Temporary setbacks with my OEC solitaire

[Tourmaline]

I keep reminding myself that this is temporary and it will be solved, but something sad and frustrating happened. I received the 8-prong setting and it was lovely, but my setter had trouble with it because it had a bend in the prongs and he felt it wasn’t in exactly the right place. Between one thing and another, it didn’t get set right, the prongs got damaged, and he is too nervous to attempt setting it again. I was really sad for a few days. The ring will have to be scrapped, basically. They are making me another one at a discount. And now I have to find a skilled setter who will do it while I’m present. Sigh. It looked so nice, but the prongs weren’t securely holding the stone.



It has since been removed from the setting, and the setting isn’t usable. Here is the new CAD without bent prongs. Now I have to wait another week or more (probably more like two weeks) to get it again.



@missy Can you recommend a skilled bench in NYC? I can come to the city to have it set. I wrote to Adam, but he didn’t respond.

 

[missy]

I keep reminding myself that this is temporary and it will be solved, but something sad and frustrating happened. I received the 8-prong setting and it was lovely, but my setter had trouble with it because it had a bend in the prongs and he felt it wasn’t in exactly the right place. Between one thing and another, it didn’t get set right, the prongs got damaged, and he is too nervous to attempt setting it again. I was really sad for a few days. The ring will have to be scrapped, basically. They are making me another one at a discount. And now I have to find a skilled setter who will do it while I’m present. Sigh. It looked so nice, but the prongs weren’t securely holding the stone.



It has since been removed from the setting, and the setting isn’t usable. Here is the new CAD without bent prongs. Now I have to wait another week or more (probably more like two weeks) to get it again.



@missy Can you recommend a skilled bench in NYC? I can come to the city to have it set. I wrote to Adam, but he didn’t respond.

Yes, Adam has an excellent skilled bench and I am sorry he didn't respond. Maybe reach out again? Also @Rockdiamond has a highly skilled bench. He has his uber bench and I have no doubt they could make you a gorgeous setting.


I am sorry you have run into an issue but take heart. I know ultimately it will end up in a gorgeous setting and be an amazing ring. Hang in there!

 

[Tourmaline]

Thank you @missy - I don’t need a setting, I will just need to have someone willing to set my diamond in a setting I will have.

 

[missy]

Thank you @missy - I don’t need a setting, I will just need to have someone willing to set my diamond in a setting I will have.

Sorry I knew that. Momentary lapse. I would reach out to @Rockdiamond and also try Adam again. Have you tried calling Adam?

 

[Tourmaline]

Sorry I knew that. Momentary lapse. I would reach out to @Rockdiamond and also try Adam again. Have you tried calling Adam?

I haven’t tried calling Adam. I may do it after I have the new setting. Perhaps @Rockdiamond can let me know if he’d be willing to set an outside stone in an outside ring for me.

 

[Rfisher]

I’m sorry for the setback - but kudos to your original setter for being honest with you that he didn’t feel it was secure.
may I ask why you are looking for a different setter than this one?

 

[tyty333]

Hoping you get it resolved soon.... it is such a gorgeous (I mean really) stone and I love the setting you're going with! Sending blingy dust
that you find someone that can do it for you!

 

[Mreader]

So just curious how come the person who is making the setting can’t be the person who also sets the stone?

 

[Tourmaline]

I’m sorry for the setback - but kudos to your original setter for being honest with you that he didn’t feel it was secure.
may I ask why you are looking for a different setter than this one?

He is unwilling to make another attempt with it.

Hoping you get it resolved soon.... it is such a gorgeous (I mean really) stone and I love the setting you're going with! Sending blingy dust
that you find someone that can do it for you!

Thank you!

 

[Tourmaline]

So just curious how come the person who is making the setting can’t be the person who also sets the stone?

I’m getting the setting from jewelryhoo in China. They’ve made a lot of settings for me, but I’m obviously not sending my diamond to them.

