My custom setting and honest opinions please

[MakingTheGrade]

Did Harriet's ring have an airline? I can't tell from that small of a picture.

If hers did not, then I think it's unreasonable to blame you for not specifying "no airline".
Did you have to specify all the other things you DID NOT want in your ring? Like "no mismatched diamonds and no smiley face carved onto your gemstone?". I think it's enough that you made it very clear what you DID want, I think it would be his responsibility to make sure anything that was extra/different would be ok with you, and not assume that it would be ok just because you didn't use your psychic powers to give him a list of things that you didn't want but that he might think would be ok.

Airline aside, it looks lovely.

 

[Boom]

mariedtiger - Leon insists there is no unevenness in the airline. Thank you for your compliment of my stone, I wish the setting was better too.

Thanks Fly Girl,
I''m trying to keep an open mind. It''s just hard when I was expecting something different.

 

[T L]

When you said this was a Leon, I got a huge lump in my throat. Why do people just accept him bullying them around and why doesn't he have to show any responsibility for poor work? I don't understand, can someone enlighten me? Based on this thread, I will never buy a setting from this man. His ego has obviously gotten in the way of his brain function.

 

[Boom]

MakingtheGrade,

Harriet''s ring does have an airline. I expected that Leon would put an airline if it was warranted but nothing this obvious. This alters the look of the setting entirely. Maybe I should have specified that the airline, if any, should not be more than 0.3mm (or something like that)...

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 9/23/2009 11:22:57 AM
Author: Boom
MakingtheGrade,


Harriet''s ring does have an airline. I expected that Leon would put an airline if it was warranted but nothing this obvious. This alters the look of the setting entirely. Maybe I should have specified that the airline, if any, should not be more than 0.3mm (or something like that)...

Oh, well, if hers had an airline too then I can kind of see where the misunderstanding may have occurred if you said you wanted it like hers? I would say wait until you see it in person, and if it''s still a really big deal, send it back to be fixed? I had been under the impression that he had gotten this airline idea out of nowhere, but if he was going off how he made Harriet''s, maybe he figured you would be ok with it since hers has one. Even so, if you''re unhappy with it you''re unhappy with it and it''s his job as the professional to make it clear that he understand what you want.

 

[T L]

Date: 9/23/2009 11:22:57 AM
Author: Boom
MakingtheGrade,

Harriet's ring does have an airline. I expected that Leon would put an airline if it was warranted but nothing this obvious. This alters the look of the setting entirely. Maybe I should have specified that the airline, if any, should not be more than 0.3mm (or something like that)...

NO BOOM - YOU SHOULDN"T HAVE TO SPECIFY THAT!!! OMG, it should be assumed to be a tight fit. Please BOOM, do not let this man bully you any further. That ariline is crooked beyond belief!! I would be unhappy with that in an LOGR, much less a Leon.

 

[Boom]

Date: 9/23/2009 11:22:53 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover
When you said this was a Leon, I got a huge lump in my throat. Why do people just accept him bullying them around and why doesn''t he have to show any responsibility for poor work? I don''t understand, can someone enlighten me? Based on this thread, I will never buy a setting from this man. His ego has obviously gotten in the way of his brain function.

TL,

I called him immediately after I received the first photo. I am really non-confrontational but this time I picked up the phone without delay. Let''s just say it was very difficult to talk to him. I''m not going to repeat what he said, but it was not pleasant. I don''t know what else I can do. He knows how I feel, he thinks he made the best setting for the stone and said he would make the exact same thing if he had to do a remake.

 

[Stone Hunter]

I am voting with everyone else. The ring looks lovely the stone is stunning, but I don''t like airlines!

I am so sorry that this is custom and it isn''t right. Please let us know how it looks in person, I''m hoping it''s an even less noticable airline.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I''m sorry, but there''s no excuse to be rude to a customer!

