Resizing gone Bad..

[Colored Gemstone Nut]

Well Everybody,




Just wanted to say I purchased a platinum dvache x-prong comfort fit solitaire about a year ago for Regina..It was the wrong size so I had it sized down by the local jeweler in our area..




The jeweler did not do a good job sizing and made the cut at the wrong place. He cut the platinum at the base in on area where the ring goes from being a little thin at the bottom to a thicker area near the size..Not dead on center I guess. This jeweler had not had much experience working with platinum. At the time it looked off, but we thought everything would be OK.




3 trips to the jeweler later to get her ring pulled back into shape because it bowed the bottom is becoming increasingly thin with everyday wear. Regina is upset and I am too because the setting was about $1000.00 at the time of purchase. To make a long story short the integrity of the ring is ruined and because the platinum is increasingly thin at the base where the jeweler made the cut and sized it improperly the ring keeps bowing. This last trip proved that one of the prongs was being pulled away from the stone because of how out of round the finger hole becomes and I decided to avoid the worry I am going to purchase her another ring.




I just wanted to voice to everyone make sure you know how competent the jeweler is your dealing with. At the time he assured us it would be no problem. We have both gone in politely and talked with the owners and they were a little upset but said there was "nothing they could do, and they would make us a new setting, but the full cost of the new setting would be our responsibility...




I am also posting this becuase Dvatche insist any resizing needed to be done with a dvatche setting needs to be done by Dvatche..Now I know why....




I am currently pricing a new one and jonathan from GOG will be putting regina''s new center solitaire in the Dvatche x-prong with the channel set diamonds on the side pictured in the next thread..I thought it would be neat to get the ten accent diamonds on the side of the band replaced with a-cut-above accent stones...




Well just wanted to let eberyone know be sure you know who your dealing with...A forty dollar resizing fee turned into a wrecked platinum setting...




What do you guys think of the new setting idea??

 

[Colored Gemstone Nut]

Here's the new x-prong with the channel set diamonds I want to replace with A-cut-above accent stones...




Her center diamond will be a 1.177 d/si-1 Hearts and arrows stone..

 

[sfbayarea]

sorry to hear about your resizing problems. but i do like the idea that you have for regina's new setting!

i'm also curious about a few other resizing issues and wondering if you or someone else could possibly help? first of all, wondering exactly where a ring should be resized (assuming simple platinum band). dead center as opposed to off center?

how does it work when a ring needs to be resized UP? do they cut and then just add more metal?

and lastly, typically, is it possible to see or feel when a ring has been resized?

 

[Jennifer5973]

I have several ring sizing issue sover the years...This one's a beaut.

I once took an emerald and diamond ring to a local jeweler (not my regular guy...I was feeling lazy and just figured I'd get it done at a place that was 5 min from home vs 1/2 hr drive)... I went to pick it up and I noticed the emerelads were, well, black.... To make a very long story short, the guy told me that emeralds are "soft' stones and that's why they "burned." I flipped out and said he never mentioned that there was any risk when sizing the ring....he had said "no problem" when i brought it in.

Well, I told him I felt he should pay for the repair to my ring--which I wanted done by the original jeweler (my regular guy)... he said HE'D remake the ring for me but I told him i didn't want him coming near it. The ring had 1.7 ct of nice. clear, deep emeralds, with 1.8 ct of diamonds...I paid about $1,400, and it cost $550 to get new emeralds and an entire new 14K setting made...Becasue both the princess cut emeralds and the round diamonds were channel set among 3 rows, there was no way to fix it. The diamonds were the only part of the ring salvaged. After threatening to take him to small claims court, he offered to give me 1/2 of the cost to repair the ring... I felt it wasn't worth it to drag my husband (who is an attorney) to court for this nonsense, so I cut my losses, having learned a hard lesson, and took the 50% reimbursement.

This jerk sized the ring (which was also wrong--still too small) and was going to let me pay for it and pick it up with burned emeralds! To top it off, the ring was filthy...full of some thick black gunk that the bad jeweler told me was "paste" to protect the stones.

So, the 25 min. I saved ended up costing me $250 and a lot of aggravation. here is the ring, re-made by my beloved jeweler.

Ugh.

 

[canadiangrrl]

Josh, I'm sorry to hear this.

What a bummer. Your story is one of the reasons why I'm so hesitant to get my platinum e-ring sized down. It needs to go down from a 5 1/2 to a 5 1/4, but I'm not keen on having it done locally as I can't seem to find a reputable platinumsmith.

As for the new setting, me like.

But I think I prefer the solitaire, personally. However, it's all about what you & Regina like best. Both settings are lovely and you're a sweetie for going out of your way to make her happy. Tell her I said she better not complain about your killer bachelor party.

 

[Mara]

Aww Josh what a horrible story. I love the new idea for the ring and think the ACA stones would look spectacular of course!! Please keep us posted on how things work out....

 

[goldenringlets]

We have a similar current experience...

One spends days/week/months? picking out diamonds and a setting, in our case separately. The stone and settings were sent separately to the proposal (well, announcement really) site, many miles from the jeweler. The platinum ring was, unexpectedly, 1/2 size smaller than the order and in a rush (1 hour) job, the ring size was increased.

