James Allen ring needs recoating after 8 months

[ruby59]

So to the person that wanted an "ending".. Ending was consumer got told 2 years, rings go bad in 3 months. JS told consumer $2,600 via email to them redone in platinum stating the melee diamonds can't be reused and I have to buy all new. Consumer updated his old thread on PS. JA sees this and replies offering $1,417 to get them in platinum. Consumer thanks JA but declines. PS members jump on consumer for random reasons thinking he should have known the plating could only last 3 months and that he is trying to call JA out on the carpet. Consumer currently cannot afford this upgrade and in closing asks that JA put the time frame on their website as plating can go bad in as little as 3 months so future consumers are better educated on this "white gold" process.


Dreamer mentioned about changing the metal to palladium. According to the OP (highlighted above) in his conversation with JA Jewelers that if he updated to platinum he would have to purchase new melee diamonds as they cannot be reused. I assume this would apply to palladium as well. Melee have also gone up, so it would not just be the price of the palladium.

 

[Aoife]

So to the person that wanted an "ending".. Ending was consumer got told 2 years, rings go bad in 3 months. JS told consumer $2,600 via email to them redone in platinum stating the melee diamonds can't be reused and I have to buy all new. Consumer updated his old thread on PS. JA sees this and replies offering $1,417 to get them in platinum. Consumer thanks JA but declines. PS members jump on consumer for random reasons thinking he should have known the plating could only last 3 months and that he is trying to call JA out on the carpet. Consumer currently cannot afford this upgrade and in closing asks that JA put the time frame on their website as plating can go bad in as little as 3 months so future consumers are better educated on this "white gold" process.


Dreamer mentioned about changing the metal to palladium. According to the OP (highlighted above) in his conversation with JA Jewelers that if he updated to platinum he would have to purchase new melee diamonds as they cannot be reused. I assume this would apply to palladium as well. Melee have also gone up, so it would not just be the price of the palladium.

No, actually, by the OP's own account, what he was told was that plating could last up to two years. That is very, very different than being told it will last 2 years. It takes very little effort to find out that white gold needs to be maintained, and that the length of time the rhodium lasts varies. Absolutely, that was the OP's responsibility to research, and just bad luck for him and for his wife that she happens to have a skin chemistry that puts her on the low end of the time frame replating lasts. She's not alone. But that is hardly something James Allen could have known or predicted. Are you seriously suggesting that JA should absorb total cost of a new ring set? And, if not, what would you suggest as an equitable settlement?

 

[karpouzi]

Does she wear these rings to sleep, I wonder? I ask because it's not just the rhodium wear. The wedding band has already eaten into the prongs pretty significantly.

 

[ruby59]

No, actually, by the OP's own account, what he was told was that plating could last up to two years. That is very, very different than being told it will last 2 years. It takes very little effort to find out that white gold needs to be maintained, and that the length of time the rhodium lasts varies. Absolutely, that was the OP's responsibility to research, and just bad luck for him and for his wife that she happens to have a skin chemistry that puts her on the low end of the time frame replating lasts. She's not alone. But that is hardly something James Allen could have known or predicted. Are you seriously suggesting that JA should absorb total cost of a new ring set? And, if not, what would you suggest as an equitable settlement?[/quote]


Let us say for argument's sake that JA told the OP that the plating COULD last up to two years. According to what I am reading on here, many people have had problems after 3 to 6 months. The OP understood that maintenance was required, but there is a big difference between the two time frames. Maybe JA was a bit too optomistic in what he told the OP. His wife's ring did not simply get a little dull and I am sure a lot of people on here would be distressed wearing it the way it looks now.

If his wife is not alone with this issue, then there is obviously a defect with this type of product. Just like some vendors refuse to sell ultra thin settings, maybe they should also take the same approach with trying to rhodium plate over 18k white gold.

I am not suggesting anything, and if there was a perfect solution, someone would have suggested it 5 pages ago. What I am saying is that on a site where many take their jewelry very seriously, I thought they were unfair to this OP.

