Blue topaz - is this normal??

[Elmorton]

I don't know if this should be in Rocky Talky or here, but I'm thinking here...

So, in January, I ordered a concave cut blue topaz online and then took it to my local jeweler to have set into a pendant. There were a few problems - the first basket we ordered didn't work out, then jeweler was ill and then running behind... so I've been very antsy! I went to pick it up today, and when I arrived, he was just finishing it up, so I waited a few minutes. Upon receiving it, I looked at it and then said "this isn't my stone..."

In my hand, I had a gorgeous topaz pendant, but the stone wasn't concave cut. So the associate I was working with went back to talk to the jeweler, and she came back and said "Yes, he was going to tell you that, but I grabbed it up before he could say something. Your stone had a knick, so he ordered a new one. He didn't notice that it was a concave cut, and he can order you a replacement." I said of course I wanted a replacement, and I also took the existing pendant with me (when the concave cut topaz comes in, they'll switch out the stones).

So...I'm not upset, but very concerned. First of all, this is why people shouldn't use passive voice - I don't understand, was the stone knicked when I gave it to them, or did my jeweler knick it when he was setting it? (I should have asked, but it was one of those things where I was sortof surprised by the whole situation and not thinking clearly). Is blue topaz that fragile? I know it's cheap. I'm thinking my jeweler knicked it, otherwise I can't imagine ordering to replace every imperfect stone that comes into his hands. I just feel like it's strange not to call me or explain the situation during one of the zillion times I came in to check if it was done yet (btw - I've never actually talked to the jeweler - there are basically floor people and then you can see him working in a huge room behind the selling floor). So is this just bad communication between boss and employees?

It's not a Richard Homer concave, but it was a pretty stone. I trust the local jeweler and he does beautiful things with gems (and does work with concave cuts often), but how do I know that the stone will be of the same quality? Since the non-concave one that I have in front of me seems to be a stunner, I mostly trust that the replacement will be as equally gorgeous if not more than the one I initially chose, but I can't help feeling a little bit anxious. Is this normal protocol? Not normal?

The new stone is beautiful...it's just not the stone I gave him to set. I don't know. SO confused. Advice? Thoughts? Questions I should call and ask?

Here's a pic of the new pendant (at work, so I had to take a pic with the cell):

ETA: and here's the link to the original stone - can anyone see if it was knicked to begin with?? https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/tickled-pink-and-blue-concave-cuts.76771/

 

[Kaleigh]

Gosh that''s a shame. I would call and ask. He should have told you ahead of time. Makes me think he nicked it when setting it, but that''s jumping the gun. Call him and ask him. Where was this nick. Upon taking it in, he must have louped it right?? I am just as perplexed as you are.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 2/28/2008 6:04:24 PM
Author: Kaleigh
Gosh that's a shame. I would call and ask. He should have told you ahead of time. Makes me think he nicked it when setting it, but that's jumping the gun. Call him and ask him. Where was this nick. Upon taking it in, he must have louped it right?? I am just as perplexed as you are.

I agree. That just rubs me the wrong way that he didn't say anything, AND took it upon himself to just replace it, WITH the wrong kind of stone cut to boot.

 

[CaptAubrey]

Date: 2/28/2008 5:55:53 PM
Author:Elmorton
Is blue topaz that fragile?

Yes, topaz does indeed have durability issues. Like a lot of minerals, it has a property known as cleavage, which is the ability to break cleanly along crystal structure planes. Strike it hard enough in the right direction and it will split in two.

 

[Elmorton]

Thanks Capt! So, the guess is that he probably did nick it while setting and because topaz is fragile, didn''t want to take any chances with the stone splitting?

Kaleigh and Ellen, I guess that''s the part that bugs me, too. I just feel like he should have called. I mean, there is a reason I picked out the stone I did - I liked it! So even if there isn''t a lot of worth to it (and granted, it wasn''t all that expensive to set, I got a stuller basket and bail), I feel like it''s reasonable that I should have been consulted about even whether a replacement stone should be ordered in the first place, and maybe even where I got it to see if the same person has another, yanno?

But then, given the overall inexpense (total cost less than $200), should I just let it go as it seems that the end result is that I''ll (eventually) have the piece that I wanted in the first place?

