what would you do?

[MMtwo]

Hello,
I have a beloved platinum 1.20ct tension mount by-pass ring that I purchased only 2 months ago from a mall store (see pic - before it was sized). Just fell in love with the style of the ring. When I purchased the ring, I also purchased an extended warranty.
I sent it away to be sized and it returned with the central stone loose.
I sent it back again and they returned it with a a pit in the side. It also looks like they may have used glue in the tension mount.
A jeweler friend said it looks like a casting defect uncovered when they buffed the ring out after repair.

Now I have a 3 choices:

A. I can return it to the mall store and have their "repair" people work on it again. I am leery because I am not feeling very comforatable that they "missed" the open hole in the prong - and that they used glue as an added reinforcement on the mounting grooves. they have offered to send it back again for more "work".

B. Let my friend (who works at a high end shop) fix it correctly, and have the prongs remolded completely (about 500.00). While I know it will be done correctly, I then will have voided the warrenty provided by the maill store.

C. Return the ring and find something else. Not a great option because I adore this ring and design, and doubt I can touch another one on my budget (this ring was on clearance).

 

[MMtwo]

Another picture of the ring. the "hole" on question is just underneath the flat bars holding the ring on the outside. It is about the size of a peice of pepper, and one cannot see how deep it goes.

 

[MMtwo]

Sorry, trying to put the 2nd picture up

 

[Lula]

It is a beautiful ring, and it looks great on your hand.

I would get a refund from the store for your extended warranty only. Tension rings are notoriously difficult to size and they have demonstrated to you that they are not competent to do the work. So the warranty they sold you is not worth the paper it's written on, imo.

Don't take no for an answer; if they give you a hard time, tell them that they either refund your warranty money, or you'll have no choice but to return the entire ring (for cash not store credit) and they'll not only lose a sale but you'll report them to the better business bureau.

If the store manager is a do-do bird, ask for the number of their regional/national office. Keep repeating what you want to as many "managers" as you need to. Often the regional managers of these stores are much more accommodating than the local manager, in my experience.

After you've got your money back for the warranty, take the ring to your friend and have it sized correctly -- it's worth the money to have it done right

ETA: Think about it this way, since the ring was on clearance, it's doubtful that they want it back to have to try and sell again, and they can't really sell it in the conditions it's in right now with the glue and the hole. They have every reason to want to make you happy and get that ring out of their sight!

 

[elle_chris]

Tension rings can not be resized, without screwing up the integrity of the ring. Whoever''s telling you they can be is flat out lying. That said, I can''t see the side of the ring clearly and you keep saying "prongs" (tension settings don''t have prongs), so I''m not sure if this is a true tension ring?

 

[MMtwo]

Sorry, not sure if it is a true tension ring. By prong, I meant the two "slabs" that rise up and hold the ring. the inside has two groves that ''catch" the shoulder of the rings. I do not know if this is pressurized to hold the ring in like a true tension mount.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I am afraid you may have continual problems with this, and if you can return it, I''d certainly do it. The glue aspect is a real red flag!!!! My only regrets about jewelry in the past was settling for lesser quality than I should have. It doesn''t matter so much for inexpensive things, but I wouldn''t take the chance on an expensive piece like this. Sorry!