 

[Bliss]

Wow, I'm sorry your rings look the way they do. They do look very beat up and worn in such a short amount of time! I hope things work out for you. That having been said, I'm shocked at James Allen's generous offer! They don't come better than that - and this PSer is impressed. I would suggest jumping on it while you have the chance!

I know that you feel deceived because someone at JA advised you that replating wouldn't be needed so frequently and yes, the cost of platinum has gone up and there's the cost of the extra melee. But there is NO vendor who would make such a generous offer after all this time. They're offering to eat the cost of the used setting, which cannot be re-used and giving you full credit. That is very generous!!! I think a reasonable jewelry purchaser would acknowledge that although someone might have said replating would be needed up to 2 years, there are special cases (like yours) where it would be needed more often. James Allen cannot predict someone's body chemistry. For most people, up to 2 years is reasonable. I'm sorry your lovely wife had the bad luck to react with the metals in the ring, but this is really a great offer and you probably won't find a better one elsewhere! Get that lovely ring made in platinum and you will never have this problem again!

 

[Gypsy]

You do need to be aware that platinum scratches MUCH more easily than gold and will require polishing to keep it looking brand new. I get my rings polished every 6-8 months. And yes, it does stay at the jewelers for a couple of days while this happens. Could I stretch it out to one a year, yes I could but the design of my ring looks best with a high polish finish.

Jewelry requires upkeep. It's not like you can just put on your ring and never take it off. Not if you want it looking it's best.

White gold needs plating and platinum needs polishing. I would get a quote locally for polishing before you decide to go with platinum so you can be educated going in on the cost of upkeep.

If you opt for Paladium, it also scratches, like platinum, and there are fewer benches that know how to work with it.

Everything has an upside and a downside. Before you make any decisions, you need to research what you do. Obviously having your rings away from you upsets you. In that case, maybe you need to learn to live with some scratches or dings or some yellowing at the bottom of the shank of you ring.

I originally had a very basic 14K white gold setting for my engagement ring. My body chemistry took the plating off after 4 years. It's all relative. If you average my experience and yours, you get 2 years. We're both the outliers.

 

[Lula]

No, actually, by the OP's own account, what he was told was that plating could last up to two years. That is very, very different than being told it will last 2 years. It takes very little effort to find out that white gold needs to be maintained, and that the length of time the rhodium lasts varies. Absolutely, that was the OP's responsibility to research, and just bad luck for him and for his wife that she happens to have a skin chemistry that puts her on the low end of the time frame replating lasts. She's not alone. But that is hardly something James Allen could have known or predicted. Are you seriously suggesting that JA should absorb total cost of a new ring set? And, if not, what would you suggest as an equitable settlement?

Let us say for argument's sake that JA told the OP that the plating COULD last up to two years. According to what I am reading on here, many people have had problems after 3 to 6 months. The OP understood that maintenance was required, but there is a big difference between the two time frames. Maybe JA was a bit too optomistic in what he told the OP. His wife's ring did not simply get a little dull and I am sure a lot of people on here would be distressed wearing it the way it looks now.

If his wife is not alone with this issue, then there is obviously a defect with this type of product. Just like some vendors refuse to sell ultra thin settings, maybe they should also take the same approach with trying to rhodium plate over 18k white gold.

I am not suggesting anything, and if there was a perfect solution, someone would have suggested it 5 pages ago. What I am saying is that on a site where many take their jewelry very seriously, I thought they were unfair to this OP.

---------------------------

Ditto. I am shocked that people are being so hard on the OP. The rings do look awful. I would be upset, too. The OP (Matt) does not want something for nothing. What he wants is what he thought he paid good money for, i.e., rhodium-plated white gold rings that would need regular replating. Where the disagreement is, is what is deemed "regular." The OP says that his sales rep led him to believe that the replating would be need to be done on a yearly (or longer) basis, not an amount of time significantly less than that (more than twice a year).

The responses here are taking an overwhelming "buyer beware" tone which, frankly, I find disgusting on a consumer forum. If I was new here, I'd swear you were all shills, given the overwhelming support you gave Matt when he was shopping for the ring (spend, spend, spend -- online vendors all the way) compared to how you accuse him of whining and worse after he has a complaint about an online vendor's product after the sale. His complaint is justifiable, in my view -- he did not get what he thought he paid for.

