Reasonable to ask for a replacement setting?

[toleong]

Hello all:

Here is my situation and I am wondering if I am justified in asking the jeweler to replace the setting for free? I purchased a setting from a reputable B&M store 5 years ago. It was a platinum solitare by Peter Storm. The setting had a CZ set into it which was "approximately" the same size as my diamond. The retailer had it reset with my diamond, instead of sending it back to the designer to have the ring made for the diamond. The price was $1600 either way. I have been having problems with the diamond becoming loose off and on these 5 years. I have always brought it back to the store to have it "fixed" and never had the salesperson say anything about it.
I have brought it back to the store twice this year. The second time I brought it back the salesperson said that the setter thought that the crown was too small for the diamond. For about $150 I can get a crown that will fit the diamond. I told them it had to look identical since the prongs are what makes it unique. She told me she wasn''t sure, so the manager suggested sending it back to Peter Storm. The designer basically said that same thing but to replace the crown/prongs would be $350 bucks and would not be guaranteed. He suggested that a whole new setting be made for $1600!
Apparently when my diamond was being set they did not send it back to the designer, but rather used a 3rd party. They cannot find my receipt on file. I have misplaced my receipt and after searching everywhere last night I was still not able to find it. However, I still have my original credit card statement showing that I had made the $1693 purchase with tax in June of 98.

Whether or not I have the receipt should be irrevelent. They know that I bought the setting from them. I am planning to go to the store on Thursday to "politely" ask them to have Peter Storm make the proper setting for the ring and waive the $1600 fee. Do you think I have a case here?

Thanks for your opinions!

 

[niceice]

More than likely the problem you are experiencing is because the girdle edge of cubic zirconia's is significantly thicker than most diamonds and definitely thicker than the girdle edge of well cut diamonds... So the diamond is probably flopping about inside of the prongs... Anytime a CZ is removed from a ring and a diamond is set in it's place, the setting is going to be sloppy unless the girdle edge of the diamond is extremely thick... We actually use burrs for specific crown and pavilion angle combinations to set our diamonds to ensure a tight set and once the seat is cut into the prongs the setting is really never going to work for a diamond of any other proportions because anything else would result in a sloppy fit... Unless of course the next stone being set into the prongs has steeper angles so a new seat can be cut... But who wants to buy a setting which is essentially used? And that is exactly what you purchased essentially because the seat in the ring was already cut for a different stone... We understand the jeweler's dilemma, we experience it every time we take on a designer line, they all want to sell "live" sample settings for full price and stick cubic zirconia's in them, so the jeweler ends up with $45K worth of settings which can never be sold and then they are supposed to order another ring for each customer who wants one of the rings... The jeweler ends up with a $45k case full of "samples" which is essentially "dead inventory" and at some point decides to sell some of it off and your situation is an unfortunate example of the result... We can't speak for any other jeweler, but it would be good Public Relations for the jeweler to take the setting back and exchange it for another Peter Storm ring of the same design custom made for your diamond... If the jeweler isn't willing to back up the product, contact Peter Storm and explain the situation to them...

Ready for the real "pisser"? The easiest way to stop a diamond from rattling around in a head which is sloppy is to drop a little super glue under the prongs... It is something we've seen more than a few jewelers do over the years... And as you might imagine, it wears off after a little while and the diamond gets loose again for seemingly no apparent reason... Especially when the diamond has been exposed to hot water or detergents... Sound familiar?

 

[toleong]

Todd from Niceice:

Thank you for your response and explaining to me what was causing the stone to become loose from the diamond. The diamond would actually rattle in the setting. So I might be paying them $10 each time to get the ring "tighten" with super glue.....

I will be having a talk with them on Thursday about this and I hope that this issue will be resolved to my satisfaction. *fingers crossed*

 

[toleong]

Hello all:

Thought I would update you on my ring dilemma... After they received the ring back from Peter Storm, they informed me that they were going to send the ring to the local setter. The salesperson came back and said that the setter is willing to put on a new crown and recommended that the 6 prong be put on. I told them that was not acceptable, since the prongs were part of the design. My husband and I went to the store that evening and talked to the manager. I explained to the manager that I believe that what I bought was a used show room setting and that was the reason why I had to bring the ring back so many times. Using Todd's argument that because the girdle on the cubic is thicker then a real diamond the diamond would never be securely held by the prongs. She then replied that they set diamonds into settings that already had cubic's in them with no problems. To make a long story short, before we left the store - the manager said that they could send it back to Peter Storm for "cost" which was $800, by treating this as a "repair". We had originally paid $1600 for the setting. I was definately not happy and ready to take that $800 bucks and apply it to a new setting.

When we got home, there was a message on the answering machine from the manager saying that after talking to the buyer, she is willing to split the $800 bucks between us. We would only be paying $400 for the setting.
I still love the setting and not wanting to shell out more money for another setting I agreed. (Saving for the 2 carat

) Although I didn't get the replacement setting for free, I felt that this was a fair compromise. They sent it to Peter Storm last week and I should be getting the ring in about six weeks. I also told the salesperson that I would like my original setting back so that I can verify that a new setting was made for my diamond.

Where can I go to sell platinum (scrap metal) ? Will it be worth my time?

Thanks for reading!