Urgent help needed - diamond bait and switch?

[razzledazzled]

Hi all, to cut a long story short, a local jeweler recently 'upgraded' my 1 carat solitaire engagement ring to a three stone diamond ring (my DH did this as a birthday/anniversary gift). DH paid for the new setting, and side stones that were .7 carats each.

I just had the ring appraised, and the appraiser says the side stones are 0.6 each. They LOOK smaller than 0.7 carats to me, which is why we had it appraised.

The original ring that the jeweler made was not what we wanted/liked (I posted about this at the time), and although he initially agreed to remake it when we went to talk to him about it he was very reluctant. I felt that the original ring had much more of a 'wall of bling' look and probably did have the 0.7 carat stones - DH thinks he may have used smaller stones in the remake, to try and recoup his costs of remaking it.

I am extremely upset about this. I haven't even been able to wear the ring for 3 weeks because it cut the sides of my knuckles (separate issue altogether!) and now it seems as though DH did not get what he paid for.

How would you approach this? The jeweler has been a family friend for a long time, and we often see him around the neighborhood. I don't want to go slinging accusations but at the same time there is a very significant price difference between 0.6 and 0.7 carat stones. What should we do?

 

[razzledazzled]

These are some pics of the new ring

 

[razzledazzled]

And the old one

 

[SimoneDi]

I am so sorry about this situation. I hope that you have a receipt of the original purchase. I would take the appraisal and the receipt back to the jeweler and explain the problem. It is possible that the side stones are 70pt. If they were appraised while set, it is hard to get their exact measurements. He might have picked deeper side stones that face-up smaller. Did the original side stones ever come with certificates? 70pt are large enough stones not to have their own GIA/AGS grading reports.
If it can be proven that the jeweler acted dishonestly, I personally would not tolerate this situation and would not want to work with said jeweler again if in fact he did change the side stones. I would just request a full refund and take my business elsewhere. But you said that you are family friends and live in the same neighborhood. It is an awkward situation, but this is your money and your ring and you need to be happy with it. Based on what you said, it doesn't seem that you are fully happy with the reset as well, no I am not sure if you will ever be happy with anything that he creates for you.

Edit: looking at the ring pics, they do seem like the same side stones to me. The prong work on the 1st ring was very bulky which is why I think that you might have perceived the proportions as different, but looking at the pics, I do not think that the side stones are different. This is why we recommend always buying diamonds with certificates. If the diamonds were laser inscribed, it would have been very easy to identify if there are or not in fact the same diamonds.

 

[razzledazzled]

Thank you for your reply. How can I tell if they are in fact 0.6 vs the 0.7 that was paid for? I have a receipt that states 0.7 carat stones would be acquired but no further paperwork. Would they need to be taken out of the setting and weighed/measured? They don't look like particularly deep set stones to me (in the side images) but I am far from an expert.

 

[SimoneDi]

Thank you for your reply. How can I tell if they are in fact 0.6 vs the 0.7 that was paid for? I have a receipt that states 0.7 carat stones would be acquired but no further paperwork. Would they need to be taken out of the setting and weighed/measured? They don't look like particularly deep set stones to me (in the side images) but I am far from an expert.

To accurately weight/measure them, yes, they would need to be taken out of the setting and examined. I do really see them as the same set, but I will let other people chime in as well. If there is a problem, it may not be that he "switched" stones now during the reset, but that he selected smaller than promised/purchased side stones from the beginning. If you believe that he was dishonest, I would first request a detailed description from him, I would say that you need it for insurance purposes. Ask him to include color/cut/clarity/carat/measurement details regarding the side stones. Then, if there is a huge discrepancy, you & your husband can discuss with him the appraisal. He may consider that .65ct is the same as 0.7ct, but there is definitely a price difference. If you don't mind sharing the cost, we can comment on how fair the price was.