What's worse is that you give him a hard time because he airs his frustrations about the vendor on PS. Why wouldn't he want to come back to this community to make a complaint? He was welcomed here with open arms when he was ready to spend his money with an online vendor. So, naturally, when problems developed, he (mistakenly) thought that he would get a sympathetic ear from the same community that encouraged him to buy the ring and congratulated him on his proposal. How wrong he was. You all turned on him.

It is even more disgusting when I consider the many, many threads I've read here over the years where a poster starts a thread about a hand-made, custom setting being uneven by some microscopic amount, and dozens of posters chime in that, of course, if you're spending $$$ you should get exactly what you paid for. No mention is ever made that X poster who bought a custom setting that is "not quite right" should pay extra to have it be made right.

Is the difference that those posters are spending a lot more money and have the kind of settings PS'ers tend to drool over, versus the more basic, albeit beautiful, setting that Matt and Amanda purchased?

You should all be ashamed of yourselves. I am embarrassed to be a PS'er.

I am so sorry, Matt and Amanda that this happened to you. I hope that you get this worked out. Your rings should not look the way they do after less than a year's wear. There is something very wrong with that setting that the finish looks so beat up after so little time.

 

[shihtzulover]

I think this forum post also highlights one of the main disadvantages about buying from an online PS vendor compared to a reputable local jewelry store. Local jewelry stores are just much more convenient to have rings replated and serviced. There are also no shipping costs making the entire process free and less painful.

I bought platinum for my SO's ring for this specific reason. I bought online and specifically didn't want to have to ship my ring in frequently(and patina doesn't bother me at all). I actually prefer the look of WG over platinum and would have definitely bought a WG ring if I had purchased the ring at a local store.

I totally agree with this, and it's one reason that my fiance and I chose to purchase from a reputable local jewelry store. For us, re-plating wasn't a concern, since we decided on platinum, but I was worried about the other types of service - fixing any minor flaws (I am a total perfectionist and little things really bother me), possible future re-sizing, and just general polishing and prong tightening. I know that our local jewelry store was a little bit more expensive than most online vendors, but I really like the convenience of being able to bring my ring in and have work done while I wait, or at least on the same day. I don't think that I would like shipping my ring off, even if only on occasion.

Even though my jeweler does all of the above for free since we purchased from them, it's more about convenience for me, and not about price. Although I would happily pay for polishing at a local jewelry store if I had bought online, I would be very concerned about voiding a setting warranty or something like that if I needed to have a setting imperfection fixed locally.

As far as the original poster's rings go: I have no idea how well the plating is supposed to hold up on a white gold ring, but the rings do look pretty bad. I understand both points of view, because I know that James Allen's sales representative explained that the rings could go up to two years without re-plating, but I can also see how a consumer could be upset if they didn't last nearly that long. Surely, someone who is not an expert probably would not understand that the rings could look so bad so quickly, and the optimistic 'up to two years' statement could easily be taken out of context. Like I said, I don't even have any idea if it's normal for some rings to lose their plating so quickly or not, but if I would probably be pretty upset and frustrated if I were in their shoes, even if it could all be chocked up to a big misunderstanding. There is a big difference between a few months and two years, so I would probably at least want to be warned about the possibility of needing to have my ring re-plated much more frequently.

 

[TristanC]

@ Lula: I like how the thread developed initially. We commiserated, then proffered solutions, then applauded what we felt was a good vendor solution. Taking responsibility for something that cannot be predicted (precise wear rates for white gold).

Op is in a bad situation because even if it Was a reasonable solution, he is unable or unwilling to resolve the problem due to budgets or choice. The beef many had was simply that they were surprised at the generosity of the offer but the OP did not seem to acknowledge it.

I really don't think this is a price thing. And I don't know why you said it. I've read many threads where people have said that even custom rings don't all get finished to perfection. that custom rings don't mean perfect rings so expectations should be moderated. The insistence that a ring be fixed is usually in response to Errors, perceived or otherwise. There does exist an expectation that jewellers will execute craftsmanship better in an expensive custom job than in a cheaper one, but that is only a natural expectation. I don't see the relevance to this thread at all. Nobody begruges you your ring budget on Ps, from my short experience.

