I recently made an on-line engagement ring purchase from Shenoa & Co. and want to document my experience with them to date.
From reading posts about Shenoa & Co.’s on-line history with other people I observed that there seemed to be just a few really critical reviews of their company and they seemed to be from the same people posting on various jewellery boards. So being in business myself and knowing how easily it can be to have a couple unhappy customers I decided to take a chance and do business with them.
I first located the solitaire diamond engagement ring I liked on their eBay store. It was a 1.85 ct, G color VS2 diamond in a 6 prong 14 carat white gold setting for a buy it now price of $10,259 US… or a starting bid of $8,549.00. I wanted to know about the cut, polish and symmetry of the diamond so I emailed them requesting this information. They emailed me back stating it was an ideal cut with very good polish and very good symmetry. The email also stated, and I quote their email to me exactly…’ If you would like you can call me directly toll free at 888-743-6628 Ext. 143 and ask for BOBBY and I will help you out with making a purchase directly and do something a little better on the price. Please let me know what I can do to make you a customer.’
So, against my better judgment (as eBay warns against this practice) I called to enquire about this better price. I was told that the purchase price buying directly from them and not going through eBay would be $8,100. Of course this sounded too good to be true but the prospects of getting a VS2, G color diamond in that size and cut was just too much to pass up so I placed the order. I gave them $1000 on my visa and the balance in a bank wire transfer.
Well, I received the ring from FedEx on December 19, 2007 in the late afternoon. When I opened the box I was immediately struck by the odd green color of the stone. I was expecting a near colorless diamond, being a stated G color, and here was a stone with a very visible green hue to it and with me not being a diamond expert by any means. So immediately the red flags went up and I needed to get an expert opinion.
Now having read the on line posts of a particular customers experience and the responses to that post from Shenoa and Co., Shenoa stating that their was a conflict of interest in the appraisal the unhappy customer received from the jewellery store because they sell diamonds and they were unhappy he did not buy from them. So in light of this on line statement from Shenoa & Co I went out of my way to find an independent appraiser who does not sell jewellery or diamonds to get my opinion. His assessment of the stone was as follows: Clarity grade:SI-2, Color grade:Q, Cut grade Very good, Carat weight: 1.85 carats.
He went on to say this diamond should be selling in the retail market for $3,500-4,000 Canadian dollars and it was due mostly to the very odd green color to the stone making it almost un sellable if I every choose to upgrade the diamond in the future. Well, my heart sank… I was so hoping that the clarity and color would be at least close to what they stated. I was also hoping that I was seeing things when I first saw the greenish hue to the stone and I was willing to accept the clarity at SI-2 and keep the ring if the color assessment was even within 2-3 color grades of G…. but the color was sooooo far off that I just could not rationalize keeping the ring, so I immediately FedEx’s it back to them tonight December 20, 2007.
Their return policy states that the ring must be in its original condition/packaging and returned within 5 calendar days of FedEx’s first attempt at delivery… Their first attempt was on Dec 19, 2007 and I am told by FedEx that it will be delivered on Saturday Dec 22, 2007… which by my reckoning falls within their return policy requirements. So, the ring has been returned exactly the same way I received it and in the time frame they request.
I will keep everyone posted about my refund and weather they honor their 100% satisfaction guarantee or not.
Until then, james655
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