 

[T L]

Date: 9/23/2009 11:35:32 AM
Author: Boom

Date: 9/23/2009 11:22:53 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover
When you said this was a Leon, I got a huge lump in my throat. Why do people just accept him bullying them around and why doesn't he have to show any responsibility for poor work? I don't understand, can someone enlighten me? Based on this thread, I will never buy a setting from this man. His ego has obviously gotten in the way of his brain function.

TL,

I called him immediately after I received the first photo. I am really non-confrontational but this time I picked up the phone without delay. Let's just say it was very difficult to talk to him. I'm not going to repeat what he said, but it was not pleasant. I don't know what else I can do. He knows how I feel, he thinks he made the best setting for the stone and said he would make the exact same thing if he had to do a remake.

Get your deposit back and get your stone back. I would skip the remake. He has to do that much since the stone does not belong to him. If he doesn't, I would threaten lodging a complaint with the BBB, and find out what consumer protection you have. People should not be forced to buy something that is not acceptable, especially for that price. Pricescope is a powerful consumer forum, and I hope he thinks twice before he acts this way to another customer.

OMG, I think my eyeballs are going to pop out of my skull from my blood pressure going up from reading about the ignorant behavior of this man.

 

[Art Nouveau]

Boom,

Your ring is kind of similar to mine except mine is a cushion, there is no air line and the split is a bit deeper. How big is your stone? An airline is sometimes used to make the stone look bigger. What is not OK is you didn''t ask for it and the airline is slightly bigger on the top and bottom than the sides. Can this be fixed? Actually the photos are enlarged, so in real life, it may not be as noticeable. Have you seen a side view? What does the basket look like?

AN

 

[Boom]

Date: 9/23/2009 11:40:04 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 9/23/2009 11:35:32 AM

Author: Boom

Date: 9/23/2009 11:22:53 AM

Author: tourmaline_lover

When you said this was a Leon, I got a huge lump in my throat. Why do people just accept him bullying them around and why doesn''t he have to show any responsibility for poor work? I don''t understand, can someone enlighten me? Based on this thread, I will never buy a setting from this man. His ego has obviously gotten in the way of his brain function.

TL,


I called him immediately after I received the first photo. I am really non-confrontational but this time I picked up the phone without delay. Let''s just say it was very difficult to talk to him. I''m not going to repeat what he said, but it was not pleasant. I don''t know what else I can do. He knows how I feel, he thinks he made the best setting for the stone and said he would make the exact same thing if he had to do a remake.

Get your deposit back and get your stone back. I would skip the remake. He has to do that much since the stone does not belong to him. If he doesn''t, I would threaten lodging a complaint with the BBB, and find out what consumer protection you have. People should not be forced to buy something that is not acceptable, especially for that price. Pricescope is a powerful consumer forum, and I hope he thinks twice before he acts this way to another customer.


OMG, I think my eyeballs are going to pop out of my skull from my blood pressure going up from reading about the ignorant behavior of this man.

Gulp, I sent out the check for the balance to him before I received the photos... He didn''t offer to remake it, he just meant that this setting is it for my stone.

 

[T L]

Date: 9/23/2009 11:42:19 AM
Author: Art Nouveau
Boom,

Your ring is kind of similar to mine except mine is a cushion, there is no air line and the split is a bit deeper. How big is your stone? An airline is sometimes used to make the stone look bigger. What is not OK is you didn''t ask for it and the airline is slightly bigger on the top and bottom than the sides. Can this be fixed? Actually the photos are enlarged, so in real life, it may not be as noticeable. Have you seen a side view? What does the basket look like?

AN

AN, in your super up close pictures (similar to the one Boom posted), I see no airline, and just perfection. It looks like it was made custom to your stone. Therefore, I think the airline in Boom''s ring might be more noticable in person. Regardless, people shouldn''t accept what they can and cannot notice as much in person from this man. Leon is known for his micro-work and the fine quality of his precision measurements. Therefore, this uneven airline is even more unacceptable in this particular case.