Lastly, I'm surprised at your last paragraph. Are you Certain that the setting has "something wrong with it"? If this were true, if he shopped elsewhere there would be no friction wear from the wedding band? Or the ring won't need replating so soon if it's another vendor's product?

I'm not a fan of JA. I don't even shop there. But you made a big call... And I'm not certain it's the correct or fair one

 

[Dreamer_D]

Lula I believe in personal responsibility, yes. And self-advocacy. And working to solve one's problems. I think complaining without any openness to finding a solution is not very productive, and I also don't like dramatics and/or unreasonable expectations about the reality of jewelery (or anything else in life). I think my advice to consumers is the same no matter the money they spend: Talk to the vendor; leave the emotions at the door; work to a solution; be clear about what you want; be realistic. I stand by my suggestions in this case, and have no particular connection to JA. I'm sorry if you feel ashamed to keep my company based on any of these opinions, but I stand by my POV.

ruby A new setting would be needed in Palladium, but the cost of a palladium setting, including melee, is much less than platinum. With the OPs credit for what was spent on the original setting (which JA was offering unless I am mistaken), the cost of switching could be very small, certainly much less than the $600 cost of platinum. I also suggested negotiating with JA offline to see if they would do a trade at the 2009 prices that the OP originally paid. And others suggested many other solutions as well.

 

[mrs jam]

Well-said, Lula. I got the same impression as you did while reading this thread.

Matt & Amanda, I'm sorry your rings have not held up well in this short period of time. I would be upset, too. And I'm also so very sorry that your concerns were met with rudeness by a few posters in this thread. I'm starting to take Pricescope with some serious grains of salt. Some threads are coming off way too fanatical, and it's starting to seem a little fishy.

 

[TristanC]

Well-said, Lula. I got the same impression as you did while reading this thread.

Matt & Amanda, I'm sorry your rings have not held up well in this short period of time. I would be upset, too. And I'm also so very sorry that your concerns were met with rudeness by a few posters in this thread. I'm starting to take Pricescope with some serious grains of salt. Some threads are coming off way too fanatical, and it's starting to seem a little fishy.

Just out of curiosity and also perhaps for the sake of argument, can you let me know how this post helps anybody? Either in the OP or for people who visit PS hoping to learn about jewelry?

I genuinely humbly ask for your point of view.

 

[KA]

Well, just to answer the last question, it has made me more reluctant to get my ring in white gold. The platinum setting is much more expensive, but perhaps we should go for it nevertheless to avoid this problem.

In addition, I was planning to ship to GOG to get my tacori ring, but shipping it out every few months for regular maintenance would be a pain. I didn't want to get it from my local tacori dealers since I found them slightly sketchy, to be frank. But maybe I should consider using the local people, so I can get it polished and stuff more easily.

I would also like to comment on this thread while I'm here. I am new to this forum, and don't mean to be critical at all. I just thought I would chime in as a complete novice, as I expect this buyer was when he bought his ring. So I can sort of see his point of view.
I agree that it is unreasonable to expect JA to offer more than they are, and it is a generous offer. But some of you seem to be saying that the buyer "should have done research and should have known." I know that this is a jewelry forum, and you guys know a lot. But most people don't. Most of us just go to the jewelry store and pick something out. Some more diligent ones look online, and get something from Blue Nile. Even more diligent people discover this forum when we are looking for diamonds, read a bunch of threads (but not all, that would be impossible), and make our choice. Even having read this forum diligently for the last month, before I read this thread, I really did expect that once I got my ring, I would wear it forever and it would look awesome forever, if I was reasonably careful with it. Since I have never worn another ring in my life, and only occasionally wear other jewelry, that was how I thought it worked. I didn't know anything about rhodium plating and different types of white gold, and such things until I read this thread. I know it seems silly to you guys, but most people I know don't know this stuff either. So, even though I understand your frustration with the buyer's tone, and his refusal to look at options, implying that "it is his fault for not knowing" seems too harsh to me. Yes, there is a lot of information on the web and on this forum, but no one can read it all, and understand its implications in the short month before they make a decision on an engagement ring.

