Your thoughts...should I keep this rose cut 5 stone band?

[MarionC]

I bought a band on Etsy and when It arrived I liked it. The middle three diamonds have high crowns and are eye clean, very pretty. Upon closer inspection, two of the smaller diamonds are really quite loose, one of which because it is chipped away where it meets the prong (one of the tiny side stones). The ring is at least 130 years old, so perfection is not to be expected.
However, from the description on Etsy, there was no indication that the ring was not in wearable shape.

The seller said she had no idea the stones were loose (one moves at least 1mm), and offered me a $50 shop voucher, which does not impress me. Actually the ring was so dirty that perhaps the dirt was holding the diamond in place.
I don’t mind keeping the ring, but feel I should leave an unflattering review. Yet, if she really made an innocent mistake, perhaps I should just tell her to be more observant...get her up to PS speed. She is also selling some pretty high end stuff. A five-star shop. Has had 11 sales, but only three reviews, which makes me wonder if others had issues and just didn’t want to leave a bad review.
All speculation of course.

Normally I would not get in a knot over this, but these days I have time. LOL
And under other circumstances I might have just sent the ring back, but it would be a hassle. It took six weeks to get here (from a town only 7 hours away!) which makes me nervous about putting it back in the mail, and anyway, the mailing itself would be a hassle, as I am not prepared to find an open post office in a larger town.

So I am just curious to see what other people would do. Thanks.

 

[AV_]

I would not let go of this ring [it is so 'me' it hurts! - nicely]. It is easier to repair than remake.

The situation is such, that, most likely I would leave no review; the word for the condition might be 'as is'.

 

[1ofakind]

Oh that’s a nice ring!! Perhaps you can offer a review that includes the suggestion that a proper cleaning would have allowed a more accurate description of the condition but that the seller offered some compensation for the discrepancy. That isn’t harsh, IMO...but it will cause other buyers to pay closer attention.

 

[1ofakind]

And just because I can’t help asking....can you please post a hand shot?

 

[missy]

First of all I love the ring and you know I am not crazy about rose cut diamonds in general. But something about this ring is just lovely. Romantic and strong. That's how the ring makes me feel when I look at it.

As for the loose and chipped diamonds that's unacceptable. She sells high end jewelry and ignorance is not an excuse. What could she do that would make this right or better in your eyes? Perhaps more of a refund? If you love the ring I would ask for a bit more of a refund to make it palatable. If she refuses and I wanted to keep the ring I would make sure to leave an honest review to warn others. However if she accepts responsibility and makes it right in your eyes then it's all good.

Anyway I do love this ring and I bet it looks gorgeous on you. Just have to tighten up the loose stones and I am guessing there is no jeweler who can do that for you right now. But hopefully soon.

 

[Rfisher]

Hmmm... I feel much is dependent on how the condition was worded in the Etsy listing, and what questions were asked before purchase.
I detest listings that flat out say ‘see my pictures for condition’ and the pictures are marginal at best. How lazy of them.
Much would depend on if the purchase price was comparable to a like item in refurbished condition?
The voucher to her shop as a consolation, I agree is nothing to get excited about, but it’s common suggestion for small hobby business 101 how to deal with customer complaint. Bleh.
I’d include the cost of getting this ring rehabbed to be safely worn (not replacing the diamond) into heavy consideration. If I would have paid that complete cost to the vendor from the beginning for a wearable ring, I’d keep it.
And leave an honest factual review, not an emotional one.
It’s a lovely ring - I can see why it caught it caught your eye.

PS- if no one has called dibs on your moonstone cab yet, if you ever decide to rehome - me!me!me!
Lol

 

[nala]

I love what I see and want to see more! Post more pics please!

 

[Slickk]

I love what I see and want to see more! Post more pics please!

Ditto this ^ it looks gorgeous!
As for keeping it vs not, it isn’t a commonly found piece and if I loved it, I would keep it. I would ask for a small refund to help pay for the repair. A credit to her shop isn’t really a concession if I have to spend a lot more of my money to use it!
More pics pretty please!

 

[pearaffair]

More pics please?!!

 

[PreRaphaelite]

This thread has special interest for me on a number of levels, from the Rose cut stones to the Selling platform, to the pricing, to the beautiful ring itself.

Stones:
I have a set of 5 rose cuts that I’m still considering how to set. I thought I wanted a ring, so I contacted D Klass and started the ball rolling, but then lost momentum. Now with covid’s incessant hand washing, I’ve tabled the project, and its really nice to see a beautiful rose cut ring like the one you bought! Yet they are an acquired taste and I can imagine they appeal to a smaller (albeit more passionate) market. I suppose that makes them like candied ginger: not easy to find, not as widely available, but when you can get it, it’s divine and satisfies on a different level entirely. I’d love to see pictures Head-on, to get a sense of the clarity (which so far looks amazing).

