You are incorrect and clearly didn't understand the meaning behind my post - I actually love boxes and keep every single one I've ever gotten, the paper ones included!! The point is that you can't please everyone and no vendor will stock every different kind of box just to please everyone. Did you ask beforehand what kind of box you would be getting? It's an expectation you had that you didn't even make him aware of until after the fact.
The FedEx guy has no damn clue as to what was in that box, so let's not use his ignorance as another dig at BG's packaging... come on, now.
Oh, goodness, @holeydonut next time you ship something like this off please trek to FedEx, grab some boxes, and do the packaging at home!!
Never, EVER pack expensive goods like this in-store in front of clerks! You just never know who might have sticky fingers - best they have absolutely no idea what's in the box! In this case him thinking it's cheap but sentimental junk is the best possible outcome.
The BGD RMA requires a specific set of instructions. I couldn't do it at home.
It needed these materials:
1) Fedex Express Small Box
2) Fedex Express Medium Box
3) Filler padding so things don't bonk around
The Fedex store wouldn't let me take their boxes from the store to pack it in private (yes, I tried to take them and he just about tackled me). And they wouldn't part with bubble wrap to help fill the boxes.
Please understand... buying these engagement rings and dealing with everyone else's expectations is such a swift kick in the nuts. If it seems like I'm ranting (which I am)... just consider that it seems every single step of the engagement ring process is meant to aggravate the ring buyer.
This is done for safety / security reasons. You can absolutely discreetly do this in a fed-ex store (I know because I did it myself). You can easily wrap the ring box in tissue paper so no one sees what you are putting in.
Seriously?
If the f*ckin' FedEx guy is going to deem the rings worth, just return for a refund and go buy the Tiffany.
Hate to be rude to you, but you need to grow up. You didn't ask for a special box, nor the specific box he provided (until you discovered you didn't like it). I'm quite sure when BGD took you on he didn't understand or even think a box would ruin your entire experience, as that is not a reasonable expectation.
As a FYI for others, this is not inevitably the policy at every FedEx Office (what I still think of as Kinko's) or your local FedEx depot. I've taken FedEx boxes home with me. If you have, or want to set up, a FedEx account, the boxes, envelopes, mailers emblazoned with FedEx will be delivered to you free of charge & FedEx will then pick up your package.The Fedex store wouldn't let me take their boxes from the store to pack it in private (yes, I tried to take them and he just about tackled me). And they wouldn't part with bubble wrap to help fill the boxes.
Seriously?
If the f*ckin' FedEx guy is going to deem the rings worth, just return for a refund and go buy the Tiffany.
Hate to be rude to you, but you need to grow up. You didn't ask for a special box, nor the specific box he provided (until you discovered you didn't like it). I'm quite sure when BGD took you on he didn't understand or even think a box would ruin your entire experience, as that is not a reasonable expectation.
Really? The small/medium Fedex Express boxes weren't available out front in the Fedex/Kinkos. I had to ask for them, and it turns out they're very precious.
This is done for safety / security reasons. You can absolutely discreetly do this in a fed-ex store (I know because I did it myself). You can easily wrap the ring box in tissue paper so no one sees what you are putting in.
Really? The small/medium Fedex Express boxes weren't available out front in the Fedex/Kinkos. I had to ask for them, and it turns out they're very precious.
Yes, I am speaking from experience because I did it. Fortunately, my Fed-ex had the boxes out but there was still a worker standing there. I would not have been comfortable if they saw me putting a ring box in the fed-ex box. I totally get it's a stressful thing ~ I basically held my breath until the package arrived safely to BGD but it did and all was fine.
If you wrap the actual ring box in tissue paper (a few pieces should do it) it will "hide" what the box is ~ this way you don't have to worry about anyone seeing what is going into the actual shipping box and you can take your time wrapping the whole package up properly.
I dunno, holey... it seems you can make anything and everything related to this ring an act of Congress. I can’t wrap my head around why each and every aspect of this has been so stressful for you. I wholeheartedly feel you should just try to get a refund with BG (if possible) and go with Tiffany, since that seems to be the gold standard in the eyes of your FF.
Regarding the FedEx boxes, you literally just have to ask for them. It’s that easy. Sheesh.
Box commentary aside; this is where I get to complain about FedEx. Originally I was using a FedEx express bubble wrap envelope (which was mine, I had it as a brand-new envelope I took from work). I didn't want anyone at Fedex to know there was a ring inside. I was supposed to drop this envelope into a Small box and seal it. Then drop the small box into a medium box. And seal it.
As is always the case, stupid things happen. The the BG Black ring box is actually two paper stock boxes. In the video I posted at the start of this thread, you can see me unboxing an outer box with the cool-shaped one inside. The kick in the nuts is that this wrapping was too thick to fit in the FedEx Express small box.
And for you FedEx experts... there are two sizes of FedEx Express small boxes. I didn't know this, and the guy behind the counter said there was only one size available for the prepaid waybill I had.
Anyway, since I had to re-box everything with him standing right there, he saw me take a ring box out of the FedEx Express bubble envelope I brought in, and he could see the inner box. Then I got criticized for using a few extra FedEx express bubble mailers as padding since that was against FedEx policy. He said I'd have to pay for the bubble mailers I was using as padding.
