My experience with Leon Mege

[Tacori E-ring]

It was me who said something first. Maybe I was out of line or being rude but since no one else seemed to think this was odd I thought I''d say something. I thought providing the report with the blacked out carat weight was what was tacky. Personally I could care less how large her stone is. I just didn''t like how he dealt with it. He would have just said I prefer not to give out the specs (and not uploaded the report) and I would have left it alone. Like I said before him and I are different types of posters. I post because I love seeing beautiful sparklies and can relate to many issues and he did for research on his own ring (which is fine) so maybe he doesn''t realize that almost EVERYONE (I don''t remember anyone else) posts their specs.

Anyways, the point at hand, I agree with Matatora (like usual) and would not deal with Leon. It is a shame because his rings are beautiful but you are paying lots of money and I think it is a BAD sign that not only did he not show up to your appointment (and I know how excited you were) and no one called....it is just very unprofessional.

 

[autumngems]

A few of you asked what my email was about to Leon. I had my ring made by Juan in Mexico and he did a stupendis job. Hubby didn''t want me to send my diamond, he was adamant about that, he was afraid something would happen to it enroute. I got my ring back and it has a lot of engraving and split prongs. I searched around for someone to set my asscher and it seemed to be a hard thing, nobody wanted to touch my ring because of the engraving and most didn''t understand how I wanted my split prongs to look (claw). So I though I was going to have to mail the diamond somewhere to get it set so I emailed leon and told I had the ring made in Mexico but could not find anyone who would set my asscher and do the split prongs like claws (I saw this on his website. I asked if he could do something like that or if he only did custom work. He emailed me back and said he was offended by my email and next time I have a ring made in Mexico to have them set my diamond. What a snob.

 

[Shiny42805]

Date: 12/8/2005 4:20:47 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
I thought providing the report with the blacked out carat weight was what was tacky. Personally I could care less how large her stone is. I just didn''t like how he dealt with it. He would have just said I prefer not to give out the specs (and not uploaded the report) and I would have left it alone.

The funniest part is that guy completely missed a section of the report that SHOWED the carat weight! I think it was 1.86 or something like that.

And I''m so sorry about your fall, and the pants, and the sling! You sound like you need a hug!!! ::::hugs:::::

 

[ellewoods]

I''ve been hanging around PriceScope for a long time now....maybe 8-9 months. Yes, I''m not a diamond expert or a jeweler. But I am someone who is in the potential market for an engagement ring and other jewelery. When I first got to PriceScope I read many people raving about Leon''s designs. I looked at his site, he has some that are very pretty. I was interested in considering him for a while. Until...

Since I''ve gotten to PriceScope, I''ve read countless accounts of Leon being totally unflexible, arrogant, rude, overpriced, etc. I believe them. I think he sounds like an arrogant jerk and this is just another post that proves it.

His designs are nothing spectacular, he acts extremely arrogant and won''t even consider looking at a picture of another designer''s ring to see the elements you might want in your custom setting. I understand he wants to do his own unique designs but his designs really aren''t anything that special or unique, and he acts intollerable when you point out an element on someone else''s design that you like.

I''m sorry you had such a frustrating and negative experience Melinda. I certainly hopes he makes it up to you and your fiance.

 

[allycat0303]

Well having worked with Leon, I have to say that he was originally standoffish until I mentioned my friend''s name, it was like a big light bulb went off. I would say that I trusted his design instinct and wanted a ring by HIM. No other designer inspirations etc., and I think that is why the design interactions were quite pleasent. I think he prides himself on being a master craftsman and a master designer, therefore, he doesn''t want to take inspiration etc., from others. I think of it also as a way for him to stay fresh, because rings really, really start to all resemble each other after a while, so maybe he wants to keep his own stuff as original as possible.

NOW on to the other topic which was the guy that thought it was "...in bad taste etc., to say the carat weight"..Tacori E-ring, I agree with everything you said. I don''t give a damn about the weight either, but by so making a point of not telling (including blacking out on the sarin) it makes it even more obvious and glaring. Anyways his attitude irked me so I didn''t comment on the ring.

But I think the WORST part was the way he made it an etiquette/manners thing, like we''re all heathens for wanting to know. I mean we''re on a diamond forum

 

[valeria101]

Art of Platinum does not do repair and does not knock-off other jeweler''s work. It is their policy and... obviously the shop does afford to impose their own policy.


