Online purchase help. Please.

[Starky]

Hey guys, I wanted to know more about online buying. Do these online companys offer warranty? I just returned my ring that was bought at Marks and Morgans. My fiancee''s budget is 5,500. I really like white flash ACA line. I know that mall stores offer care plans. Who offers care plans for online stores?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

A "care plan" really means nothing. Not everyone lives in the location they get engaged in for the rest of their lives anyway. You can go to any jeweler you want if your ring needs repair. I''ve had two problems with my setting since I got it 29 years ago, and I just went to whatever jewelry store was local to me at the time. Obviously if there is a defect in the ring itself, you''d send it back to the maker. But that is pretty rare.

 

[Regular Guy]

Diamondseeker,

Not sure how lucky or unlucky you were...I can appreciate Starky's query. After 16 years, and no "apparent" problems, my wife found her original diamond out of her ring at the airport. Frankly, although I'm not really certain to what extent periodic checking of prongs would have mitigated this...I'm led to believe it couldn't hurt. Though one might think nothing of going into a local shop, under any conditions, for service, I think one can feel particularly OK about this if it was actually purchased there, and they told you to do this.

Of course, yes, people do move all the time, giving natural cause to seek other local venues. But, some people don't move all that readily, and actually are mindful they could have purchased locally...because...they could have. Unfortunately, frequently, doing so goes along with a penalty for a stiff markup, and reduced choices. It yields the environment we have here on Pricescope.

Some people on this board actually do live near the internet vendors listed here, and are lucky that way, and might readily get their cake & eat it too. Lucky them.

 

[Giangi]

Ditto on what Regular Guy and Starky told you. I just want to add that you may get a better (and less diffident) service at any jeweler just by saying you inherited the diamond or something like that.
That said, $5.5K is a very nice budget. I had a very quick look at WF''s ACA inventory, and it looks like you can get something in the one carat range H-I/SI or J/VS. Do you have particular requirements for the setting?

 

[Starky]

Hey Giangi,

I dont want a fancy setting atleast not now. I just want a plain white gold solitare band. I really just want a stone that will always sprkle and look pretty. That why we ended up taking the Leo back to Marks and Morgans, it sparkled when it felf like it and the 6,700$ price tag that came with it was not nice at all. I figured save my honey sone money and that way I knwo he''ll be able to afford the studs I want for my birthday.

Do you know if people can purchase care plans from mall vendors even thought the ring wasnt bought there?

 

[mrssalvo]

I wouldn''t worry about a care plan. If you can find a local jeweler who has an onsite benchperson, they can check your ring out, just take it in every 6 months or a year to make sure your prongs aren''t loose etc. Most of the time they will clean your ring for free. Make sure your ring is insured on your homeowners/renters policy or buy a free standing from Jewelers mutual or Chubb.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Exactly, you have to have insurance in case the diamond is lost or stolen. I don''t care if someone does have prongs checked every 6 months (which you can do yourself if you buy a $5.00 loupe), you can knock your ring against something the very next day and find yourself with a loose or missing stone. So periodic check-ups will certainly not prevent all problems. That''s exactly why you have insurance.