Price to set the stone.... did I screw up?

[IbrahimSS]

Hello

I purchased a stone from GOG and a setting from another place. Both the designer and the jeweler I got the setting from were willing to set the stone with the price of the setting. However I thought it better to send it to GOG. When it got there they informed me the price to set the stone is nearly $250!

Is that a normal price to set the stone? I feel like I screwed up by not asking them about this earlier but I really wanted the diamond set by the jeweler I purchased the stone from just in case.

Thanks
Sam

 

[Gypsy]

That's a lot of money. I've been surprised by GOG's prices for some things of late. I'd ask them if there was any chance they could lower that.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Is it just a regular 4 or 6 prong setting? If so, I think that is too high if you bought the diamond from them. I can see charging that if you didn't buy the stone or setting from them.

 

[centralsquare]

It's a bit surprising that they didn't tell you about the price when it's so substantial. And you bought the stone from them, so I'm surprised there is a fee at all!

 

[IbrahimSS]

It's a 4 prong setting. I purchased a $37k stone from them. I mean I can understand some charge but really $250?

 

[slg47]

how much does it cost to get it set at the vendor where you purchased the setting?

 

[IbrahimSS]

Vendor wasn't going to charge me...

 

[that_someone_special]

It's a 4 prong setting. I purchased a $37k stone from them. I mean I can understand some charge but really $250?

maybe I'm the only one that thinks it should be $0 if you bought the stone from them

 

[jstarfireb]

It's a 4 prong setting. I purchased a $37k stone from them. I mean I can understand some charge but really $250?

maybe I'm the only one that thinks it should be $0 if you bought the stone from them

I agree.

 

[TristanC]

I would ask for a 1% discount for the stone. Pay them $250 and pocket $120.

Poor form if you already purchased a nice costly stone. The timecost of doing the setting should be part of the sale. Margins on 37k stones can't be that negligible.

 

[kindred]

Did you tell them it was a stone you had purchased from them? If so, that price seems pretty high to me.

 

[OCgirl]

That's a bit excessive considering you purchased your stone from them (and quite a big one too). I bought my stone from BGD and bought my setting from my jeweler. My jeweler did not charge me for settin it. I was even allowed to sit next to the person while he set it. Well it was only a simple six prong solitaire but the experience was interesting.

You should talk to GOG to understand why the high service charge.

 

[Dreamer_D]

There is usually a nominal fee when you have not bought the setting from the vendor. I would expect something like $75 max. I would expect it to be waived if I spent $37k though

 

[IbrahimSS]

They definitely know I bought the stone from them. It's still sitting with them waiting to be set. I've been working with them all along as I preferred buying everything from just one place.

I sent them an email asking to help me understand why such a high charge. Maybe the setting isn't as straightforward as I thought. However I explicitly asked this question and the reply from jeweler who sold it to me was that this was a very simple setting to work with. He worked with the designer to ensure a similar size ideal cut stone fit it well. They even send me pictures showing how it sat.

 

[jstarfireb]

I suppose you could eat the cost of the shipping and just have it done by your local jeweler, but it seems a bit of a waste since you sent the stone over to be set.

 

[IbrahimSS]

I mean... I obviously have several options but I feel like:
1) I'm just looking to understand if this is normal vendor behavior
2) GOG is a retailer that's used heavily on this site... this is something people probably want to take into account
3) I'm being nickeled & dimed and it's rather annoying

I don't want to be drastic and bit my nose off despite my face. And really I've had a pretty good experience with GOG *until* now. I'd rather see if there is a way to end on a high not rather than have a bitter taste in my mouth. That's really what I'm seeking advice for...

 

[minmin001]

are you buying the setting from GOG too? If you do then the cost of setting should be $0, 1 month ago when I started working with them I thought the setting fee is around $125 if I didn't buy stone from them, but my memory could be wrong

 

[IbrahimSS]

I bought the stone from them and the setting from somewhere else because they couldn't get the setting I wanted. I tried to work with them on a custom setting but the custom setting was working out to about $2k more than the one from the original designer with smaller stones. Plus I got to see the designer setting in person whereas I only got CAD images for the custom setting with some details missing.

I don't think I would have batted an eye at $125. That seems reasonable enough considering I didn't buy the setting from them. I could understand a vendor may or may not charge in the case that one item was purchased from someone else however $250 seems rather steep.

 

[Jrawk380]

I am actually in the exact same boat, expecting my ring to arrive from GOG on Wednesday after they set the 11.5k stone i bought from them into a setting i purchased elsewhere. From what i was told, they charge $1 per point, so .25 = $25, 1ct = $100, 3ct =$300, etc... As a first time buyer, i did not think the costs were too bad, especially for the quality of work associated with the reputation GOG seems to have. I ended up having to pay an extra $100 to put a new head on my setting, but hopefully it will all be worth it when i see the ring.

also, isn't there something about GOG insuring their work (the diamond not falling out) if they set it vs someone else setting it? i feel like i read that somewhere, but i am not sure..

