The end of the Great Rose Cut eBay Fiasco of 2007-2008

[2Artists]

Some of you may remember the beginning of this story...
If not, here''s where you can find some refreshers:
Ninama''s orignal find (before I was a even a glint in PS'' eye) We were surprised to find this post after the fact.
Small world!

Here are my 3 posts chronicling my ''How Not to Buy a Diamond'' saga:
one
two
three

So we actually got the ring sold on eBay, with our integrity intact, a while back. (More details forthcoming on that). We just wanted to take the time to thank everyone who responded, sympathized, encouraged and supported us through all of this. Your advice and knowledge was invaluable. And now I''d like to thank the academy ...err PS for this great honor. Seriously, you all rock. No pun intended.

Ninama: sad that we didn''t see your original post of this ring earlier- might have saved me a ton of trouble. (we weren''t PSers yet at the time) that coincidence was uncanny.
Kaleigh- thanks for being the first to welcome us to PS, and for your repeated sage advice and empathy.
WorkingHardforSmallRewards: thanks for sticking up for us and for the sympathy. (and for your outrage on our behalf- so validating!)
KellyFish: thanks for your sympathy as well and insistence about getting an appraiser.
Circe: thanks so much for the sound advice.
Sharon101: thanks for your thoughts and well wishes!
diamondSeeker2006: thanks for keeping an eye out for artistic styles for us, and the suggestions about handling the feedback.
Mara: thanks so much for taking the time to respond to a n00b''s post
UCLABelle: thanks for the sympathy- we were quite surprised at the refusal to refund as well.
decodelighted: thanks for helping to clarify and educate us on different cuts.
oldminer: thanks for lending your amazing expertise and advice
surfgirl: thank you thank you thank you. Your advice is straightforward and sound. And you kept us laughing in the midst of a horrible saga. Can''t thank you enough. And we totally took your suggested tact of infusing humor into the eBay listing.
denverappraiser: thanks for your sound advice also and for insisting that we get an appraisal.
Joolskie: thanks for chiming in and reiterating the good advice.
Diamond*Dana: thanks for the well wishes and advice, we needed both!
Deelight: thanks for following the saga (btw love your cute critter avatar)
Alleycat: thanks for the sympathy
risingsun: thanks for the observant sympathy and for making me laugh!
vivianv: thanks for the advice as well- unfortunately even though we did everything through eBay it was still a nightmare
slyons29: thanks for following the story and well wishes.
sera: thanks for the well wishes and sympathetic replies..
georgetteoden: thanks for your passionate response- we feel you, believe us. It just didn''t look like it was going to be worth the trouble and fuss. Better to be done with the whole thing quickly.
HeartingDiamonds: thank you for sharing your experience.
erica k: thanks for your perspective- i know what you mean about negative feedback.
HEPennypacker: I know what you mean!
Loves Vintage: wish i''d had your advice about eBay earlier sadly eBay/Paypal did not help at all
Mrs Mitchell: I agree and thanks for the well wishes.
movie zombie: thank you for your perspective advice and sympathy
icekid: thanks for following the thread and for your sympathy and well wishes- not fun being slandered!
Ali the PS moderator for keeping stuff on topic and keeping the site educational and making sure we all play nice
Our wonderful neighborhood independent appraiser Patrick Davis- when we we needed to get this sucker appraised asap he was there as an invaluable resource.

And to everyone else who followed along and sent positive thoughts our way or anyone I may have missed here, Thank You!!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Awww, what a really nice post! I am thrilled to hear you were able to, um, dispose of the ring!

Now, what we are all dying to know is, did you buy her another ring??? We need to see it!!!

 

[2Artists]

Now, for all of you who have been following along at home, here''s the end of the story. Things worked out OK in the end. Could have been better, still since we ended up losing a chunk of money, but all things considered, for what felt like a Greek tragedy at the time it didn''t turn out to be the End of Days. Perspective, perspective.

We decided to try to sell this ring on eBay, being very careful of course to be absolutely upfront and brutally honest about the details, with plenty of photos of the ring and a scan of Patrick''s appraisal (with his permission and blessing). When we listed it, we took Surfgirls'' advice about telling the whole saga and trying to infuse some humor into it. Like the classic ''wedding dress'' listing on eBay that got so much attention. So we laid out the whole story and sold it for what it was. We were eventually contacted by a potential buyer and after much back and forth emailing additional high-res photos highlighting the specific inclusions so that they would know exactly what they were getting. I even agreed to have them come and see it in person, in a public place with good security, before making a final decision, which they did. We agreed to do a cash transaction. The buyer arrived ready to examine in person and try it on. It looked much more at home with them than it ever did for us, and in the end they decided they really wanted it. They were absolutely over the moon about it. We felt so good about it going to a ''good home''- it''s about the most positive aspect of this whole saga. (By the way, they were an awesome couple to deal with, an absolute pleasure). They knew a lot more about diamonds than I did, and appreciated the charm in this particular piece. Sadly, we ended up losing about a thousand dollars in the process, because we refused to be dishonest about it in any way.

