CUT CORNER SQUARE MOD. BRILLIANT?

[Savvymon]

Well said diamondseeker! I agree!!!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 12/30/2008 11:16:49 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
No, you should NOT just get over it! You should be able to be HAPPY about your ring. You did not want a radiant and you did not want a princess. I would go back to that place alone and tell them you are not happy and that your fiance did not pick out what you had said you preferred and that you will post either postive or negative feedback on PS depending on whether they give you a refund!!!


He should never have bought anything from a place with no return policy. Is that even legal? I thought all places at least had to give some kind of short return period.


I am terribly sorry this is causing such problems at a time you both wanted to be happy. But the ring issue needs to be fixed now because you''ll only regret it more later if you don''t change it. Tell them if they cannot get some well cut GIA certified asschers in that you insist on a refund. THEN, have them copy the asscher certs for you and provide pictures of the stones and come back and post them here. There are asscher experts who can tell you which is the best, if any.

Ditto to all of that!

Plus, there are plenty of women who wear their rings to bed, and it should NOT be popping out because it got snagged on a pillowcase. That''s shoddy work right there.

Seriously, go in there, and say that you''ve been VERY disappointed in their selection and their customer service, and that they''ve been giving you the runaround considering they don''t have anything you like, don''t have many diamonds that meet your particular (good) standards, and that they''re only interested in foisting another poor performing diamond off on a customer so they can make money. And please say this loudly while other customers are around. And if there are a LOT of people around, I would throw in that they definitely took advantage of your poor fiance''s lack of knowledge and sold him a diamond that was cut way too deep, wouldn''t perform, and then stuck in a crappy setting.

Good luck! I definitely feel for you!

 

[vespergirl]

I would ask them to order some stones from the warehouse that follow your specs. I know that two weeks sounds like a long time, but a lifetime is a REALLY long time to have to look at a ring that you don''t like. I know that they do get some decent stones at the Jewelry Exchange, so they should be able to get in some stones that you like, even if they don''t have them at your location. They are a national company, so they should be able to get more stones for you to look at from other locations.

I''m sorry for you that this has turned into such a debacle.

I will say, though, that personally, I LOVE princess solitaires, and I''m sure that your new ring is lovely, so maybe you can post some pics?

 

[aprileubanks]

I just took some photos of the new setting and will post some of the old one as well.

Here's a link to photos of the first diamond and setting - http://picasaweb.google.com/april.eubanks/OldSetting?authkey=I9pppCQs2l4&feat=directlink

Here's a link to photos of the second diamond and V-prong setting - http://picasaweb.google.com/april.eubanks/VProng?authkey=IhvVitOLGic&feat=directlink

All that we know about the new diamond is that it's .75 carats about a G or H in color and SI1. We don't know if that's in fact true because, you guessed it, no certificate. Now, before you beat me up, I didn't KNOW it didn't have a certificate... I incorrectly assumed that ALL of their diamonds had EGL US certs. I watched her take over a dozen diamonds out - each of them with certs. In all of the flurry, we chose the one that didn't have one. Didn't realize it until we were about 15 minutes away and I was looking through all of the claim receipts and papers and realized we didn't have the cert. We drove back and she informed us that we didn't have one on this diamond and would have to get an independent appraisal.

She took 15% off of the diamond, didn't charge for the labor and stuck to her guns about not giving the money back. I'm not good with tantrums in public, I just stood there and cried and eventually went out to the car from a coughing fit. I didn't have the energy for any of this - since I have bronchitis right now.

We were at the Jewelry Exchange in Sudbury, MA, he lives near Lowell, around 45 minutes away... I live in Chicago and will return home on Sunday. The plan - after many tears and much conversation last night - is that I will take all of this back home with me and go to the JExchg in Villa Park. A helluva drive from my home, and try to work it out.

Though I'm not one for public tantrums (I admire those who have the ire to manage them b/c they typically work), but I AM one for follow-up (letters of formal complaint to the state consumer complaints and mediation services, BBB filings, letters to corporate, etc). It's definitely not over.