Platform:
I’m not a pro seller but things I’ve put on Etsy are there for the transaction system that lets buyers have a reliable tracking number and to feel confident in the return process. Otherwise the cost of selling (something like 15% I think?) is a waste. A store credit is a terrible breadcrumb to throw at someone who gives the very great compliment of a purchase. It isn’t something I offer. Maybe if I were a big time seller, I’d offer a store credit in addition to a full refund, by way of apology for wasting someone’s time. Now, THAT would be nice.

Pricing:
I’m very price-sensitive myself and have missed out on or returned items that another person would have found a great (or good Enough) price, because I couldnt justify the cost, even if I love something. I expect other people who buy jewellery to look at the items they buy with a critical eye and decide if the price was fair.

So my next question would be, was the price such that you felt it was good enough/fair/a bargain? If so, keep the ring, and ask the seller to pay a repair shop to add a prong, and if she won’t, then add a review that details the problem as you see it. If she’s a pro, she will try to resolve the conflict. If she’s not a pro (or not at least trying to be) she won’t batt an eye but you may feel unburdened, at least.

Beautiful antiques:
I‘m a sucker for them. Like, gushingly. So if I could get something like your rose cut ring, I consider it a rescue of sorts. Sometimes rescue missions cost more than other missions. But the heart has its reasons. Do you love it, despite its flaws? Or do you love it because of them?

 

[marymm]

For me, a store with only 11 sales and 3 reviews is a chancey thing as opposed to a sure thing ... meaning I guess that I would go into it with special care ... in your case, your inspection of the ring included a thorough cleaning which may well have loosened the smaller end stones ... a number of sellers of antique rings do not clean them prior to resale (both to maintain the patina and probably also to avoid exactly what you encountered ... loosening a setting) ... if it were me, I'd let the vendor know I would accept a $50 refund of the price and include a suggestion that her listings more accurately describe the item including whether it had been cleaned and whether the stone settings had been inspected.

It is a particularly lovely rose-cut band so I do think you have a real find, and not unsurprising there may be some minor issues related to age ... especially with old pieces (and regardless of description) it is always important to check on stone security.

YMMV

 

[MarionC]

Thank you so much for your kind and heartfelt responses.
I love the old stones and thought ...perhaps...to have period-sensitive engraving done on the gold some day. But as it is, a signet-ish band, it is something I have been looking for a long time.

I thought the price was good, about 1k which included the shipping and 20% VAT.

Just miffed that it was my stay-at-home bling treat but cannot be worn. The seller’s photos and description did not indicate any issues.
However, the encouragement here has made a big difference. No matter if it needs repairs, it’s still a nice little piece of history.

Don’t know what I’ll do about the seller. The teacher in me wants to educate her, lol, but I might do myself a favor and just enjoy.

I’ll take more photos at some point and post them!

Thanks, marymm. Good suggestion about asking for a $50 refund instead of store credit.

Ps...candied ginger!! What a great comparison.

 

[tyty333]

Just wanted to say that I really like it...especially that it is old and someone unique IMO. I like the idea of period engraving on the
band someday! Nice find!

 

[Niffler75]

@Jimmianne I think you have a really good find here. The rose cut diamonds are just gorgeous. Gosh it's annoying when something arrived that you've been excited about whether is something unexpected with it.
But in your shoes and on balance for the price you paid I would keep it. I had a similar issue recently with a little online bargain, a blue Tanzanian spinel from a gem collector I know. He had set it and made a hash of it but I kept it as the spinel was a bargain.
I will just get it reset at some point!

 

[CoffeeAndDiamonds]

That ring looks beautiful omg

It is very frustrating when you purchase something expecting it to be wearable, and then the condition is such that it's not. I bought an 18k art deco style ring recently with a couple small diamonds, and one of them popped out when I put it in the ultrasonic. Not ideal, but I bought it cheap and thought it likely that the seller wasn't knowledgeable about jewelry.

I also bought a pair of diamond studs off of ebay once that didn't look as nice in person as they did in the pictures. I thought about returning or asking for a partial refund, but at the end of the day the price I paid was still very fair so I kept them.

Neither of my examples are the same situation as yours, but I think as buyers we do accept some risk when buying off ebay/etsy/etc. I also think it's very reasonable to leave a factual review - it doesn't have to be 'bad'. The question I ask myself is that if the seller had described the condition properly, would I still have purchased it for the list price?

Just my 2c

 

[elizat]

Really lovely Rosies.

But, I would push for a bigger refund. She didn't disclose properly and that's the issue. I would not accept the store credit. I probably would ask for 20 or 25 percent off, knowing the ring needs work and you are coming out if pocket to make it safely wearable.

 

[gregchang35]

It’s a stunning ring- I love it.... I would respectfully request a partial refund v shop credit, as the stones need to be made secure and therefore a cost to have it amended and cleaned.


sorry that you can’t wear it now.