Having said that, I think this is an awesome forum, and really helps people. Even this thread, which turned rather acrimonious, contained a wealth of information. Everyone tried to find solutions as much as possible, and only got frustrated when they felt like they were being ignored.

 

[TristanC]

Well, just to answer the last question, it has made me more reluctant to get my ring in white gold. The platinum setting is much more expensive, but perhaps we should go for it nevertheless to avoid this problem.

In addition, I was planning to ship to GOG to get my tacori ring, but shipping it out every few months for regular maintenance would be a pain. I didn't want to get it from my local tacori dealers since I found them slightly sketchy, to be frank. But maybe I should consider using the local people, so I can get it polished and stuff more easily.

I would also like to comment on this thread while I'm here. I am new to this forum, and don't mean to be critical at all. I just thought I would chime in as a complete novice, as I expect this buyer was when he bought his ring. So I can sort of see his point of view.
I agree that it is unreasonable to expect JA to offer more than they are, and it is a generous offer. But some of you seem to be saying that the buyer "should have done research and should have known." I know that this is a jewelry forum, and you guys know a lot. But most people don't. Most of us just go to the jewelry store and pick something out. Some more diligent ones look online, and get something from Blue Nile. Even more diligent people discover this forum when we are looking for diamonds, read a bunch of threads (but not all, that would be impossible), and make our choice. Even having read this forum diligently for the last month, before I read this thread, I really did expect that once I got my ring, I would wear it forever and it would look awesome forever, if I was reasonably careful with it. Since I have never worn another ring in my life, and only occasionally wear other jewelry, that was how I thought it worked. I didn't know anything about rhodium plating and different types of white gold, and such things until I read this thread. I know it seems silly to you guys, but most people I know don't know this stuff either. So, even though I understand your frustration with the buyer's tone, and his refusal to look at options, implying that "it is his fault for not knowing" seems too harsh to me. Yes, there is a lot of information on the web and on this forum, but no one can read it all, and understand its implications in the short month before they make a decision on an engagement ring.

Having said that, I think this is an awesome forum, and really helps people. Even this thread, which turned rather acrimonious, contained a wealth of information. Everyone tried to find solutions as much as possible, and only got frustrated when they felt like they were being ignored.

Perfect answer. But you speak of the ENTIRE thread, not that last post. I was asking specifically about the value of a thread with only comments like Mrs Jams.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

The rings honestly show a lot of wear for such a short time, and I think it is inevitable that they were going to need plating more often. I have worn my rings for about 4 1/2 years and they are not that scratched and are platinum. I do have one ring that is white gold and it soon lost it's plating as well, but I am leaving it it's natural color which is a very pale yellow gold.

But Matt, here is a question for you. Is she wearing the rings 24/7 except for cleaning or working out? Because I think the reason my rings don't need polishing is because I usually take them off when I get home and never sleep in them. I never grasp even the steering wheel tightly with my left hand so that I don't put unnecessary wear on my rings. Also, what is she using to clean them? That can make a difference with the longevity of the rhodium plating. Does she swim in a pool with the rings on?

The fact that JA will replate the rings free means you can compare the cost of shipping to them with the cost of replating locally. I think if you shop around, you might find some lower prices. I agree that I wouldn't want to send my ring away every time it needed plating. And I honestly think you wouldn't be happy with platinum because it would show wear, too, judging from the way the gold rings look.

 

[anitabee]

i realize this whole situation has been "put to rest" however i need to chime in here about the pic posted of the ring. i've NEVER seen a rhodium plated white gold ring look SO yellow! i've owned an assortment of white gold over the decades and after looking at that pic, i'm convinced that that was actually a rhodium plated YELLOW gold ring. there's no way that in such a short time it will look so yellow.

replating a ring every THREE months??! that's nuts. i've never had to do that. i suppose you'd have to if it was a yellow gold ring being rhodium plated.

i'm glad the op posted his experience here about the vendor and his white gold. thanks for enlightening me on your experience. it's definitely eye-opening!