 

[T L]

Date: 9/23/2009 11:49:46 AM
Author: Boom

Date: 9/23/2009 11:40:04 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 9/23/2009 11:35:32 AM

Author: Boom

Date: 9/23/2009 11:22:53 AM

Author: tourmaline_lover

When you said this was a Leon, I got a huge lump in my throat. Why do people just accept him bullying them around and why doesn''t he have to show any responsibility for poor work? I don''t understand, can someone enlighten me? Based on this thread, I will never buy a setting from this man. His ego has obviously gotten in the way of his brain function.

TL,


I called him immediately after I received the first photo. I am really non-confrontational but this time I picked up the phone without delay. Let''s just say it was very difficult to talk to him. I''m not going to repeat what he said, but it was not pleasant. I don''t know what else I can do. He knows how I feel, he thinks he made the best setting for the stone and said he would make the exact same thing if he had to do a remake.

Get your deposit back and get your stone back. I would skip the remake. He has to do that much since the stone does not belong to him. If he doesn''t, I would threaten lodging a complaint with the BBB, and find out what consumer protection you have. People should not be forced to buy something that is not acceptable, especially for that price. Pricescope is a powerful consumer forum, and I hope he thinks twice before he acts this way to another customer.


OMG, I think my eyeballs are going to pop out of my skull from my blood pressure going up from reading about the ignorant behavior of this man.

Gulp, I sent out the check for the balance to him before I received the photos... He didn''t offer to remake it, he just meant that this setting is it for my stone.

If the check didn''t clear, I would try to void it. Always pay with credit card in this case as well since there is consumer protection there. Good luck to you Boom!! I''m so very sorry this happened to someone as nice as you.

 

[chrono]

My issue is that the airline is so obvious in Boom’s ring whereas it’s barely noticeable in Harriet’s ring. Perhaps it might not be so bad when viewed in person?

 

[Cehrabehra]

the gaps at the top and bottom of the stone look to me as though it wasn''t really made for the more squat proportions of your stone. The diamonds don''t look smaller either. Other than that it''s lovely and i''m being WAY picky and only cause you asked so nicely lol

 

[Boom]

Date: 9/23/2009 11:25:43 AM
Author: MakingTheGrade

Date: 9/23/2009 11:22:57 AM

Author: Boom

MakingtheGrade,



Harriet''s ring does have an airline. I expected that Leon would put an airline if it was warranted but nothing this obvious. This alters the look of the setting entirely. Maybe I should have specified that the airline, if any, should not be more than 0.3mm (or something like that)...

Oh, well, if hers had an airline too then I can kind of see where the misunderstanding may have occurred if you said you wanted it like hers? I would say wait until you see it in person, and if it''s still a really big deal, send it back to be fixed? I had been under the impression that he had gotten this airline idea out of nowhere, but if he was going off how he made Harriet''s, maybe he figured you would be ok with it since hers has one. Even so, if you''re unhappy with it you''re unhappy with it and it''s his job as the professional to make it clear that he understand what you want.

MTG,
The way I feel is that an airline this big should have been a specific request. A number of his rings have airlines but only one (Oval diamond) has a very distinct one. I have another halo ring he made that has an airline too, but it''s very small, just like Harriet''s ring. So I expected this ring to look like most of his other rings, airline or no airline, the center stone looks like an exact fit. With this setting, you could easily put a bigger stone in there...

 

[Cehrabehra]

FTR it isn''t having an airline that I was noting - to airline or not to airline is another issue... but to me the airline is uneven and if it were me I''d want it to follow the shape of the stone more even if that would make it more unique - or maybe because of that lol

 

[Allison D.]

Date: 9/23/2009 9:57:14 AM
Author: cellentani

Your stone is a perfect oval, it's just not a standard calibrated size. I can't believe a jeweler would do a custom job without fitting it to your stone - after all, isn't your stone the main point of a custom order? And it's not just that there's an airline, it's that the airline is uneven - there's more space above and below your stone than on the sides. If the airline were even all the way around, it would look more intentional, and less like a compromise. He DID do a fabulous job on the prongs, from what I can tell. It's hard to find a jeweler who can do those well.