Then he told me that cheap jewelry in the box I was padding up wasn't worth all this hassle.
So yeah, my mental note coming out of FedEx was "I gotta ask BGD how to get one of his other boxes... don't want to chance the finace is thinking the box is ghetto."
I feel like I'm describing a bad episode of the Twilight Zone. Like one of those episodes someone dreams up to describe the banalities of life, but the producers cut because it's way too boring.
Nope. There is no way you can get a 1.8 G/VVS for $30K at Tiffany... and that’s in a plain soli setting. NOT. EVEN. CLOSE.It's just that you really could have gotten the Tiffany ring at this price.
Nope. There is no way you can get a 1.8 G/VVS for $30K at Tiffany... and that’s in a plain soli setting. NOT. EVEN. CLOSE.
I’m actually bashing the sanctimony of the concept behind the box being lorded over my specific expectations.
BGD knew I was cross shopping them and Tiffany/HW from the onset. I told them the reason I initially wanted BGD was because Pricescope and Online folks described his shop and diamonds as a level that could deliver a center stone that blew Tiffany away and his 810 setting was the ideal design.
If they were game in providing a product that would meet (or beat) expectations, then let’s play ball. This was for a proposal... not some loose stone I was then mounting elsewhere.
I was not expecting a paper box, I was expecting something more like what he has on his site for his normal signature collection. I got a paper box.
I asked them politely what it would take to get a Signature Edition box or a Wooden one.
I was not expecting to get a story about how boxes aren’t eco friendly and how I’m making a one of a kind request. I was not expecting to subsequently come away feeling like I’m the only picky person who has ever had a desire for a Signature Box.
The amount of eye rolling you throw is because you personally don’t care about the box. Your box expectations would have been met by Brian Gavin.
All he would have had to do to learn my expectation was ask a simple question during the sale and not judge me for my response. If he told me I was getting a paper box I can assure you I would have told him to leave the H&A scope out and just hook up the normal box on his website.
Anyway, his center stone is amazing. I don’t want to distract from that. His 810 collection halo is amazing. And 99% of the polish and finish (melee and bead and bright) is amazing.
The few people who have seen this ring in person have all said “wow, this ring is absolutely stunning... where did you get it.” The one appraiser I had to look at it said it was one of the best cuts he’s ever seen.
My response has been that Brian Gavin has to be the best diamond cutter available to the masses and has a helluva bench. Lots of gushing and praise.
I know this thing is stunning, and I know BGD can get the melee fixed. I’m going to pretend like I never spoke with Brian Gavin on Friday... You never want to meet your heroes right? Haha.
As I said in the original Bling thread I made about this... up until I was asked about a missing melee, I was absolutely floored by how great the ring looked. BGD’s work does blow away the T, HW, and C.
You guys are getting a bit hyperbolic in your description of how nice a box I want. I just don’t want a paper one. $5 wooden like the Whiteflash one or the standard BGD signature is fine.
It could just be that the fedex guy didn't think anyone would be shipping expensive jewellery in front of them, so he'd assume anyone shipping jewellery had to have some cheap costume thing. Your box could have been diamond encrusted and he would have thought it was costume jewellery :p.
I know, that's why I was gushing about this 810 halo in the Bling forum. This thing is mind blowing compared to what T, HW, and C could produce at the same price point.
She's seen this ring too... she was skeptical at first about how some "dude named Brian" was any better than Jared, Shane, and Blue Nile. She's a believer now about BGD having some serious diamond cutting skills and his 810 design is off the wall good.
But the melee... the melee... aaahhhhhh. Please Brian Gavin ... the ring was soooo perfect when we hadn't seen the dark melee in the gallery view.
Nope. There is no way you can get a 1.8 G/VVS for $30K at Tiffany... and that’s in a plain soli setting. NOT. EVEN. CLOSE.
Oh, I know, haha. But I didn't think she had a minimum size in mind? It was only the color/clarity I thought, but I might be remembering that wrong.
Read above ... Seinfeld couldn't have even made my FedEx experience funny.
I can't go back to T now... that 810 halo and BGD's cuts are wayyyyy to good looking. But I may need to find someone else who can repair the melee.
I believe I read in Cosmo that The Tiffany Blue Box, Cartier Red Box, and HW Leather Box add about 0.3 carats. Or read differently, not having those boxes subtracted 0.3 carats.
But in seriousness, you read correctly. A larger stone was part of the equation to offset not going with the T.
Is there something else going on, OP? Did your fiancee make a comment that made you wish you'd gone with Tiffany? Do you secretly wish you'd gone with Tiffany? Because I do think you've been very complimentary about BG's signature cuts, but you balance it with "but what about the box" like they are somehow equivalent. I can see how that would be difficult for BG to understand. And maybe he was difficult about it, but you are too being a bit difficult and taking it almost personally.
It just seems like there has to be something more. I can't imagine taking a Fedex guy's comment to heart if you weren't already having doubts.
And am I the only one who doesn't see the issue with the melee? At least from the pictures, it looks perfectly fine to me.
If there's a chance you and your fiance will never be happy with this ring, you owe it to yourselves to get a refund and get what she truly wants.