The new diamond is pretty. The first one was pretty. I think all diamonds are pretty... But I don't want to look at my engagement ring and feel sad about it. I don't like feeling FORCED into something so special. Over time, I'm sure I would get used to it and not think about it, but that's not the story I want to think about. Last night he said something that made a lot of sense and made me feel 100 times more positive about the situation. He said my e-ring is a symbol of how he feels about me and I should be proud and happy to wear it. And I want to be able to wear it happily. My fiance is a very sweet and genuine guy and is very very upset by all of this and I feel better now that I have his buy-in and we're working together on it.

 

[hoofbeats95]

I think going to another store is a great idea! Maybe they will have something that you like better. I like the second ring better than the first. I have a princess about the same size (.72) and it''s in a solitaire setting. But mine is called a V-prong too and looks nothing like yours. My first head looked like yours does and I didn''t like it. They called it a basket head or something like that. This link shows my ring: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/here-is-my-ering.102935/ Though I''m having probs with my diamond not looking square. I''ve decided to suck it up and leave it alone. I LOVE my diamond but not the "ring". Nice huh? Takes the happiness off of the engagement. But I went through similar stuff that you are going through and I''m worn out. I will just live with the crookedness. Keep us posted on what happens when you go home! Maybe you should call the store before driving there and ask to talk to the manager. Explain what is going on and see if they can help you.

 

[jstarfireb]

The new diamond and setting certainly look beautiful! Looks a lot whiter than the old stone to me. And a 1ct stone that faces up smaller than a 0.75 of the same/similar cut won''t do, so you certainly ended up with a better buy. Such a shame about the certificate though...they really should tell you these things up front. Regardless of the cert and smaller carat weight, it''s a lovely stone! But I understand if it''s not what you want. Definitely see what the other store has and what they can order in for you.

An idea for when you go back...I know you''re a fan of Asschers, but they can be difficult to find, and particularly well cut ones can take a lot of searching. Since you don''t have that luxury, it might be easier for you to find a beautiful emerald cut diamond. That would retain the step cut look, but it would be rectangular instead of square. If the JE only uses EGL certs, try to find one that''s EGL-USA certed as opposed to EGL-Israel or EGL-Europe. Their grading tends to be more accurate on color and clarity. Good luck!

 

[hoofbeats95]

Date: 12/31/2008 12:39:13 PM
Author: jstarfireb
And a 1ct stone that faces up smaller than a 0.75 of the same/similar cut won''t do, so you certainly ended up with a better buy.

Whoa! I missed that the first stone was a 1 carat! Dang. Good thing you got rid of that. Agreed the second stone looks much whiter. I love princess cuts, so of course I see nothing wrong with it other than the lack of cert. I can''t believe the no return policy. I''m still in shock. I wonder how many guys buy an ering from there to surprise their girl and then are in the same boat as you. What a risk!

 

[vespergirl]

I just want to say that I think that your new ring is beautiful. If you''re not in love, though, it''s worth it to go to the store near you & look at more stones. Good luck!

 

[aprileubanks]

Date: 12/31/2008 1:08:03 PM
Author: hoofbeats95

Date: 12/31/2008 12:39:13 PM

Author: jstarfireb

And a 1ct stone that faces up smaller than a 0.75 of the same/similar cut won''t do, so you certainly ended up with a better buy.

Whoa! I missed that the first stone was a 1 carat! Dang. Good thing you got rid of that. Agreed the second stone looks much whiter. I love princess cuts, so of course I see nothing wrong with it other than the lack of cert. I can''t believe the no return policy. I''m still in shock. I wonder how many guys buy an ering from there to surprise their girl and then are in the same boat as you. What a risk!

Yes - the first was a 1.01 and cost over 1000 more... So we have a better deal. It''s mostly eye clean - with a small cloud in one of the corners... Just no cert. *sigh*

Their "store credit only" return/exchange policy was definitely posted and in full legal compliance with MA state law. No loophole there.

I''m not sure what will happen at the Villa Park location - but we''ll see. I''ll keep everyone posted. Thanks for the feedback and giving me a chance to "vent"

 

[NeverEndingUpgrade]

april, your new stone is beautiful, but nothing like the Asscher you originally wanted. Are you thinking of asking about Asschers at the new store location you will be visiting?

 

[aprileubanks]

Date: 12/31/2008 2:36:18 PM
Author: NeverEndingUpgrade
april, your new stone is beautiful, but nothing like the Asscher you originally wanted. Are you thinking of asking about Asschers at the new store location you will be visiting?

