Ritani refuses to price match

[facebookin]

tl;dr Ritani agreed to price match, but has a "unwritten rule" that you must be based in US, Australia, Canada, UK, Hong Kong, or New Zealand

I found the exact same diamond on both Rockher and brilliance.com cheaper than Ritani so I contacted them via chat. Everything went well, the Ritani customer rep agreed to price match after confirming with her manager. After the chat she followed up with an offer link with the price match discount for me to check out and pay. But here is the problem - I don't live in the US, Australia, Canada, UK, Hong Kong, or New Zealand. I live in Sweden and it's not on the list. As I contacted Ritani chat again, the customer rep suddenly replied "Unfortunately the price match only applies to US, Australia, Canada, UK, Hong Kong, or New Zealand". This came as a surprise since I haven't seen this "rule" written anywhere until I brought this up at the last step and I have a bad feeling about it and that it's just made up. Anyway I am paying all the import fees and VAT on my side, it's none of Ritani's business and it has nothing to do with the Price Match. In the end the customer rep didn't offer any other resolution and I didn't end up buying the diamond. This "unwritten rule" is just so unfair. At least you could have written it clearly on your website so I was warned. This is so frustrating also because I first had to cancel my existing order at brilliance.com for the same diamond since I believed that Ritani could offer it at a cheaper price with Price Match. And now it seems this particular diamond is ONLY available with Ritani after this drama (seems they had "reserved" this diamond somehow), and I cannot buy this diamond anywhere else than Ritani now.
I am very frustrated and probably won't buy from Ritani since their diamonds are generally more expensive and settings are also more expensive for no reason.

 

[tyty333]

Hopefully, if you still want that stone, it will become available again after the Ritani "hold" is released. Not really sure how long
that will take though.

That Price Match Guarantee is worded odd. It states that they will attempt to find you a similar diamond at a lesser price. Doesnt
say the same diamond though (even though that is what we all expect). Hmmm...

The Sales Agent should have made sure that you lived in one of the "Price Matching" countries. For what its worth, I find
it odd that it only applies to certain countries and wonder what the reasoning is.

 

[Karl_K]

only applies to certain countries and wonder what the reasoning is.

Import/export laws and paperwork.
They have procedures and paperwork for a few clicks for some countries either in their software or their shipping partners.
Others require doing all that by hand, a royal pain and time sink ==$$$
Another possibility is insurance, their carrier will only cover certain countries so they have to get more expensive insurance for other places.
It could also be both.

 

[Karl_K]

After doing some research it would not shock me that some sellers will refuse to ship to the EU due to the recently added paperwork requirements that is part of the ban on Russian diamonds.

 

[facebookin]

refuse to ship to the EU due to the recently added paperwork requirements that is part of the ban on Russian diamonds.

Just to be clear, the Ritani rep said since I don't live in the list of countries they cannot do the price match and if I still want to buy "it will have to be a full price". They do ship to the EU without problem, just that they don't do Price Match. Sounds like discrimination to me

 

[facebookin]

the ban on Russian diamonds.

Plus the diamond in question is a lab diamond so we're probably talking about an Indian diamond or Chinese diamond here

 

[tyty333]

I think what @Karl_K is saying is that because it takes more time (more paperwork) they dont reduce the cost (price match) for
these countries. The old saying is, "Time is money." Does stink though...should be spelled out online and SA should have notified
you about which countries they didn't price match.

Such a pain to find "your" stone and then go through this.

Did you ask Ritani why they didn't price match for these countries? I wonder what they would say.

 

[0515vision]

If you’re in Sweden, try 77diamonds.com.

 

[Karl_K]

Plus the diamond in question is a lab diamond so we're probably talking about an Indian diamond or Chinese diamond here

You have to certify under criminal penalty that it is not of Russian origin to send diamonds to the EU. Any sane person is going to want documentation from upstream to that effect to cover them. It will take time for inventory to catch up and that is if suppliers dont play games to segment the market to charge higher prices for stones with the paperwork.

 

[DejaWiz]

What are the specs and price of the diamond that you were going to buy?
(screenshot or link to 360 rotational video would be a huge help)
We'd be more than happy to find equivalent or better so that you can buy from a seller that is more accommodating to your country of residence.

 

[facebookin]

Thanks so much guys.
Update to my second half of the story: It turns out it wasn't Ritani who put a hold on the stone I cancelled at brilliance, it was Rockher. Before I ordered at brilliance, I asked Rockher about the availability of the same stone. Now almost two weeks later, Rockher reached out and says they have the stone "in their offices" and shipping would be overnight (US). Clearly now they got hold of the stone somehow. I am surprised they order the stone preemptively without customer actually buying first.

Here is that lab diamond I've been drooling for. Do you think it's worth to go for it? I do have other candidates now it's been so long.
It's an HPHT stone 2.14ct E-VS2 and Stonealgo gives a 9.3 cut score. I could get it at $750 from Rockher now which is kind of the same I paid at brilliance. Ritani lists the same stone now for $1093.
Table 56%
Depth 61.7%
Crown angle 34.3
Pav angle 40.8

Loupe360

loupe360.com

 

[0515vision]

Do you have photos? Can't buy a stone sight unseen. Want to check for so many things.

Congrats on finding a great price!