Earlier, the husband of the original seller had called me, at home, to explain that he refused to give me a refund and accept the ring back. His advice to me was that I try and sell it myself because he was a just a simple working guy and quite frankly did not have the money to give back to us. Incidentally, I''ve noticed that they have both bought and sold thousands of dollars'' worth (mostly bought) on eBay since then. My personal favorite of their purchases was something billed as a 24+ ct uncut diamond nugget in the shape of a bear. My wife still has no wedding ring- Nice.

This seller had left a ranting, slanderous and highly unprofessional negative feedback on my eBay profile, which I decided I would just endure as a badge of honor until some fabulous Good Samaritan-like eBayer wrote us and mentioned that he thought the negative feedback we had received was in direct violation of eBay''s feedback policies, because of some of the things that it alleged. I looked into it and sure enough, he was right. I reported that to eBay and they (surprise) actually completely removed the negative feedback from my profile. I don''t know if they notified the seller or if action was taken against them, but it sure felt good on our end!
As a last ditch effort, I wrote an email to the seller and let them know that we had managed to sell the ring, albeit for a fairly significant financial loss. I explained again that it should serve as proof of our integrity that we were honest and candid about the ring and its true characteristics, and as such had found a buyer who was happy with the transaction, by virtue of knowing what they were getting before they purchased. (I had asked this seller many particular questions before bidding on it in the first place, but their direct answers, in addition to their auction listing, turned out to be false and misleading).
I offered the seller another chance to make things right and suggested that they could send me the balance of money that we had lost in the transaction, which should have been the difference in what they would have made had they listed it honestly and accurately. To date, I have not received any response.
Sorry for the long post. *sigh* wish we had found Pricescope earlier. For those of you out there contemplating an expensive purchase on eBay, please be very thoughtful about the potential pitfalls. There are some fabulous and some not-so-fabulous sellers to be found there. And again, we are so grateful for the thoughtful advice and direction from PS''ers- a truly outstanding community and resource!

 

[2Artists]

Short answer: not yet. She was so put off by the whole trauma that she seriously considered just not having one at all! And I mean, literally, no ring. But not to worry, we do have something in the works and I will surely be posting here for more help when we get closer. (Let me just say it will not be Rose cut).

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 4/27/2008 7:53:30 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Awww, what a really nice post! I am thrilled to hear you were able to, um, dispose of the ring!

Now, what we are all dying to know is, did you buy her another ring??? We need to see it!!!

Sorry, I posted between parts 1 and 2! So you haven''t found another ring?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 4/27/2008 7:58:57 PM
Author: 2Artists
Short answer: not yet. She was so put off by the whole trauma that she seriously considered just not having one at all! And I mean, literally, no ring. But not to worry, we do have something in the works and I will surely be posting here for more help when we get closer. (Let me just say it will not be Rose cut).

Okay, great! PLEASE do let us help you!

 

[whatmeworry]

Thanks for taking the high road. Best wishes to you.

 

[Kaleigh]

Hi 2 Artists,
I am sorry for all that you have been through. It''s more than one should have to endure. Thanks for the update. I well remember you, your story and your saga. I hope this thread will serve to help many. My best to you and to your wife.

 

[Imdanny]

You handled this situation (including these posts thanking everyone!) with so much dignity! I like you. I hope you stick
around.

 

[iheartscience]

Well I''m glad you were able to sell the ring for some amount of money, even if it wasn''t the full amount. I hope you let us help you find a ring you both love!

 

[erica k]

yay, i''m glad that you came back to post the ending to this saga! you did the right thing in the end, even though at a financial loss. thankfully you made back some of your money, and the ring went to a couple that knows exactly what they''re getting, and more importantly, wants it. i''m even happier that ebay removed that terrible negative feedback, and you can start over.

i would love to see how that ''something in the works'' turns out. you both deserve something amazing to make up for all this ebay trauma!

 

[rte]

So Here I sit looking for a very nice stone for an E-ring.