I'll confess I haven't read more than a few posts into this thread, but I agree with Cellentani - the uneven quality of the airline jumped out at me immediately, which gives me the impression the setting wasn't built around your specific stone. Did you get/approve CADS on this?

I'm especially puzzled by the contention that because you didn't specify no airline it was OK to have one. If I ordered a platinum ring, I wouldn't reasonably expect the ring to arrive with yellow gold accents because I didn't expressly say "I don't want any yellow gold".

 

[Boom]

Date: 9/23/2009 11:42:19 AM
Author: Art Nouveau
Boom,


Your ring is kind of similar to mine except mine is a cushion, there is no air line and the split is a bit deeper. How big is your stone? An airline is sometimes used to make the stone look bigger. What is not OK is you didn''t ask for it and the airline is slightly bigger on the top and bottom than the sides. Can this be fixed? Actually the photos are enlarged, so in real life, it may not be as noticeable. Have you seen a side view? What does the basket look like?


AN

AN, my stone is just over 2.5cts, but on the shallow side. It''s about 10x8, so it''s a nice size for me. Your setting is gorgeous by the way, classic Leon.

According to Leon, the airline is not uneven. I even suggested maybe lowering the stone would help fill the airline and of course got told off. Yes, but what would you consider noticeable? If I can see my finger through the airline, do you think that would be considered noticeable? I have not seen a side view or the basket.

 

[Boom]

Thanks TL!
Unfortunately Leon does not accept credit cards. It''s either wire transfer or checks.

 

[Boom]

cehrabehra, Allison D,

Thank you for your opinions.

I know it is pretty obvious that the halo and thus the airline is longer than the stone. I did bring this up to Leon, I told him there was more space above and below the stone than on its sides but he insists the airline is even.

 

[Cehrabehra]

You know - I have never wanted a LM ring and when people suggest him for my ring I always think, really? me? And I was doing some back research and came across the ring nazi thread and now this... that ring he made for that other bright pink stone is truly gorgeous - but his consistency is slipping. Maybe because he doesn''t do all the work himself anymore? Either way he''s a jerk.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 9/23/2009 12:17:58 PM
Author: Boom
cehrabehra, Allison D,


Thank you for your opinions.


I know it is pretty obvious that the halo and thus the airline is longer than the stone. I did bring this up to Leon, I told him there was more space above and below the stone than on its sides but he insists the airline is even.

well this seems like something that can be proven. Take his original photos - blow them up and measure it.

 

[Boom]

Date: 9/23/2009 12:08:16 PM
Author: Allison D.

I''ll confess I haven''t read more than a few posts into this thread, but I agree with Cellentani - the uneven quality of the airline jumped out at me immediately, which gives me the impression the setting wasn''t built around your specific stone. Did you get/approve CADS on this?


I''m especially puzzled by the contention that because you didn''t specify no airline it was OK to have one. If I ordered a platinum ring, I wouldn''t reasonably expect the ring to arrive with yellow gold accents because I didn''t expressly say ''I don''t want any yellow gold''.

Allison,

Unfortunately, Leon does not use CADs.

He actually tried to say that we discussed airlines and it was after I told him firmly that we did not, that he said I "should have specified no airlines if it was important to me."

 

[Allison D.]

Boom, finished reading and some things make more sense now.

Since you provided Harriet's ring as an inspiration and hers has an airline, I can see why he presumes you want an airline and would need you to specify otherwise if not. If you showed me a picture of a blue car and said "I want a car like this", I'd presume you wanted exactly what was pictured unless you expressly said "I want a car just like this *except* I don't want it in blue, I'd like it in red."

