slightly crooked setting

[unzz]

I got a stone and a setting from a vendor highly recommended on this site. They were quite helpful and got me exactly what I wanted at a price a good bit lower than everyone else on the net.

However I noticed after receiving the ring that the setting was slightly turned.. Like, if you are looking at the stone top down, the edge of the stone and the band are not exactly perpendicular.

I was taking the ring to an independent appraiser anyway, who told me that the stone was set in the head properly but that place where the head was attached to the ring was slightly turned. She also told me that the price I paid for the stone and setting were below wholesale price.

So, I guess my question here is.. Should I be expecting the ring to be perfect, or are there always going to be imperfections? I don''t want to nitpick with the vendor since every other part of the transaction exceeded my epectations. I also don''t want to have my new fiance sporting around a ring with shoddy worksmanship or overlooked errors that should be fixed.

 

[denverappraiser]

Call them up and talk to them about it. You’re obviously happy with the deal and it would be shame to let something like this mar your satisfaction. Often this is a very easy thing to fix if you can arrange to give them the opportunity.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[Ellen]

There are some things that might be nit picky, but a crooked set head is not one of them, imo. I would contact the vendor, explain the problem, and hopefully they will be happy to fix it. And they should pay for shipping both ways.

 

[alloamie]

I had a similar experience - wonder if it''s the same vendor...

When DH and I were shopping for engagement rings some 4 years ago, we also used a very popular PS vendor to purchase the setting (my stone was in DH''s family). When we received the setting & took it to our jeweler to set the stone, the jeweler told us that the head of the ring was totally crooked and not placed on the shank correctly. He said that we shouldn''t have paid for this "piece of junk."

The vendor had specifically told us that settings were non-returnable, so DH called the owner and gave him an earful.
THe vendor seemed very surprised that there was anything wrong with the ring and had us send it back.

When we received the new setting, the head was on correctly, but there were dark lines on the inside of the shank. Our jeweler said that it was just shoddy work by the person who put the setting together for us and he was able to buff away most of the marks on the band - but in the process took off some of the band''s inscription & plat. mark...

We figured that''s the best it would get from that vendor, so we didn''t call back to complain...

Even though you shopped around for the best price, it doesn''t mean you were shopping around for a lesser-quality ring. If I were you I''d send it back to be re-done.

 

[neatfreak]

It happens, I would think that if it''s a well respected PS vendor they would be happy to fix the ring for you if you let them know.

 

[unzz]

I have a few fears with sending it back.. problems with FedEx, it coming back with different problems or being in worse shape (like in alloamie''s case), etc. Wouldn''t I want it to get appraised again? I feel like the vendor may not necessarily do the work themself and if they are outsourcing the job, who knows what could happen to it?

Also, since the ring barely got here in time for the proposal, I went ahead and gave it to her. She wants to have it around to show off, of course.

Is this a costly job to have done locally? We are going to have to take it to get sized a bit smaller at some point - is this something that can be done for a reasonable cost then?

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 12/15/2008 1:29:12 PM
Author: unzz
I have a few fears with sending it back.. problems with FedEx, it coming back with different problems or being in worse shape (like in alloamie''s case), etc. Wouldn''t I want it to get appraised again? I feel like the vendor may not necessarily do the work themself and if they are outsourcing the job, who knows what could happen to it?


Also, since the ring barely got here in time for the proposal, I went ahead and gave it to her. She wants to have it around to show off, of course.


Is this a costly job to have done locally? We are going to have to take it to get sized a bit smaller at some point - is this something that can be done for a reasonable cost then?

It depends on the setting. If it''s a peg head it would be easy and shouldn''t cost much. But if it''s an integrated head you might want to get a new setting made/cast. Was this a custom piece or just something out of stock? If it was custom then the jeweler would need to remake it. If it''s just a setting from a company you got through a PS vendor than the vendor can just get a new one from the company that is perfect.