 

[cookies]

i realize this whole situation has been "put to rest" however i need to chime in here about the pic posted of the ring. i've NEVER seen a rhodium plated white gold ring look SO yellow! i've owned an assortment of white gold over the decades and after looking at that pic, i'm convinced that that was actually a rhodium plated YELLOW gold ring. there's no way that in such a short time it will look so yellow.

No offense, but pictures don't always tell the truth 100%. Lighting, wall colors, etc, could affect the overall tone of the picture a lot. If you take a look at the metal comparison pictures that Stone-cold11 posted on page 2 of this thread, you could see how different the 18k white gold could look if photographed by different people at different settings.

My point is, in order to make a fair comparison based on the picture, the OP needs to take a picture of his white gold ring with a yellow gold ring (or whatever yellow gold jewelry) next to it. That's why I suggested the OP in one of my previous posts that he should compare his ring to a real yellow gold ring before jumping to conclusion.

 

[Aoife]

Well, just to answer the last question, it has made me more reluctant to get my ring in white gold. The platinum setting is much more expensive, but perhaps we should go for it nevertheless to avoid this problem.

In addition, I was planning to ship to GOG to get my tacori ring, but shipping it out every few months for regular maintenance would be a pain. I didn't want to get it from my local tacori dealers since I found them slightly sketchy, to be frank. But maybe I should consider using the local people, so I can get it polished and stuff more easily.

I would also like to comment on this thread while I'm here. I am new to this forum, and don't mean to be critical at all. I just thought I would chime in as a complete novice, as I expect this buyer was when he bought his ring. So I can sort of see his point of view.
I agree that it is unreasonable to expect JA to offer more than they are, and it is a generous offer. But some of you seem to be saying that the buyer "should have done research and should have known." I know that this is a jewelry forum, and you guys know a lot. But most people don't. Most of us just go to the jewelry store and pick something out. Some more diligent ones look online, and get something from Blue Nile. Even more diligent people discover this forum when we are looking for diamonds, read a bunch of threads (but not all, that would be impossible), and make our choice. Even having read this forum diligently for the last month, before I read this thread, I really did expect that once I got my ring, I would wear it forever and it would look awesome forever, if I was reasonably careful with it. Since I have never worn another ring in my life, and only occasionally wear other jewelry, that was how I thought it worked. I didn't know anything about rhodium plating and different types of white gold, and such things until I read this thread. I know it seems silly to you guys, but most people I know don't know this stuff either. So, even though I understand your frustration with the buyer's tone, and his refusal to look at options, implying that "it is his fault for not knowing" seems too harsh to me. Yes, there is a lot of information on the web and on this forum, but no one can read it all, and understand its implications in the short month before they make a decision on an engagement ring.

Having said that, I think this is an awesome forum, and really helps people. Even this thread, which turned rather acrimonious, contained a wealth of information. Everyone tried to find solutions as much as possible, and only got frustrated when they felt like they were being ignored.

Since I was one of the people who was discussing the necessity for doing research and taking responsibility for the decisions one makes, I'll respond to the bolded in the above quote. Yes, that is pretty much what I'm saying, although in this case, there was absolutely no way for the OP to predict in advance that the interaction between his wife's body chemistry and the rhodium would, very unfortunately for them, result in the need for such frequent maintenance. I'm sincerely sorry for the stress and upset this has caused the OP and his wife, and hope that at some point they are able to find a resolution for the situation that they can live with. But, this is a consumer forum, and the information about the properties and care of different metals, diamonds, different gemstones, even styles of settings is readily available. Plug in "white gold replating" or "white gold care" to the search function, and many threads discussing the pros and cons of white gold pop up. Jewelry needs maintenance just like everything else.

 

[mrs jam]

Well-said, Lula. I got the same impression as you did while reading this thread.

Matt & Amanda, I'm sorry your rings have not held up well in this short period of time. I would be upset, too. And I'm also so very sorry that your concerns were met with rudeness by a few posters in this thread. I'm starting to take Pricescope with some serious grains of salt. Some threads are coming off way too fanatical, and it's starting to seem a little fishy.

Just out of curiosity and also perhaps for the sake of argument, can you let me know how this post helps anybody? Either in the OP or for people who visit PS hoping to learn about jewelry?