 

[Mreader]

I’m getting the setting from jewelryhoo in China. They’ve made a lot of settings for me, but I’m obviously not sending my diamond to them.

Ah of course! Well it is a gorgeous stone and I’m sorry you have to wait longer than anticipated!

 

[Rfisher]

He is unwilling to make another attempt with it.

Ah!
well if OWD or DBL arent able to set your stone in your mounting, maybe they can recommend one that they know of that will, locally, while you wait.

 

[lulu_ma]

Sorry that you had a setback! I know how frustrating that can be (I wore my stone at home in the silly clip ring for weeks).

Hope things get resolved quickly and can’t wait to see more of pics of your stunning stone!

p.s. I don’t know how long the lead time is for Jewelryhoo but Daniel M did a simple setting for me in January and he is very reasonable. He could make the setting and set it for you. I’m not sure what his lead time is right now but your setting is very streamlined. He’s in Massachusetts.

 

[Tourmaline]

Sorry that you had a setback! I know how frustrating that can be (I wore my stone at home in the silly clip ring for weeks).

Hope things get resolved quickly and can’t wait to see more of pics of your stunning stone!

p.s. I don’t know how long the lead time is for Jewelryhoo but Daniel M did a simple setting for me in January and he is very reasonable. He could make the setting and set it for you. I’m not sure what his lead time is right now but your setting is very streamlined. He’s in Massachusetts.

Thanks. I’m happy with jewelryhoo for the making of the ring, but it leaves me in this position of having an unset diamond for a while. I‘m carrying the diamond around in a holder, haha.

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Aww that's really frustrating. You've been looking forward to wearing it for so long! And what a dumb reason to not be able to wear it, in my opinion. It's not a complicated setting.. I feel for you! hopefully soon. In other words, your top photo is GORGEOUS!

 

[Slickk]

I’m sorry this happened. it’s a beautiful stone.
Are you near NYC? North or south or on Long Island ? I can possibly recommend someone outside of Manhattan...

 

[elizat]

Sorry this happened, and I know that you are wanting to go ahead with your plan on having a remade setting with the other vendor, but just throwing out there that it might make sense to look at an 8 prong Stuller setting or another option locally. My thought is that they is not going to be a lot of jewelers that are not going to want to set a stone of that size and of that value if it is another person's setting. That could be avoided if you did an eight-prong solitaire setting sourced through the jeweler that could set it locally.

I don't know if the issue truly was with the setting as your setter claimed or if it was the setter. With a stone of that size and that value though, I would want to make sure that my mounting was extremely secure!

Plus, then they'd be more likely to want to service it for you in the future if you did the setting through your local option.

I know that you have the path in your mind that you wanted, but just raising the idea.

 

[yssie]

Agree with @elizat. I’ll be more blunt, though: No “great” bench is going to be willing to touch this sort of project, unless perhaps as a personal favour for a longtime customer. A diamond sourced from elsewhere is a liability - your diamond is large and valuable, it’s an even bigger liability. A setting made elsewhere is a liability. In this case, knowing the origin of the setting - it might well legitimately be a liability. If something goes wrong during setting the setter is the first person the customer will point her finger at - from the setter’s perspective this job is just inviting trouble.

That said - if you’re comfortable taking full financial responsibility for any mishaps, if you walk into any storefront on 47th - they’ll likely be willing to do the work. They won’t do a great job but it’ll get done.

But this is a simple mount. I’m really not understanding the rationale for these unnecessary hoops. Just have it made and set locally, or at least by a domestic vendor - there are a number of cost-effective options.

 

[Tourmaline]

I’m sorry this happened. it’s a beautiful stone.
Are you near NYC? North or south or on Long Island ? I can possibly recommend someone outside of Manhattan...

I am in upstate NY. I can take Amtrak to the city.

