Diamond Joe Quimby
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- May 15, 2008
- Messages
- 70
Dear Whiteflash (particularly Katie H),
RE: Recent purchase
0.82 GIA Excellent Cut Round Brilliant Solitaire in Sleek Lines Legato Setting
A few weeks ago there was a post on the Pricescope forum where a forum member asked whether there was a bias from forum members towards PS vendors, particularly Whiteflash. I have recently reviewed that thread and it prompted me to write this letter….
I have recently (today, in fact) receiving a completed 0.82 solitaire engagement ring (in Sleek Lines Legato Setting) and felt compelled to comment on the nature of that previous thread and detail my dealings with Whiteflash.
After nearly 6 months of spending time learning about diamonds and looking at diamond rings in B&M stores, I was just about ready to head into the very important task of purchasing an engagement ring. This is no simple task for anyone, and the prospect of purchasing such an important and expensive item is daunting – let alone purchasing from an online vendor 10,000 miles away (I am in Australia).
Over the past 6 months I have not found the diamond, nor the setting that I could describe as ‘the one’ – I have looked at hundreds, both online, and in stores near to my home – just nothing seemed to be perfect……
Enter Whiteflash……
After an initial email and quick introduction Katie H at whiteflash contacted me (I will not use her full name for privacy reasons, as I do not know whether she would like it splashed around on the internet!).
Diamonds
I provided Katie with some details on what I was after, and she listened (via email). I also suggested a number of diamonds that I though met my requirements (size, quality etc). Within 24 hours Katie had made an evaluation of each of these diamonds (based on available information, lab reports etc) and had given her recommendations on which stone was best, why she considered it to be best and what other options should be disregarded.
Katie also provided a number of her own suggested stones that she thought might meet my criteria.
Setting
I had a rough idea of the setting I would like – including a ‘standard’ Whiteflash setting as well as ideas that I had for a semi’ custom setting incorporating the band of one setting and the head/prongs of another. Within 48 hours Katie had contacted the craftsmen at Whiteflash and provided me with a price for each setting, including the custom, and an estimated time for production of each.
So, after months of looking and searching for the perfect diamond, and the perfect setting, with the help of Whiteflash I now found myself in a position of having a number of perfect options for both the stone, and the setting itself…..
Over a period of a few weeks we whittled down the diamond selection to one or two and made a final decision after the diamond was received and inspected by Whiteflash.
Note here that I started using the term WE, (rather than ME or I), as the decision making process was, in my opinion, the perfect combination of me (the paying customer with certain thoughts ideas and expectations) and Katie (the diamond consultant with expertise and access to other associated professionals)……of course there was still room for PS members in this process….
I will not go into the details of the stone and/or setting and why I chose what I did (details of those decisions are on other threads within this forum if people would like to find them).
However, what I would like to comment on is the service that I received from Whiteflash.
I felt as though my purchase was the most important thing to Katie and the Whiteflash team (although, at $4000 relatively small in the scale of Whiteflash who no doubt sell diamonds worth tens of thousands).
Needless to say, I am absolutely delighted with my purchase, and I am absolutely, unreservedly thankful to Katie H and all of the other people at Whiteflash who have helped me along the way. Not one email was left un-answered and not one question slipped through the net – I was kept up to date at every process of the way –, from the receipt of the certificates, to the delivery and examination of the stone, to the production of the setting and the shipping of the item itself.
I have received service from Whiteflash that, without a doubt, surpasses the level of service that I have received from any other store - either online, or in person.
This has been such an important purchase for me and I am wholly thankful to the professional, friendly, expert advice that I received from Whiteflash and, in particular, Katie H.
I now feel capable of responding to that post which questioned whether PS members were biased towards PS vendors. I can now say that I will definitely have a bias toward Whiteflash, as, in my dealings with them, I have found them to be professional and courteous in a manner that far exceeds any other retailer I have dealt with.
Whilst I am positive that my girlfriend (future fiancé – fingers crossed) will absolutely love the ring as much as I do, I have been so impressed with Whiteflash that I am secretly hoping she wants an immediate upgrade - as this will give me the opportunity of going through the whole purchase process over again……….. I could be looking down the barrel of 20 years of constant upgrades……
Thankyou and goodnight!
Regards
Diamond Joe
PS (I am in no way involved with, or associated with Whiteflash and until 6 months ago I never even knew they existed)
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