Too bad if they had to state this in less than polite manner.


I am not sure about design inspiration though. For once, micropave is not their patent (although few makers go to the same length about it). And styles are not terribly unique across the field - as it is usual with conservative jewelry. Sending reference pictures to Art of Platinum is not unheard of either.


Hell, they may need a new customer service desk

especially after extending that website!

 

[roxy7]

Well…reading this thread is making me a little scared to work with Leon. I talked to him in November about setting my boyfriend’s OEC is one of his designs and Leon was SO nice. I have no connections to him, nothing, and just told him about the diamond. I was actually really afraid he was going to be a “stone snob” because my boyfriend’s OEC, though in great condition and of good clarity, is pretty far down on the color scale. Anyway, Leon told me that it sounded like it was a beautiful and rare stone and that he loves OECs. So he said he’d be happy to do it.
So hopefully when we go in January, he won’t stand us up. If he does, we’re screwed because we want to meet on Monday morning and we can’t stay past that date. And my bf would be furious, I know, if Leon couldn’t meet with us while we’re there or missed an appt.

As for Leon’s pave, I am no expert, but I see a degree of detail and beauty in his designs that I haven’t seen in anyone else’s. And his prices are really not a whole lot more than most designer settings.

I really really really want to like Leon and have a good experience with him. So far, it’s been good, and I will keep you all updated!!!

 

[mrssalvo]

As with any company there are good and bad things. I have been in contact with leon in the past about resetting my old stone. He was always very polite and answered my emails in a timely matter. Due to this site I knew he could be stubborn about his work and designs but to me that''s what a master craftsman is. He knows a lot more about design and settings than me and I love his work so I wouldn''t have minded giving up the reigns and letting him go. Now, agreeing to a price and then adding larger stones for artistic purposes was unfair and wrong, like in Windowshoppers case. I think it''s important to understand who Leon his. If you love his work, trust him, then go for it. If you want to design it yourself incorporating different things he might not be the one for you which is fine too. I think most of us can agree he could use a little help in the customer service dept. to be a little more polite etc..but how often can you call a top designer and they are the ones to pick up the phone. To each his own but I wouldn''t mind having a Leon ring or necklace or earrings sometime in the future

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 12/23/2005 11:43:23 AM
Author: roxy7
Well…reading this thread is making me a little scared to work with Leon.

I really really really want to like Leon and have a good experience with him. So far, it’s been good, and I will keep you all updated!!!

Hey Roxy.
Just make sure to call and call again to confirm the appt. Even say you read on here where he missed one

. Also, Beaudrybabe just posted her positive experience here so that might help you feel a little better.

 

[just_looking!]

Hi,

I''ve also worked with LM, but long distance! I''d seen his work on here and really wanted the double claw prongs, but wasn''t sure that he would work with smaller stones. I emailed back and forth with another PScoper to find out his experience with Leon. He''d had a similar 3 stone ring made with just over 1 ct diamond centre and side sapphires , but his included pave on the band.

We exchanged emails with LM and it went pretty smoothly. I knew that he was notorious for being late with things, but that didn''t matter too much as I already had the ring my fiance proposed with and wanted the ering to be perfect rather than finished too quickly.

My ring is based on a few of his non pave rings and I sent him pictures with annotations to confirm exactly what we wanted. I never really got a formal contract, but the emails acted as an audit trail of what was going on. I also copied the email correspondence to other the people involved (such as Wink Jones, Richard Homer and Richard Sherwood) where necessary. I rang Leon a couple of times (he was very friendly) and had a few shouted conversations with his assistent / receptionist who either found it difficult to understand my British accent or had trouble with hearing over a long distance connection.

I was really pleased with his workmanship on the ring and the price was good for this type of custom work! The finish is just amazing - even on non pave peices i.e. lovely polish on all surfaces not just the outside ones and beautiful delicate claw prongs.

I get asked by jewellery savvy people if my ring is by Harry Winston, but I think that the craftmanship is actually better than other HW rings I''ve seen. Maybe it''s that I''ve been spoilt by the claw prongs and the custom cut rubies and the H&A diamond!!

I''d love to have another ring done by Leon, or maybe a necklace or earrings!!