I genuinely humbly ask for your point of view.

Not interested, Tristan. Deflate your gas bag. I was expressing my understanding to the original poster. It's not my responsibility to help you wrap your mind around that.

 

[kenny]

Well-said, Lula. I got the same impression as you did while reading this thread.

Matt & Amanda, I'm sorry your rings have not held up well in this short period of time. I would be upset, too. And I'm also so very sorry that your concerns were met with rudeness by a few posters in this thread. I'm starting to take Pricescope with some serious grains of salt. Some threads are coming off way too fanatical, and it's starting to seem a little fishy.

mrs jam, what did you mean by, "and it's starting to seem a little fishy."?
Are you implying some posters are shills for competitors of JA, or shills for JA?

I can understand everything written in this tread but for the life of me I cannot imagine what else you could be implying by the word, fishy.

 

[mrs jam]

Edit

 

[kenny]

Thanks mrs jam.

I didn't say you said that.
I asked whether that's what you meant.

The former would be putting words into your mouth.
The later is not.

Edit: Hey, you edited your post. Now it just says "Edit". I guess I should have quoted you.

 

[TristanC]

Well-said, Lula. I got the same impression as you did while reading this thread.

Matt & Amanda, I'm sorry your rings have not held up well in this short period of time. I would be upset, too. And I'm also so very sorry that your concerns were met with rudeness by a few posters in this thread. I'm starting to take Pricescope with some serious grains of salt. Some threads are coming off way too fanatical, and it's starting to seem a little fishy.

Just out of curiosity and also perhaps for the sake of argument, can you let me know how this post helps anybody? Either in the OP or for people who visit PS hoping to learn about jewelry?

I genuinely humbly ask for your point of view.

Not interested, Tristan. Deflate your gas bag. I was expressing my understanding to the original poster. It's not my responsibility to help you wrap your mind around that.

I see. Very mature. Indeed we need more of your kind on PS. Thanks for showing others the way. I guess being around a long time for you means posts of this kind of quality.

 

[kenny]

Well-said, Lula. I got the same impression as you did while reading this thread.

Matt & Amanda, I'm sorry your rings have not held up well in this short period of time. I would be upset, too. And I'm also so very sorry that your concerns were met with rudeness by a few posters in this thread. I'm starting to take Pricescope with some serious grains of salt. Some threads are coming off way too fanatical, and it's starting to seem a little fishy.

Just out of curiosity and also perhaps for the sake of argument, can you let me know how this post helps anybody? Either in the OP or for people who visit PS hoping to learn about jewelry?

I genuinely humbly ask for your point of view.

Not interested, Tristan. Deflate your gas bag. I was expressing my understanding to the original poster. It's not my responsibility to help you wrap your mind around that.

Rudness, indeed.

 

[Sundial]

Oh come on guys isn't it time to put this thread to rest???

 

[thelostcity]

I agree that it is unreasonable to expect JA to offer more than they are, and it is a generous offer. But some of you seem to be saying that the buyer "should have done research and should have known." I know that this is a jewelry forum, and you guys know a lot. But most people don't.

Since I was one of the people who was discussing the necessity for doing research and taking responsibility for the decisions one makes, I'll respond to the bolded in the above quote. Yes, that is pretty much what I'm saying, although in this case, there was absolutely no way for the OP to predict in advance that the interaction between his wife's body chemistry and the rhodium would, very unfortunately for them, result in the need for such frequent maintenance. I'm sincerely sorry for the stress and upset this has caused the OP and his wife, and hope that at some point they are able to find a resolution for the situation that they can live with. But, this is a consumer forum, and the information about the properties and care of different metals, diamonds, different gemstones, even styles of settings is readily available. Plug in "white gold replating" or "white gold care" to the search function, and many threads discussing the pros and cons of white gold pop up. Jewelry needs maintenance just like everything else.

