Very Stressed -- Ring Mishapen, Bad Sizing

[newringpurchaser]

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a beautiful engagement ring from a reputable jeweler with a band modelled after David Yurman's infinity band with two crossing bands. I was careful to tell the Jeweler i wanted 6.5 size, even bringing another ring to him that my now-fiance wears regularly. On the day I proposed, the ring was wayyy too small. Fortunately, another jeweler was open nearby. He measured it at 5.5, and offered to "stretch the metal." He got it to a size that fits. But he did so by flattening the bottom (with a hammer, according to my original jeweler). I took it back to the original jeweler, who claims to have "salvaged" the ring. I'm not sure I'm satisfied. Frankly, it's not round anymore. The bottom flattens out, so it doesn't look like a perfect triangle, although the top looks fine, obviously. The the bottom of the band is now thinner the top. I know you can't answer questions precisely without knowing everything, but I appreciate any feedback:

(1) Can the thinner bottom band (after being hammered) present structural problems?

(2) Is it reasonable to ask the original jeweler to recast the diamond? He's very accommodating. He spent all day fixing it today. But, at the end of the day, his error led to my mistake of taking it a bad jeweler. It's obviously very important that the ring fit on the proposal day, and it didn't.

(3) If he refuses, how much of a cost would I be looking at to recast it?

 

[tyty333]

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a beautiful engagement ring from a reputable jeweler with a band modelled after David Yurman's infinity band with two crossing bands. I was careful to tell the Jeweler i wanted 6.5 size, even bringing another ring to him that my now-fiance wears regularly. On the day I proposed, the ring was wayyy too small. Fortunately, another jeweler was open nearby. He measured it at 5.5, and offered to "stretch the metal." He got it to a size that fits. But he did so by flattening the bottom (with a hammer, according to my original jeweler). I took it back to the original jeweler, who claims to have "salvaged" the ring. I'm not sure I'm satisfied. Frankly, it's not round anymore. The bottom flattens out, so it doesn't look like a perfect triangle, although the top looks fine, obviously. The the bottom of the band is now thinner the top. I know you can't answer questions precisely without knowing everything, but I appreciate any feedback:

(1) Can the thinner bottom band (after being hammered) present structural problems?
Yes

(2) Is it reasonable to ask the original jeweler to recast the diamond? He's very accommodating. He spent all day fixing it today. But, at the end of the day, his error led to my mistake of taking it a bad jeweler. It's obviously very important that the ring fit on the proposal day, and it didn't.
Do you mean recast the ring? Yes, if he made it in the wrong size then he should remake it. You really should have taken it back to
the guy who made it to fix it but I understand her wanting to wear it (now).
(3) If he refuses, how much of a cost would I be looking at to recast it?
A picture is worth a thousand words. Does the ring have stones on it? Is it all metal? Without seeing a picture it would only
be a guess. I think your jeweler should remake it free of charge. He screwed up.

 

[Karl_K]

Can't say anything about the structural integrity of the ring without seeing it.

Once you have someone else work on it the original vendor is not liable for anything.
If he does anything for you it will be because he wants the good PR and the possibility of repeat business.
I would talk to him about your concerns and see what he offers.
Legally he could charge full price to remake it.

 

[Karl_K]

That was my trade members reply but as a consumer I say...
Dang that stinks, you did mess up having someone else work on it but since he messed up the size he should remake it in the right size at no charge.

 

[WinkHPD]

That was my trade members reply but as a consumer I say...
Dang that stinks, you did mess up having someone else work on it but since he messed up the size he should remake it in the right size at no charge.

I am glad I am not the guy who made the ring, but I have to say that by taking it to someone else who butchered the ring you deprived him of the chance to fix it correctly.

He may be legally correct in saying. "No Way Jose" but he will find it is NOT the way to earn future business.

I do think though, that you need to have this conversation with him, then have this conversation with us. We can only guess at what he will do and what we think he should do. I would like, as a vendor, to see the actual vendor have a chance to do what is right before we warm up the tar and gather the feathers.