Who do I not buy from on ebay....Didn''t seem to see the sellers name you had to deal with
Wasn''t in Florida by chance??

Post it up ( if mods give the ok )
Save someone else the heartach.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 4/27/2008 8:43:26 PM
Author: rte
So Here I sit looking for a very nice stone for an E-ring.

Who do I not buy from on ebay....Didn''t seem to see the sellers name you had to deal with
Wasn''t in Florida by chance??

Post it up ( if mods give the ok )
Save someone else the heartach.

Please don''t look on ebay for a diamond! Look here please!!!! Most of these will be top quality stones for fair prices (generally lower than brick and mortar stores).

https://www.pricescope.com/sift.aspx

 

[surfgirl]

YEAH 2Artists! I am so So SO glad that you took the high road, were honest, and see, I told you you''d find someone who would love it for what it is. In the end, honestly, losing $1000. is a hard lesson but it''s so much better than being out several thousand dollars isn''t it? I''m so happy to hear you sold it, honestly, and to someone who wanted it for what it is. That is something you should feel really great about. I''m very happy for you and the Mrs.!

Now...if you haven''t yet located your stone for the new ring, PLEASE pass it by us here before you do so, or at least use a dealer that you know is honest and trustworthy...I''m sure any of us would love to help you guys find your true ring. I can understand why your wife is put off after such an awful experience but the process can be a great experience if you use the right people...I cant wait to see what you end up with.

Again, congrats on the honest sale, and on closing the book on this experience! Well done dude, well done! Now go get a beer on me. No wait! Make that a case of beer!

 

[Siamese Kitty]

Thanks for the update-I remember reading this story and feeling so bad for you and your wife. Thank goodness you were able to get a lot of your money back (the right way-nicely done! Best of luck to you both.

 

[2Artists]

You are all too kind! No we have not found another ring. We have been researching and lurking our guts out on PS. We loved the tutorials here and have spent a huge amount of time learning here. We will not make the same mistake twice-thats for sure! Pricescope really is addictive. We will certainly stick around. We will run anything by you guys and Patrick Davis too. The funny thing is we are so careful with our money (savers and minimalists to boot)and always check every consumer guide possible before so much as buying a blender. This has been our one stupid money blunder.

Hi rte!I don''t want to name the sellers but if someone really wanted to figure it out from my posts I''m sure they could. They are not from Florida though. And we did leave them the very bad feedback they earned. They had hardly sold anything which should have been more of a red flag. They had sold a ring before ours that got great feedback with the person feeling it was the best deal they had ever gotten from eBay. They also sold a necklace after ours that the buyers loved too. We asked a million questions about the ring and had it all in writing. She had represented herself as a jewelry designer and fellow artist who was selling a family ring. When we reported them to the BBB the husband called us saying she was no such thing and that she had bought the ring herself and he even gave a price that she had bought it for. When I mentioned that they had claimed it was a family ring he backtracked saying he must be mistaken. It got really ugly. But rte long story short I know that the kind people here can help you find a fabulous ring from a secure and fabulous and reputable vendor. You are so lucky to have found PS before the fact. People here are the greatest and I have seen countless people get gorgeous ring with their help.

I do know that there must be some reputable diamond deals to be found on eBay but no way would I personally go gambling again. I feel bad for the honest sellers since it makes everyone look bad. We had all of it in writing and an independant appraisal and proof galore-but that did not matter with Paypal-we spent countless hours on the phone with them, emailed them a million emails, sent the proof to them a number of times certified, faxed it numerous times to no avail. But I''m not trying to knock eBay.

By the way I want everyone to please feel free to link my posts as an example of what not to do. I really mean it. It won''t hurt my feelings I promise. Surfgirl I agree we are sooo so happy to close the book on this! It feels so great to be done with it. I wanted to let you all know what happened because I am always bummed to read a pricescope story and never hear the end. It''s like a book missing the last page. I bet we will end up with a much better ring than if this had not happened at all. It was a very hard but very worthwhile lesson.

 

[Fly Girl]

Thank you for the update. I remember your earlier posts, and am so sorry that this happened to you. I appreciate hearing the end of that story. Look forward to seeing you around, and I sincerely hope that there is a better diamond ring story in your future.

 

[2Artists]

Thank you so much-I''m sure there is a happy ending in store and I''ll surely keep you posted on my journey.

 

[Ninama]

What a wonderful post...


I only wish I could have afforded to buy the ring from you. I know it''s a wacky piece, but I still like it!