While the photos do make the airline seem uneven, it sounds as though you haven't seen the ring in person yet. Can I gently suggest that you see the ring in real life before making any conclusions? Over the years, I have found that photos tend to unnaturally emphasize details that appear far less significant in real life. Oftentimes, that's due to the angle at which the photo is taken. A still shot of something isn't wholly representative of what it looks like in 3D in person.

I can't even tell you how many times we've had clients be alarmed by a detail or two in a photo that turns out to be non-issues when they see their pieces in person. If he's heard your concern and asserted that the airline is even, I'd give the benefit of doubt long enough to at least see it in person yourself. I'm hoping you'll be pleasantly surprised.

If you're still unhappy after seeing it in person, I think it's reasonable to bring your concerns back to him and see how you can work together to resolve it.

 

[Boom]

Date: 9/23/2009 12:24:48 PM
Author: Cehrabehra
You know - I have never wanted a LM ring and when people suggest him for my ring I always think, really? me? And I was doing some back research and came across the ring nazi thread and now this... that ring he made for that other bright pink stone is truly gorgeous - but his consistency is slipping. Maybe because he doesn''t do all the work himself anymore? Either way he''s a jerk.

That thought did cross my mind. Maybe his most junior apprentice made this ring...

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 9/23/2009 10:49:06 AM
Author: Boom
Arunajane,


Yes, Leon did this ring. He does not use a mould, everything is handmade.

I went custom in order to have a setting that fit this stone. It may be a bit wonky but if anyone, he would have the skills to compensate for that. I''m not questioning the beauty of the setting, I am sure it is well made.

Date: 9/23/2009 10:37:04 AM

Author: arjunajane

whoa - that new pic really accentuates it.


Yeah, that is not acceptable - I don''t know how he can even defend that.


The airline itself looks uneven - bigger at the top than the bottom.



My (pretty big leap) - re-using a mould of Harriet''s when it''s not suitable?


Or am I missing something here - you are saying LM did this ring?



If that''s the case, I thought he was supposed to make everything from scratch?


When did LM start using moulds...? That is, If I have the right person, lol..

Boom,
I think you misinterpreted my post''s intent and tone.
I am *not* one of the LM defenders. Even though I admire his work, I doubt I would ever go to him due to threads such as yours. Just not worth the risk.

What I was commenting on is what everyone else has observed - apart from the airline being un-requested, it also seems wonky.

I agree, he *should* have the skills to compensate your stone if it''s proportions are not perfect. But what LM should do and does do - often very different things.!

I still say you should try not to sweat too much until you see it in person.
In the reduced photo, it is surely not as distinct.

But I also agree with others that if you receive it and still dislike the airline IRL - you deserve to have your stone back and (hopefully) some of your money.
Good luck, I''m sorry you''ve been let down.

 

[Allison D.]

Date: 9/23/2009 12:27:49 PM
Author: Cehrabehra


well this seems like something that can be proven. Take his original photos - blow them up and measure it.

While I see where you're going with this, I don't think that would be the right solution.

1. The ring is handmade, and handmade items shouldn't be expected to meet the .000009812340987324 degree standard of measurement accuracy. Handmade expressly means non-cookie-cutter; if you want cookie cutter precision, handmade isn't the way to go.

2. A custom ring is built to look even under normal viewing conditions; it's not built to be measured and scrutinized at 1000x magnification. If someone wants precision at that level of magnification (as Garry calls it, museum quality), that has to be specified an the onset of the project.

It wouldn't surprise me if there is some miniscule measureable difference due to its handmade nature, but knowing the quality of Leon's work (which has always been held in high regard), I would be surprised if it looks uneven in normal viewing conditions.

 

[Babyblue033]

I personally like airlines, when done delicately and EVENLY. For me it''s not the airline itself that would bother me but the fact that it is uneven. But I would echo others that you should at least wait to see the ring in person before getting too upset, it''s definitely possible it may not be quite as noticeable in person. Still, I totally understand your frustration at having paid for a custom ring by who many consider to be a master, to receive something that is not done correctly.