Setting question- how picky do you get?

[gemgirl]

I have a question for all of you ladies that have five, seven, nine etc. stone shared prong wedding bands. I went to my new jeweler''s yesterday to look at my newly created seven stone shared prong band that had just come back from the setter. To fill you in on some of the details, the ring was ordered with G/H color diamonds and VS2/SI1 clarity and was set in white gold. I looked at the ring, louped the ring and the stones are very nice. He kept to the G/H color range and six of the seven stones are obviously VS clarity because I couldn''t find much of anything at all in any of them. Only one was an SI, and frankly- I was thrilled. Now for the part that''s bugging me a little..... The stones are not all set evenly in the mounting. We have a slight high-low situation. When David asked me "so what do you think?" knowing how picky I am about my diamonds, I told him the honest truth. The stones are very nice but the workmanship is only fair in my book. He explained that in shared prong mountings, the diamonds sit right on the mounting, then the prongs are closed and because not every diamond has the same depth, they''re not going to sit exactly the same way.

I don''t know....... I''ve looked at many pictures of shared prong bands that have been posted here and most are pretty near perfect.

(Thank God I chose the stones for my five stone band myself and they are all nearly identical. This man is DEFINITELY not making that ring!)

How much would this bother you?? From the top, you can''t see any difference, but the profile view is definitely "off". I really want to go back and look at the ring again and ask him to fix whatever can be fixed. I know the diamonds are the most important aspect of the ring but I have to say, I''m disappointed!

 

[gwendolyn]

Oi, I''d be disappointed too--I am crazy over profiles and it would slowly eat at me that it was flawed! (If I''m understanding the problem correctly), would he be able to make the overall height of the ring higher to allow for variances in stone depth, so they all sit evenly?

 

[motownmama]

I don''t think you''re being picky - it should be corrected to your satisfaction. You want to have it NOW and wear it, but as the novelty wears off, those imperfections are going to bug you even more!

 

[lyra]

It''s always my opinion that custom work should be done to your exact level of satisfaction. Stock pieces are different I guess, and you can just pass if you are not happy. I don''t think you are being too picky at all.

 

[Snooper]

Date: 2/26/2008 12:17:32 PM
Author: lyra
It''s always my opinion that custom work should be done to your exact level of satisfaction. Stock pieces are different I guess, and you can just pass if you are not happy. I don''t think you are being too picky at all.

I agree, if it was a stock piece, there might be some inconsistencies, but with a custom piece? I feel it should be near perfect.

 

[Venice]

I have a five-stone shared prong ring and the stones are set perfectly. You have the right to have them set properly, so you are satisfied.

 

[gemgirl]

Thanks ladies, I KNOW you''re all right. I have to go back into the store and have a nice calm chat with David.

The thing I didn''t like is that he implied that I didn''t pay enough for perfection! I don''t know where THAT comment came from. I thought I paid a reasonable amount of money for that ring.

I hate when these situations happen. I know it''s not set right, yet I hear him defending the setter and the salesgirl with her whiney voice in the background saying "it wouldn''t bother me........... so are we bringing this home today?" I wanted to smack her!

I''ll let you know what happens......

 

[Jenn5504]

Oooh, what a fun new ring! LOVE shared prong bands myself!!!!! I do not think you''re being overly picky. The ring should be even. I *understand* what he''s saying, but I also own a shared prong eternity band with an even profile so I know it can be done. My original wedding band is a 7 stone bar-set princess cut band and it is TERRIBLY uneven from the profile and it drove me CRAZY. I think you should insist they improve on the profile, it''s going to bug you if you don''t. So happy to hear about the great stones!

 

[gemgirl]

My awful situation with the seven stone band was resolved in the best possible way for me. I walked out of the store with my full $1000.- deposit in my handbag.

End of story. I''m never going back to that store again. I AM going to give Whiteflash a call though. I still have these five perfectly matched certified thirty pointers crying for a permanent home! On to a new thread......

Thanks for the support ladies! We spend enough on our "hobby" (as my husband calls it). We''re entitled to the finest quality available.

 

[kcoursolle]

I''m fairly picky, not as picky as some here...but if something is noticeably off I will say something because it will bug me. My advice is to go back and be kind and nice, but also assertive about the problems. Point out the inconsistencies in a kind voice and explain how you would like them to be re-set. Say something nice about the rest of the ring and when all of the work is finally done thank them for their patience and attention to detail and how much you appreciate it.

 

[gemgirl]

K, I did exactly that. I was VERY nice and respectful but his attitude was- the ring is done, this is it, that''s the way it is. He never offered to send it back to the setter to have it redone. He said "you can''t expect perfection these days". (I don''t know what world he''s living in. He''s never met a real diamond nut I guess or a Pricescoper!) He said it could sell it and sell it for much more than he was selling it to me for.

More power to him..... I''m just REALLY glad I got my money back. Now I can dive into finding myself a mounting for my five stones. Maybe I can have that one done by my tenth anniversary. This schlamozel was supposed to have the seven stone done by my birthday and that day flew buy with no ring. Now I''m shooting for May and my five stone.