 

[2Artists]

Hi Ninama! It certainly did have its charm-and I''m so glad that the couple who got it loved it. The ring looked just wonderful on her. That makes me happiest of all. Plus they have a great unusual story for their ring since our listing had been rather colorful. I think she was planning on doing a pave setting with it. They really were an awesome couple (they had a great sense of humor)to deal with and we are thrilled that they are so happy.

 

[anne_h]

2Artists - I love how you kept us updated!

If not too personal, it would be interesting if you could paste in the text of your eBay ad, I want to see the "colorful" bits. lol

Anne

 

[NewEnglandLady]

thanks so much for coming back and posting the end of the saga!! It''s been such a long journey and I commend you for being so patient and professional about it, I''m sure at times you probably wanted to just tell the seller where he could shove the diamond. I wouldn''t be surprised if you and your wife just wanted a nice, long break from looking at anything diamond-related! When you do decide to dive back into it, I PROMISE you will have a much, much better experience. The ladies and gents here are so helpful.

 

[oldminer]

You really are capable of doing your due diligence and homework. It is truly unfortunate that someone like you got themselves into this jam and it greatly pleases me that youhave seen it through to the end. A little financial damage is nothing when compared to the emotional content and damage that has been avoided and learned through this experience. With what you have learned so well, you could literally write a book on what not to do, what to do and what to avoid in such a set of circumstances.

There are plenty of con-men and scoundrels out there looking to take advantage of people. It is on consumers to be vigilant BEFORE the purchase. It is very easy to tell you this, but sometimes hard to accomplish. Trying to be careful will help a lot, but when you come up against expert con-artists you are going to be easy victims. Getting good advice and using expert, third party assistance is one method which puts your chances into the win column more often. No solution is perfect, but takin all the risks is not a good way to go, either.

Use the same diligence and expertise when buying a new home, or any "investment". Just don''t take the sellers word for it. Get the terms in writing, read the terms carefully, understand the terms or ask the questions and get written answers signed by the person making the sale. Never give a sales person selling you something of great financial importance the chance to later deny there was a conversation on the topic and it is not in writing. You''ll always come out ahead getting it in print.

Glad it has all worked itself into a decent final outcome.

 

[MMMD]

I''m glad you were able to find this ring a new home without compromising your integrity. Good luck with your new ring search!

 

[2Artists]

Hi anne_h! I would be happy to post or quote from my writing for my old long ago sold listing but I''m not sure if that would be considered crossing the line for what is appropriate to post as set by PS. I wouldn''t mind at all because it is kinda funny if I do say so myself. It''s good and therapeutic to find humor in a bad situation. But I''m guessing posting it would be considered a no-no. Plus I would not want to chance being unkind to the original seller (not that I was unkind in my listing). I would only do so if deemed appropriate by the moderator. But I''m guessing no. But to give you a taste what I will say is that I took surfgirls original advice as to looking at the famous listing of the guy who sold the wedding dress of an ex. That listing was hilarious! Her advice really really helped because I had vaguely recalled reading that listing a while back. So on surfgirls suggestion I looked up that listing and used the style of it as inspiration for mine. My listing was not even close to as funny-but his listing got me thinking and helped me look for the humor in my own situation. Because it really was a bit funny in a dark comedy way. One thing that I made sure to do was to be brutally honest about the ring but also made sure that I said nothing unkind about the original seller since I believe in karma. Plus the feedback they had left me and things that they said about me stood for themselves.

 

[2Artists]

Thank you all so much for responding. Oldminer I agree with you- this was a great learning and growing opportunity. I think that this experience was a great (but kinda painful)vaccination against future financial stupidity. Plus I am happy to stand as an example of what not to do if it helps someone else avoid a similar fate.

 

[surfgirl]

Dude, I aint no mod but I''d like to read that text too...I''m sure it was funny stuff.

 

[2Artists]

If the powers that be were OK with it I would post it later this afternoon/tonight. But I would have to get a go ahead for sure-I was just guessing it was a big no-no.

 

[Deelight]

Thanks for posting the final page of the saga (your post was fantastic ) in the end you did what was right and someone now has a ring they will cherish , I hope loads of good karma comes your way. When you and your FI are ready I am sure there will be heaps of PS''ers willing to help you guys find the ring that makes her and you smile .


I would love to hear the listing as well nothing like a good giggle .

 

[anne_h]

Hi 2Artists and others,

I have (hopefully) contacted the PS moderator to ask him/her to review this thread and let us know if 2Artists can share the eBay ad.

I sent the request here:

https://www.pricescope.com/contact.asp

Hope that''s the right way!

Anne