Wink

 

[distracts]

While the original jeweler was at fault for getting the size wrong, you compounded the problem by taking it somewhere else to get it fixed rather than just waiting until the original jeweler was open. Quite frankly, I'm not sure what to do. I would talk to the original jeweler but BE POLITE. By resizing the ring elsewhere, you just messed up the original jeweler's chances of fixing it perfectly or reselling the 5.5 size ring in perfect condition, which would have been the best ways for him to fix or remake your ring. I would approach him by expressing that you are still dissatisfied with how it looks, know you were in the wrong for taking it elsewhere to get sized but just wanted it to fit right then and didn't know anything could go wrong, and want to know what you can do to get the perfect ring and if it needs to be remade and how much that would cost. I wouldn't bring up getting it remade for free - I'd let him tell you what the cost of that would be, and if he's not offering it for free I'd request a discount seeing as how it was sized wrongly to begin with. I'm really sorry this happened - it really sucks to not have exactly what you thought you were getting and no clear path to fixing it!

I have no idea what your ring looks like (pictures are always helpful) but it might be that this is a problem that could be fixed by reshanking, rather than remaking the whole thing. Dunno.

 

[newringpurchaser]

Thank you for these responses. They are encouraging. I appreciate it. I of course plan to talk to the jeweler about it, and I have no reason to suspect he'll be unaccommodating, so I'll block the tar for now.

I just needed information on what is customary in the industry in case he pushes back. The most difficult aspect of navigating this information is the information asymmetry and the effectiveness of a smooth salesperson that allays your concerns, when the should still exist.

I plan to take the ring to an impartial jeweler, and get her opinion. Then, I'll approach my guy about what I want.

 

[WinkHPD]

Thank you for these responses. They are encouraging. I appreciate it. I of course plan to talk to the jeweler about it, and I have no reason to suspect he'll be unaccommodating, so I'll block the tar for now.

I just needed information on what is customary in the industry in case he pushes back. The most difficult aspect of navigating this information is the information asymmetry and the effectiveness of a smooth salesperson that allays your concerns, when the should still exist.

I plan to take the ring to an impartial jeweler, and get her opinion. Then, I'll approach my guy about what I want.

There is no real customary. It depends on the jeweler and his dedication to customer service. There is no such thing as an impartial jeweler in the same town, they are all competitors. I truly believe you are better off talking with your guy first, then if his answer is unsatisfactory you at least know what he is thinking. You are putting whoever you go to in an uncomfortable position of trying to nicely tell you what they think without really knowing all of the facts and also who is likely a competitor of the jeweler you made the original purchase from.

If your current jeweler is a stand up champion, you then can praise him highly. If he is a stand by the rules and you forfeit all rights by taking it somewhere else guy, then you can curse him highly, even if legally he is within his rights. It is my opinion, that you owe him the chance to stand on his merits before you talk with others about what he should do. Once you know his position, then you can bargain with him or leave him as you see fit, but he deserves that first chance. Just my opinion, of course. I know I would want you to come to me first if I had been the maker of your ring. I would feel a strong obligation to make things right if I had made it the wrong size, and I am guessing he might as well, if you give him a chance.

Wink

 

[OECsareforLovers]

I agree that you just need to talk to the original vendor. On the one hand he should have made it the correct size. But on the other hand, your mistake of taking it somewhere else, may have irrevocably damaged the ring. In the case that the second vendor ruined the ring should the original vendor really be made responsible for that? If this situation played out with a Tiffany ring, they would tell you to take a long walk...

At any rate, I second Distracts advice to be polite, this is not the time to threaten with bad reviews.

 

[MollyMalone]

It's such a shame the 2nd jeweler did not decline to re-size the obviously custom ring; he should have redirected you back to the jeweler who created it -- with the explanation that were he to work on it, that would most likely imperil any warranty or recourse you might have with the original jeweler. (Plus, I'm wondering why a pro apparently didn't have any reservations about stretching that ring a full size bigger by hammering at it)