 

[facebookin]

Here is the 360 video of the stone:

Loupe360

loupe360.com

 

[DejaWiz]

Here is the 360 video of the stone:

Loupe360

loupe360.com

Nice 40.8/34.3/56 combo, but I'm seeing indications of some pavilion twist...maybe some excessive painting as well.

 

[0515vision]

Considering the price, it’s a great stone. I see what @DejaWiz is talking about, but for the price … ??? And some of that painting could be hidden under a prong or two, perhaps?

 

[DejaWiz]

Considering the price, it’s a great stone. I see what @DejaWiz is talking about, but for the price … ??? And some of that painting could be hidden under a prong or two, perhaps?

Darkening of the upper bezel facets - if that's the case, then prongs aren't going to hide that.

 

[facebookin]

Nice 40.8/34.3/56 combo, but I'm seeing indications of some pavilion twist...maybe some excessive painting as well.

Darkening of the upper bezel facets - if that's the case, then prongs aren't going to hide that.

Yikes... looks like not worth it after all. I do have other candidates at the same price level. Here are a few I chose. They are CVD but I think they have good visuals on the video.

[1] 2.19 ct E VS2 HPHT 40.7 / 34.7 / 59% / 61.1%

Loupe360

loupe360.com

[2] 2.15 ct F VS1 CVD 40.6 / 35.2 / 57% / 62%

Loupe360

loupe360.com

[3] 2.14 ct F VS1 CVD 40.8 / 34.9 / 57% / 61.9%

Loupe360

loupe360.com

[4] 2.10 ct F VS1 CVD 40.6 / 35.5 / 57% / 62%

Loupe360

loupe360.com

[5] 2.21 ct F VS1 CVD 40.5 / 36 / 56% / 62.3%

Loupe360

loupe360.com

[6] 2.10 ct F VS2 CVD 40.7 / 35.4 / 56% / 61.4%

Loupe360

loupe360.com

[7] 2.03 ct F VS1 CVD 40.5 / 35.6 / 56% / 62.3%

Loupe360

loupe360.com

 

[DejaWiz]

Yikes... looks like not worth it after all. I do have other candidates at the same price level. Here are a few I chose. They are CVD but I think they have good visuals on the video.

[1] 2.19 ct E VS2 HPHT 40.7 / 34.7 / 59% / 61.1%

Loupe360

loupe360.com

[2] 2.15 ct F VS1 CVD 40.6 / 35.2 / 57% / 62%

Loupe360

loupe360.com

[3] 2.14 ct F VS1 CVD 40.8 / 34.9 / 57% / 61.9%

Loupe360

loupe360.com

[4] 2.10 ct F VS1 CVD 40.6 / 35.5 / 57% / 62%

Loupe360

loupe360.com

[5] 2.21 ct F VS1 CVD 40.5 / 36 / 56% / 62.3%

Loupe360

loupe360.com

[6] 2.10 ct F VS2 CVD 40.7 / 35.4 / 56% / 61.4%

Loupe360

loupe360.com

[7] 2.03 ct F VS1 CVD 40.5 / 35.6 / 56% / 62.3%

Loupe360

loupe360.com

Unfortunately, all of these appear to have cut precision and/or optics issues.

What seller(s) are you searching diamonds at...can we help you find some better candidates to pick from?

 

[0515vision]

@DejaWiz, just wondering what you are seeing in the #2 2.15 F VS1. And if it's in the $700-800 range, is it still a pass?

I think I know what's bugging you, but I don't want to throw out bad info. Thanks in advance!

 

[Kim N]

I found this for under $800 if you're interested.

Loupe360

loupe360.com

 

[facebookin]

What seller(s) are you searching diamonds at...can we help you find some better candidates to pick from?

I was pulling those from brilliance.com and then look at the crown/pav angles and stonealgo scores. But since you cannot filter by HPHT/CVD on brilliance I just looked at two hundred cheapest ones from the top mostly CVDs.

I found this for under $800 if you're interested.

Wow thanks @Kim N that one looks beautiful and numbers look great

 

[0515vision]

Darkening of the upper bezel facets - if that's the case, then prongs aren't going to hide that.

It’s funny how you can’t see it until you see it, and then you can’t unsee it

 

[Karl_K]

Unfortunately, all of these appear to have cut precision and/or optics issues.

That is sad!

 

[Karl_K]

It’s funny how you can’t see it until you see it, and then you can’t unsee it

85+% chance its the lighting.
Since there is 0 chance of getting more info to prove it, then its right to move on.

 

[DejaWiz]

I found this for under $800 if you're interested.

Loupe360

loupe360.com

This is astoundingly beautiful - great find, Kim N!

 

[DejaWiz]

@DejaWiz, just wondering what you are seeing in the #2 2.15 F VS1. And if it's in the $700-800 range, is it still a pass?

I think I know what's bugging you, but I don't want to throw out bad info. Thanks in advance!

Shallow pavilion depth - probably due to enough pavilion angle deviations for over-obstruction chances to be increased.

 

[facebookin]

I found this for under $800 if you're interested.

I think I managed to snatch that one. Will post a picture when I receive it.

 

[facebookin]

Received it yesterday. @Kim N thank you so much!

 

[facebookin]

And a 1080p video

 

[MMtwo]

What a beauty! Kim is an angel.