 

[Austina]

Is it possible that the side stones are set lower in the reset and that's tricking the eye into making them look smaller?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Honestly, those appear to be the right size sides for your center. I wouldn't want them any larger. It sounds like you didn't get specs on the stone as in graded stones. so he may have just charged you for the new setting and side diamonds as one price. Is that how it was? Do you mind telling us how much he charged for the setting and side stones? What did the appraiser say about the color, clarity, and cut of the side stones?

I think the side diamonds are the same in both rings, too.

 

[HappyNewLife]

Simone's photos made the diamonds look the same, just perhaps set lower down slightly? Without the bulky prongs, the proportions look righT. I'd probably just ask without accusing if they're the identical diamonds to the first pair. And if he's reputable (check yelp), I'd move on. It looks really nice now

 

[rockysalamander]

Using JA...A pair of .6 carat H VS2 GIAXX is $3790. The same specs in .7 each are $4230. I can't see any jeweler, except the shadiest of the shady, risking his reputation over $400. If this is a family friend, then I'd give him the benefit of doubt. The real question is are your happy with the ring now? If yes, wear it in good health and move on. If not, than either deal with the maker again or take it to someone else for repair. FWIW, the proportions look good and I like the prongs redone.

Edited to add: My prices above are retail. Wholesale, the difference is significantly less. But, as PP said, if you really think something shady went on, you'd have to get them weighed on properly calibrated equipment.

 

[razzledazzled]

It says 2 x 0.7 carat stones on the receipt for the original ring. There hasn't been any paperwork submitted with either the 1st or 2nd ring.

There is a significant price difference between a 0.6 and a 0.7 stone, or so the appraiser told me, so my DH is concerned that he has been wrongly charged. The color and clarity on the appraisal match what was agreed, it's just the size that's the issue.

 

[razzledazzled]

(I should note that my DH had a slight issue with this same jeweller before. He bought a necklace that was supposed to be 18k white gold, but was appraised as 14k. My DH believed that it was just an honest mistake and moved on. I guess this has fueled his suspicions)

 

[MissGotRocks]

The stones look the same to me as well. The only real way to tell is to take the side stones out and have them weighed for carat weight. However, depending on the cut of any stone, the diameter can be larger or smaller than average carat weight stones. If I liked the ring, I wouldn't let it bother me too much. If it is the ring that is the problem, that might be another issue. Using the comparison from another poster, the difference in the .60 pair and .70 pair is under $500. Money is money but not sure it is worth dismantling your new ring when they could be the same stones However, that decision would of course be up to you and your husband.

 

[Tourmaline]

Those seem to be the same stones, and the ring is lovely. Estimates of weight while set are not always accurate. I'd leave the issue alone and enjoy the ring.

 

[denverappraiser]

Talk to him about it. Tell him your concern. Show him the report from the appraiser. If he's got a shop, go visit and have him pull the stones and weigh them. It's sort of a pain, but his reputation with a friend and a neighbor is on the line here. If they are wrong, insist he fix it. If he's right, apologize for doubting him, and have it out with that appraiser (you can bet he'll have a few words for the appraiser too).

 

[razzledazzled]

Thanks so much for all the advice. The appraiser told me that the price difference between a 0.6 and 0.7 stone was significantly more than $500, so perhaps she was talking retail vs the jeweler's cost. For such a small amount perhaps it isn't worth ruining a relationship, as he will certainly take any questioning very badly.

I am so sad that I'm not able to wear this ring - he didn't measure my finger before making it and just made it a bit smaller than my engagement ring (so that it wouldn't spin). It is probably my own fault but I ended up with a large cut on the side of my knuckle (it was never painful to get on, but I guess it was too tight). I now have swelling on both sides of the knuckle that may never go down - it almost look like a bone spur has developed on one side. I will have to have the ring re-sized but, from the first design (that didn't work at all) to the current issues and now the appraiser's questions... it's all taken away from my enjoyment of a ring I want to love and wear every day!

I am very grateful for all the advice.