can understand their rational here.

 

[lovedogs]

ID Jewelry is probably more willing to work with you. Ask for Yekutiel.

https://www.idjewelry.com/

I assume you realize she will need to have her setting remade, right?

This is an important point, and one that deserves mentioning multiple times. Unless she has a stone with an airline halo (e.g. extra space around the diamond between the diamond and the halo itself; which I assume she doesn't), the setting will need to be remade to fit the new larger diamond.