 

[chicam]

I also think it's fair. I have same situation with GOG too. If you bring a setting from outside, they charge $100/ct to set the stone you purchased from them. If you puchase setting and stone from them, then setting is free.

 

[IbrahimSS]

I'm not quite sure how the size of the stone is related to the cost of the work. It's the same effort no?

 

[denverappraiser]

I'm not quite sure how the size of the stone is related to the cost of the work. It's the same effort no?

Jewelers, like the rest of us, set their own prices and they are welcome to charge whatever they want just as you are welcome to shop there or not as you wish. That said, bigger stones carry higher risks for the setters and they charge more to cover this. Clients for bigger stone also tend to be pickier about craftsmanship issues so it takes longer to do the job. You didn't mention what you bought or what type of mounting it is but fancy cuts like princesses are more difficult and more time consuming to set than rounds. There may also be issues where the mounting requires modifications in order to get it to work properly. I have no clue what the situation here is but, as a general rule, GOG is a pretty price competitive outfit. They have no shortage of competitors if you're unhappy with their prices or service and it's not at all out of the question that you can find someone else who will do it cheaper. Whether or not that means you've 'screwed up' depends on what you're looking for. You've said nothing at all about who you are proposing as an alternative and what they're charging. I count that there's a fair amount of value in working with a place where you're comfortable with the craftsmanship and that's willing to stand behind their work if there's a problem. I don't know if you've found this at either place you're considering and I don't have a clue what sort of value you put on it. That's between you and your supplier. You're criteria are likely different from mine. In general, the setting charge is a remarkably cheap part of this whole deal and the craftsmanship employed is an area that's routinely a source of problems. Personally, I would be looking for the best setter, not ncessarily the cheapest.

 

[IbrahimSS]

That said, bigger stones carry higher risks for the setters and they charge more to cover this. Clients for bigger stone also tend to be pickier about craftsmanship issues so it takes longer to do the job. ..... There may also be issues where the mounting requires modifications in order to get it to work properly. ..... I count that there's a fair amount of value in working with a place where you're comfortable with the craftsmanship and that's willing to stand behind their work if there's a problem. .... In general, the setting charge is a remarkably cheap part of this whole deal and the craftsmanship employed is an area that's routinely a source of problems. Personally, I would be looking for the best setter, not ncessarily the cheapest.

Thanks... actually that makes quite a bit of sense.

You didn't mention what you bought or what type of mounting it is but fancy cuts like princesses are more difficult and more time consuming to set than rounds.

It's a round stone.

 

[marcy]

The few jewelers I have had set stones for me when I bought their ring but the stone is from somewhere else charged me 1 to 2 dollars per point.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Ah, $1 a point now makes much more sense to me. It would only cost $100 to set a 1 ct. stone, $150 for a 1.5, etc. I am going to change my mind after reading that as well as Neil's post and say that I think it is fair. I would absolutely feel safer having GOG set the stone and take responsibility for the risk in setting it. That is worth the setting fee.

 

[IbrahimSS]

I'm just getting it done... it seems like the senior members are recommending it as long as the workmanship is guaranteed by them. Plus I need the darn thing before this weekend!

 

[Pandora II]

If you have the stone set elsewhere then the risk is all on you if the diamond chips or breaks. In my experience vendors will only cover for damage to stones that they supplied.

A $37k stone is going to be expensive to chip!

 

[jstarfireb]

Ah, $1 a point now makes much more sense to me. It would only cost $100 to set a 1 ct. stone, $150 for a 1.5, etc. I am going to change my mind after reading that as well as Neil's post and say that I think it is fair. I would absolutely feel safer having GOG set the stone and take responsibility for the risk in setting it. That is worth the setting fee.

Well, I still think $1/pt is a bit on the steep side, but after reading Neil's post, it doesn't seem as unfair I as I had thought. I think what would bother me is that the vendor who sold him the setting would set it for free, but the one who sold him the stone is charging an extra $250.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Ah, $1 a point now makes much more sense to me. It would only cost $100 to set a 1 ct. stone, $150 for a 1.5, etc. I am going to change my mind after reading that as well as Neil's post and say that I think it is fair. I would absolutely feel safer having GOG set the stone and take responsibility for the risk in setting it. That is worth the setting fee.

Yes, I agree.

 

[IbrahimSS]

Already done... and they sent me some pictures. Looks great!

Final evaluation of GOG... very high ranks from me.