I agree with Aoife. I don't recall anyone saying, "Wow, OP, you're such an idiot for not having done years worth of research beforehand. You have absolutely no right to complain about the situation at all; just go away." Most, if not all, posters have sympathized with the OP's situation of having the plating wear off more often than he expected. And when JA was kind enough to offer a solution, yes, many people agreed that it was generous. Because while it may be unfair to say "If you don't do the research, don't bother coming here to complain about it at all," I feel that it is reasonable to expect that people take some degree of responsibility for their decisions.

If someone wishes to buy ANY item - a car, a diamond, a book, a candy bar - without doing research on it beforehand, that is his/her prerogative. And if that person ends up ecstatically happy about it for the lifetime of the product, then props to them. But is it fair to expect the car seller to reimburse a buyer years later, once the buyer realizes he doesn't actually know some things about the car - because he didn't do the research beforehand? No.

KA, the posters here understand that not everyone does the research before purchasing a diamond, and that is why they are here to offer advice, either before or after the purchase has been completed. But that doesn't absolve anyone of personal responsibility.

 

[LGK]

I realize I have one last thing to say and I hope Matt & Amanda are still checking this thread.

Amanda, your pic of your rings show a LOT of wear on the prongs. Your wedding band is already doing very noticeable damage to the prongs holding your diamond. I know that nowadays everyone likes to have a wedding set, have a matching band to wear with the e-ring, but any wedding band with exposed edges of diamonds is a serious durability risk to the other ring, long term. If your e-ring is already showing the prongs being chewed by the wedder, you really need to get a spacer or something- it won't take a heck of a lot more time before you'll be pulling your hair out over the damage to the prongs IMO.

A spacer is a really thin plain band that fits between the two, keeping the edges of the diamonds away from each other. You can find ones that are ~1mm on Etsy for not too much, for example this one: http://www.etsy.com/listing/55561563/one-single-14k-solid-yellow-gold-beaded I know there are vendors that have plain ones too for about that, but I don't have any links saved unfortunately.

Alternatively you can wear the rings the way it was done for decades at the beginning of the 20th century: the e-ring on your right, and your wedding band on the left. Or get a plain band for the left, put the e-ring with it, and move the diamond wedding band to your right.

Sorry, I know that everyone sells "sets" like this and people assume it's just fine to wear them together, but... unfortunately, the reality is, sometimes it isn't quite the case.

Not to give you another headache, but I really didn't want to just let it pass unremarked. Sorry!

 

[AprilBaby]

WOW! I'm glad I wear maintenance free yellow gold! I am impressed Mr. Schultz replied to this thread and made such a generous offer. Good luck with your solution.

 

[smc7277]

I have been checking out ring pics on this site in my recent quest to decide on an ering.
I JUST today found a setting I LOVE on the James Allen site.


It is available in 18k white gold. and platinum- which from what I understand will be ofi the 900 variety. I came here looking for posts on white gold vs platinum- and look what I found..

I have white gold rings I have never had to have re plated, I do not wear them daily as I will the E ring.

Based on this thread I am leaning towards the platinum setting. BUT I was also prior to reading this not really aware of maintenance issues with platinum. When prior posts are saying platinum will need to be repolished- this is due to scratching? does the color change in anyway? or just appear less shiny due to the scratching? Anyone care to give me a price range on having them polished in their area? The local jeweler I would use is not open at this moment. Also is it safe to assume I can order the setting @ JA ( I have the stone) and have it mounted at a local reputable jeweler?

 

[Gypsy]

I have been checking out ring pics on this site in my recent quest to decide on an ering.
I JUST today found a setting I LOVE on the James Allen site.


It is available in 18k white gold. and platinum- which from what I understand will be ofi the 900 variety. I came here looking for posts on white gold vs platinum- and look what I found..

I have white gold rings I have never had to have re plated, I do not wear them daily as I will the E ring.

Based on this thread I am leaning towards the platinum setting. BUT I was also prior to reading this not really aware of maintenance issues with platinum. When prior posts are saying platinum will need to be repolished- this is due to scratching? does the color change in anyway? or just appear less shiny due to the scratching? Anyone care to give me a price range on having them polished in their area? The local jeweler I would use is not open at this moment. Also is it safe to assume I can order the setting @ JA ( I have the stone) and have it mounted at a local reputable jeweler?

My polishing is about 40 a ring or less for platinum