On return to London, our jeweler pointed out:
1. That the man had made a "hash of it".
2. That the shank was now porous - like swiss cheese
3. That jewelers are specialized into those who set, and those who size
4. That he made have used gold solder on the platinum ring, making it ineligible for hallmarking


In only two weeks of wear, the plantinum shank has already become noticably thinner.


Another jeweler (allegedly the Queen's!) said that for approx 400 dollars the ring would require a new shank. Interestingly, given the solitaire height, it would also require those ball things to keep the ring from flopping side to side.

I wish we'd taken the too-small ring to the original jeweler who had made the mistake, but we could not. My advice would be to take a much care in every detail to the finished product.

Oh well, in the scheme of life's problems this is a very small one indeed! We love the setting, and we'll get this sorted out.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Josh a competent jeweller should be able to fuse a new thicker shank onto the ring.
Get it to someone decent!!!

 

[newenglandgemlab]

Hi,
Normally a ring will be sized dead center at the base of the shank. Going smaller requires to cut a piece out and going larger requires putting a piece in. A good goldsmith with talent can accomplish this without a trace of the work being detectable. But, there are lots of bench people out there that are 'good enoughers' and probably have never really seen a very good sizing job or worked with a talented bench jeweler. Platinum can be a bear to work with, hence the higher pricing on the job. I have had rings sized off center to save an engraving or hallmark and this can be done without leaving evidence of the repair. I see lots of rings in platinum that someone has used white gold solder on and the seams are terrible. Platinum requires a lot of heat (much more than gold) making it much 'scarier' to work with for those not trained in this metal. In the case of that emerald ring with the channel set stones...there is now a laser welder available to the trade that for a job like that will eliminate the heat involved in a normal sizing job. Emeralds can't take much heat while diamonds can. A wide ring like that will require more heating too. Most jewelers would have been a little nervous about that sizing job if they were knowledgeable.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Thanks, Cindy. I think you hit it on the head--he should have told me there was a risk to doing the job. I think that was my main issue. I always felt bad about this incident (the guy who screwed up the ring is a local guy I see in the supermarket!) but he never said anything about risk to the stones...he took it, said "no problem", and then left it a mess...Now, I know better to take everything to the guy who sold it to me (my regular jeweler who does all my stuff)...then, he takes full responsibility...even when it's my fault ..I recently whacked my wedding band something fierce and chipped a diamond....he replaced it free of charge, even though in this case, it was my fault (tip: don't wear jewelry when trying to pry off a rusted garden hose attachment...)

 

[pqcollectibles]

Oh, Josh! That is horrible!

It is always bad when we entrust a sentimental piece to people who somehow manage to ruin it.

Jennifer, I feel your pain about the emeralds. I am an emerald lover. I have driven my jeweler crazy over the years with mine. I feel very fortunate that she has a very good smith doing her work. Mine always come back in tact and never burned.

I wonder if he has one of those lasers that Cindy mentioned.

Hope Regina loves the new ring, Josh. It looks/sounds like it will be gorgeous!

 

[aneelcon]

Wow, I feel for you. I currently have a ring that is probably 1/2 size too big. It's white gold. I was too afraid to get it sized down so I'm waiting til the wedding to get a custom made setting (it's currently a stuller). I just hope that my finger size stays the same with age OR I better find a good goldsmith or platinumsmith.

good luck with your rings!

 

[DEVO]

Dumb question but why would you buy a Vatche setting and send it to Vatche for resizing in the 1st place. Hindsight now but I don't get it. I know GOG tells you (atleast they did with me) that Vatche handles the setting. I got the impression from that, that any problems... go directly to Vatche. Were you not informed the same way?

 

[diane5006]

Josh major bummer about your/Reginas ring...the new on will be awesome...I suspect Vatche could have fixed your old one...but a new one if more fun

...maybe they will take the old one back...as credit towards new one...

Hi I remember that when I bought my setting (VAtche) I was waffling on the size...since I wanted to not have it too big or too small and my fingers change size form time to time...

I was told by my Vendor (GOG) that if i needed it to be resized it would need to go back to Vatche...

Apparently Vatche warranties their workmanship (not sizing or whacking of prongs) and that if you have work done by others it voids the warranty...that is why the put their stamp right where you should cut it for resizing...

I have had a prong move...I think I whacked it...so I emailed GOG to see what to do if they could do the work or if it had to go to Vatche...it has to go to Vatche...no problem for me...Vatche does good work...so i know they will do a good job...

However getting it there is not so simple...you can't just walk in...you have to go through a vendor...since Vatche does not deal with the public...again not an issue with me...except i dont want to be without my ring for tooo long...but it can be a deterrant to others...and it may be easier to have the work done elsewhere...

 

[Patty]

I had no idea that sizing a ring was so risky! It sounds like platinum is harder to work with than gold, though.

And burnt emeralds? Who would have thought?!

 

[sxn675]

----------------
On 12/19/2003 1:38:14 PM Patty wrote:

I had no idea that sizing a ring was so risky! It sounds like platinum is harder to work with than gold, though.

And burnt emeralds? Who would have thought?!----------------

I know! It makes me never want to take anything in! Josh, I'm sorry to hear about the sizing. Your new setting is lovely. What did you decide about the wedding band? If you're doing something with sapphires, it would be cool to have them in the band. I am an all-diamond girl myself, but don't know how much coordinating with your band matters.... Good luck!