 

[Tourmaline]

Agree with @elizat. I’ll be more blunt, though: No “great” bench is going to be willing to touch this sort of project, unless perhaps as a personal favour for a longtime customer. A diamond sourced from elsewhere is a liability - your diamond is large and valuable, it’s an even bigger liability. A setting made elsewhere is a liability. In this case, knowing the origin of the setting - it might well legitimately be a liability. If something goes wrong during setting the setter is the first person the customer will point her finger at - from the setter’s perspective this job is just inviting trouble.

That said - if you’re comfortable taking full financial responsibility for any mishaps, if you walk into any storefront on 47th - they’ll likely be willing to do the work. They won’t do a great job but it’ll get done.

But this is a simple mount. I’m really not understanding the rationale for these unnecessary hoops. Just have it made and set locally, or at least by a domestic vendor - there are a number of cost-effective options.

The difference in price in an entry level solitaire by a top designer, vs sourced this way, is obscene. Seriously, for the same thing, it’s $3000 instead of $300. You may be able to get your head around the tenfold difference in price, but I’m not. Furthermore, I haven’t seen any solitaires I’ve liked as much as the one I’ve designed myself with jewelryhoo (other Pricesopers have even ordered the design based on my earlier ones with my previous diamond). This is not my first piece of jewelry, nor my first expensive diamond. I had a setter I have relied on for years, and I cannot rely on him anymore, so I find myself in a position of needing a setter, thus the request for suggestions of setters. To those who feel the need to instead criticize my process, it’s simply unhelpful at this point. I am not desperate here, and I’m not afraid that it won’t get done. I will figure it out, as I have always done.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Hi all!!!
Thank you for the mention!!
Yssie really hit the nail on the head.
A few key points- NO setter that I trust and use would ever submit to being watched by a consumer as he/she works. It's a stressful job- a lot is at stake, and who needs the extra stress of a consumer observer? ( and I never watch them for this reason )
Then- working with a mount which might be an issue.....with a stone bought elsewhere.....

I'll open up a bit- personally, when a consumer calls telling me they just bought a 2ct ( or whatever) yellow diamond from some Costco-like massive web diamond seller, but wants us to set it......my first question is....did you know about us when you bought that big diamond?
If I was a local jeweler and someone came in asking to set a stone they bought online....it's a tough choice. They need the business....but by removing the potential profit from the diamond sale, you're giving the profit to some large nameless entity, while leaving the local, family business with the crumbs.....
And think of the liability! Today, your reputation is priceless ( I guess this was always true- but it's easier to tar someone today). A dissatisfied client can be a real issue for a merchant. FOr the price of setting a diamond you didn't even sell into a mount you didn't make.

Anyway- I am truly sorry for OP having issues....and hope they get resolved! Just the perspective of a little family owned company
My suggestion- find a company who will make the mount and set it for you- a vendor you can trust, so you don;t have to watch them set the stone.
This, of course, costs more- but there's many reasons it would be worth it ( to many consumers)

ETA- my apologies OP- it was no my intent to criticize your methods....rather to explain the other side.....
I agree, there's a huge difference from $300 to $3k......but maybe my explaination will show why......

 

[Tourmaline]

Hi all!!!
Thank you for the mention!!
Yssie really hit the nail on the head.
A few key points- NO setter that I trust and use would ever submit to being watched by a consumer as he/she works. It's a stressful job- a lot is at stake, and who needs the extra stress of a consumer observer? ( and I never watch them for this reason )
Then- working with a mount which might be an issue.....with a stone bought elsewhere.....

I'll open up a bit- personally, when a consumer calls telling me they just bought a 2ct ( or whatever) yellow diamond from some Costco-like massive web diamond seller, but wants us to set it......my first question is....did you know about us when you bought that big diamond?
If I was a local jeweler and someone came in asking to set a stone they bought online....it's a tough choice. They need the business....but by removing the potential profit from the diamond sale, you're giving the profit to some large nameless entity, while leaving the local, family business with the crumbs.....
And think of the liability! Today, your reputation is priceless ( I guess this was always true- but it's easier to tar someone today). A dissatisfied client can be a real issue for a merchant. FOr the price of setting a diamond you didn't even sell into a mount you didn't make.