 

[planet_jp]

I''m so sorry you''re having this probllem - the project should be fun, not stressful! The story sounds very odd to me. Besides what everyone else said, how could he not notice it was concave cut? Didn''t he look at it before he found a replacement? Sounds like he panicked and wanted to hide the truth from you. Maybe he was worried about his reputation as a jewler. If it were me, I would be more concerned about my reputation as a businessman. I think he should pay for a comparable replacement that you pick out yourself. (I don''t know much about the jewelry business, but that just seems like the right thing to do.) If he switched the stones and didn''t tell you first, he is dishonest and I wouldn''t trust him or use him again.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 2/28/2008 8:28:36 PM
Author: Elmorton
Thanks Capt! So, the guess is that he probably did nick it while setting and because topaz is fragile, didn''t want to take any chances with the stone splitting?

Kaleigh and Ellen, I guess that''s the part that bugs me, too. I just feel like he should have called. I mean, there is a reason I picked out the stone I did - I liked it! So even if there isn''t a lot of worth to it (and granted, it wasn''t all that expensive to set, I got a stuller basket and bail), I feel like it''s reasonable that I should have been consulted about even whether a replacement stone should be ordered in the first place, and maybe even where I got it to see if the same person has another, yanno?

But then, given the overall inexpense (total cost less than $200), should I just let it go as it seems that the end result is that I''ll (eventually) have the piece that I wanted in the first place?

To me, it shouldn''t matter whether it cost $100 or $10,000, the same set of values should apply. I doubt (or at least hope) he wouldn''t have done this with a more expensive stone.

If he comes up with a suitable replacement stone, I guess I''d accept it. Since we don''t know for SURE he chipped it, getting him to pay for it might be tricky....But I would definitely have a talk with him when this is over, explaining the obvious. That he should have called you the minute he "noticed" the chip was there. And to please act accordingly with any future problems, should you ever use him again.

 

[partyjewels]

Date: 2/28/2008 7:21:19 PM
Author: CaptAubrey

Date: 2/28/2008 5:55:53 PM

Author:Elmorton

Is blue topaz that fragile?

Yes, topaz does indeed have durability issues. Like a lot of minerals, it has a property known as cleavage, which is the ability to break cleanly along crystal structure planes. Strike it hard enough in the right direction and it will split in two.

My mother had a beautiful blue topaz ring that she wore every day for as long as I can remember, and a few years back the stone finally split in two just like that. But she had a pretty good run with it, had to have been at least 18 years if not more!

 

[Elmorton]

Planet, thanks for your feedback! I agree - this was a purely fun piece and I was sooo excited to get it back, not so pumped about the stone switch. Here''s my thinking - I really don''t think the jeweler was TRYING to deceive - he specializes in custom pieces and is pretty well-regarded in the community - and his custom work is just gorgeous. He did have a serious illness (as in hospital stay) in the last few weeks, and I think he was just beyond swamped since it''s basically a one-man operation with several "floor" representatives. I too am very, very surprised that he didn''t notice that it was a concave cut, but in the photo that was taken when they took the stone in, you really can''t tell that it''s a concave. So if he nicked it (that''s where my other nervousness comes in - if it was nicked and he didn''t do it and I go in with my guns blazing, he may not be so willing to help, right?) and then had written down to order me a new one and it came in after his illness, I can see how the fact that it was concave could be overlooked....and that''s my rationalization!

But Ellen, your point really hit home with me too - even though my piece was probably the least expensive on the bench, I feel like I deserve the same attention as if this were a mistake with a larger piece. So...that I really can''t rationalize. I think you''re right - I should probably accept the replacement since I''m really unsure what happened and I do want to maintain a good relationship with the jeweler (my wishlist at this place is already a mile long and we''ve only lived here for a few mos!).

Partyjewels, thank you for sharing your mom''s experience! It does make me feel a lot better knowing that these things happen and it''s just the property of the stone. I should probably be glad that he didn''t set the nicked stone because I''d be horrified if it broke! Also gives me a heads up to simply be careful

Thanks everyone for your feedback!!

Attached is a pic of the non-concave pendant - I asked if I could just take it home and have the stones switched out when the concave comes in, and thought that it was pretty cool that they let me take it. I told my husband that while I really, really want a concave cut, it''s going to be hard to part with this one - I really like the color.

Anyway, does anyone have any insight to the quality of this stone? It seems nice to me, but I''m also really new to understanding gemstones. I''m figuring if it''s a well-cut stone, the concave cut replacement will be of similar quality (and then I can just stop fretting about it!!)

 

[Girlrocks]

I love blue topaz and think it''s very beautiful, however I don''t care if it was worth a nickel, I don''t like that no one mention it, and if you didn''t say something, I don''t think they EVER would have mentioned anything about it.