Anyway- I am truly sorry for OP having issues....and hope they get resolved! Just the perspective of a little family owned company
My suggestion- find a company who will make the mount and set it for you- a vendor you can trust, so you don;t have to watch them set the stone.
This, of course, costs more- but there's many reasons it would be worth it ( to many consumers)

ETA- my apologies OP- it was no my intent to criticize your methods....rather to explain the other side.....
I agree, there's a huge difference from $300 to $3k......but maybe my explaination will show why......

I bought the stone from Eragem in a bulky original ring that they were willing to take back for a partial refund. I looked for the perfect OEC for a year before I found it. If Steven Kirsch (who made me a band ring once) had a setting design I liked anywhere near as much as the one I’m having made, I would go straight to him for a solitaire. I have purchased things from many of the jewelers talked about on Pricescope, and someone might be willing to do a favor for me. I did think I’d be able to rely on my previous local setter, but I’m not able to do so. I’ll figure something out. Thanks for weighing in.

 

[Rockdiamond]

I hope it gets resolved quickly to your satisfaction @Tourmaline !!

 

[Slickk]

@Tourmaline I am an hour north of NYC and can think of two locals who I would call on that maybe would be able to do it but not sure about the Amtrak situation and all... sorry. Good luck. It’s a gorgeous stone.

 

[Tourmaline]

@Tourmaline I am an hour north of NYC and can think of two locals who I would call on that maybe would be able to do it but not sure about the Amtrak situation and all... sorry. Good luck. It’s a gorgeous stone.

I can drive to an hour north of the city (I just don’t drive in the city), so I’m all ears.

 

[musicloveranthony]

I must be very spoiled. I've never had a jeweler even give me the slightest look of curiosity when I've asked them to set a stone I bought elsewhere in a setting I bought elsewhere. I make it clear that I'm happy to pay whatever setting fee they ask (typically depends on the size and the style of setting. I've paid from $15 to $150). The local color gemstone store is usually so excited to see what I come in with that they'll often offer to set it while I wait.

 

[Tourmaline]

Sorry this happened, and I know that you are wanting to go ahead with your plan on having a remade setting with the other vendor, but just throwing out there that it might make sense to look at an 8 prong Stuller setting or another option locally. My thought is that they is not going to be a lot of jewelers that are not going to want to set a stone of that size and of that value if it is another person's setting. That could be avoided if you did an eight-prong solitaire setting sourced through the jeweler that could set it locally.

I don't know if the issue truly was with the setting as your setter claimed or if it was the setter. With a stone of that size and that value though, I would want to make sure that my mounting was extremely secure!

Plus, then they'd be more likely to want to service it for you in the future if you did the setting through your local option.

I know that you have the path in your mind that you wanted, but just raising the idea.

I would have loved to find a lovely 8-prong setting from Stuller. They don’t have one that I like.

 

[AnastasiaBeaverhausen]

I don't know of any jewelers in the NY area so I'm not much help there. Just wanted to say I'm sorry to hear about this setback.

Before I moved, there were multiple jewelers who I was totalled confortable with bringing my personal stones in to set.

But now that I've moved, it's nerve-wracking trying to find a new bench. I gave one local jeweler a shot, and a melee fell out within a week! I can't imagine how stressful it must be to try to find someone to set such an expensive and important stone to you.

Good luck on your search and hope the next jeweler nails it!

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

Oh so sorry that you don’t get to wear your awesome stone now! What a bummer. Hopefully the solution you decided on will work out quickly. Can’t wait to see the end result

 

[yssie]

If you’re near the Albany area Glennpeter will do this. Go to the Albany location though, not the satellites.

It won’t be great and it’ll probably cost a pretty penny but it’ll get done.