 

[desertgem]

Hi all,

Perhaps it was a management slip not to inform you before, and
I have no idea as to how a replacement was ordered that was
not concave pavilion if the original was. However, on the
nicking of the stone, may I ask if you saw the original stone
after this occurred? If the nick was on the edge, the setter
might deserve some slack as some concave cut stones leave razor
like edges on the girdle. Concave cuts from the far east usually
are cut freehand. In U.S. cutters usually use a special faceting
machine in conjunction with their normal faceting machine, and
can avoid producing the very thin areas.

Also if it was a "native" cut stone, the damage maybe occurred
in trying to fit it in the first setting if it was of the wrong size.

Jim

 

[Harriet]

Can you take more shots?

 

[Elmorton]

Jim, thanks so much for explaining about the different cuts - US vs. far east and how easy it could be for the stone to get nicked/possibly fracture. Since we ordered a different setting for the stone at first (we had a tulip head on it that was actually made for a ring, but apparently it didn''t mesh with the stone''s weight and the pendant would flip to one side, so I chose a plain basket instead), I have a feeling it probably got nicked when it was being put in or taken out of the setting. That makes a lot more sense now. I have a bunch of pics of the original stone, but they''re all face-up - I can''t really see the girdle of the stone in any of the pics, but I think it was pretty thin.

Harriet - more pics of the non-concave pendant or of the original concave stone?

Thanks so much everyone for your help!

 

[Harriet]

The non-concave.

 

[Elmorton]

Sorry for abandoning this thread - but I did want to add a topaz update/semi-conclusion:

1) I''ve since talked to the vendor who sold me the original concave topaz - he kindly set extra photos that showed the thicker girdle on the stone and also explained that it was a machine cut stone in the US. He also explained that topaz can be chipped when being set, as can any gemstone, but agrees that my jeweler mis-handled the situation when not discussing the replacement stone with me. Also, from looking at the photos that I took right before I took the stone in, there aren''t any nicks, so, to clear up any confusion, it is very clear to me that there weren''t any problems with the stone and that my local jeweler "messed up" by nicking or breaking the stone when he was either a) trying to get it out of the first pendant setting or b) trying to put it into the setting. Regardless, something happened and the stone was mishandled by the jeweler.

2)I called the jeweler today, and for once, talked to him rather than the associate. I explained that I''d spoken to the vendor and that he does have an identical stone available and wanted to know if he''d consider using that stone as a replacement. The jeweler said that he''d actually already sent an order for a new stone to be cut, using the cutter whose concaves they carry in the store. The concaves they carry are stunning, so I am not worried about the quality of the replacement stone at all. The jeweler apologized about the situation and thanked me for being patient and understanding.

3)So...I guess the bottom line is that, had I been in the jeweler''s situation, I would have handled things much differently. I am disappointed, because I chose a beautiful stone in the first place and it would have been a lovely pendant, and I''m upset that a fun project got so complicated. But, I guess there''s no use crying over spilled milk. In the end, I will still a beautiful concave cut pendant, even if it''s not the one I initially chose.

Hope to be posting pics soon! Thanks everyone for your help and input.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Elmorton sounds like you have reached a decent conclusion. I have had some similar experiences with my "family" jeweler, and in the end I am not working with him anymore. That is poor business practice. Glad you talked to him about it though, better to get an answer.

DD

 

[Ellen]

Date: 3/18/2008 3:15:34 PM
Author: SanDiegoLady
You handled the situation with great class and grace. Me on the other hand, would have ripped someone a new one, and then some. I''d have been LIVID, how unethical and just plain WRONG.

You deserve to have what you bought.. or to be re-imbursed for the same.

Yeah, I doubt I would have been quite this nice.

El, thanks for updating us, and be sure to make a thread for it when you get it!

 

[Elmorton]

DD, thanks for your comments. Life is too short for drama, and I just wanted to have the quickest resolution, but SDL, you''re right, I probably was too nice - I feel like such a feeble PSer, because I know that I should have been a lot more proactive, but I just don''t want to battle about it - the whole process should have been enjoyable, and I just don''t want to have negative feelings about the piece when it''s finished. What''s done is done, but I sure has hell better be getting some serious preferred customer treatment from now on! He did re-rhodium my e-ring for free, so that''s a start. Ellen, I will be sure to post a new thread when it''s finally finished - ugh, especially after having to wait this long!