Thank you

I will be looking for asschers at the new location... We had another talk today about the entire situation and I think that, if I can''t find what I want within a reasonable time frame - we''ll look into "other" options...

 

[NeverEndingUpgrade]

Yeah! I hope it works out!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

April, I wish you the best of luck in getting a ring you love! Please let us know what happens when you visit the JE in your area!

 

[Dreamer_D]

April, your new stone is lovely and seems nicer than the first. With fancies, much is in the "eye of the beholder" anyways, so perhaps if you cannot exchange it for something that makes your heart sing, you can learn to appreicate this stone for what it is and get something you love later on? You are not the only PSer to spend money on diamonds pre-PS and then find out it was a mistake for various reasons (overpaid, quality, taste changed etc). I too have some diamonds like that, sidestones in a three-stone ring. But I eventually got the ideal RB that I wanted and I will be upgrading over the years

, and I have just let go of the fact that I could have gotten a better deal on the first set of diamonds. They are not perfect, but they are pretty and I love them too!

Good luck, keep us posted!

 

[aprileubanks]

UPDATE: I went to Jewelry Exchange in Villa Park (Chicago area)... My sister took me on the hour and 20-minute drive to the store and we were the first people there when they opened. I called ahead and knew they had no asschers/sq emeralds that would be in the right price range...

The manager was very helpful and apologetic but that location didn''t have any diamonds that were certified AND (1)something near what I was looking for (square shapes) (2)were in budget and (3)worth buying. The quality certified stones they had were significantly more expensive and the others were just very sad-looking (lots of blemishes)... So I was leveled to selecting from the non-certified stones. I decided on a pretty VS1, 1.02 radiant (for $3200) that I can''t admit to being very enthused about - but it is pretty. With it being a bit warmer than I''d like in color (they say it''s K - but I think it''s more M) and not really what I was looking for in it''s dimensions, and again - no certificate (meaning I would have to get it appraised to find out if it''s any of what they claimed), I can''t say that I was exactly happy.

The manager was SUPER nice, knowledgeable, patient and funny. Once we found a stone and the manager told me they could have the ring ready by 5pm, I actually felt ok about things for a little while. So, we hung out in the area... for 5 hours - to avoid the drive back and forth. Went shopping, had lunch, moseyed about...



4:58 pm.
We head back to JE to pick up the ring but they weren''t finished... So we waited patiently for about 40 minutes. I had some credit leftover and picked out a pair of "Manager''s Special" earrings. All seems well as they tell us repeatedly - it''ll just be a few more minutes.

5:40-ish.
They bring my ring out -- and the setting is crooked. VERY crooked. When I saw it, I got upset and had to calm myself. Since I didn''t have to pay for the labor (b/c he threw that in for customer satisfaction) I seriously considered just taking somewhere else for proper repair - because it just hasn''t been worth it to work with JE. I send a text to my Hunny... He was not pleased.


So, to sum up our experience with JE - we can''t get the money back, can''t get the ring set properly and can’t get a certified stone for a reasonable price from them. It''s just been rough.

So, I called and discussed it with my fiancé and told him he would have to handle this because I can''t deal with it any more.

We''ve gone to the highest power at Jewelry Exchange (calling corporate) but they are sticking to their guns and won''t give a cash refund. They''ve repeatedly given us shoddy work, diamonds that are overpriced for their value -- and all of this with NO satisfaction. Today I''ll be filing a complaint with the BBB and perhaps the process will help us figure out what we will be able do about this ring.



Meanwhile...

He gave me the green light to order something from James Allen.

I looked at the asschers and also scoured through the emeralds to find some with more square proportions and found this stone that looks beautiful to me and it puts me under budget - even with the band (a simple 2mm platinum band) http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?find=1&cid=130&item=1203568

Let me know your thoughts... We ordered it already - but I would like to hear everyone''s feedback on the diamond(or suggestions for another diamond).

I''m really excited!

 

[ociopia]

What a complex story. I feel for you, truly. Years ago, my ex and I were on a cruise. We stopped in Cozumel and looked at diamonds. Not "seriously," just looking. I found a princess that I thought was very pretty. I had never paid any real attention to diamonds and was ignorant, uninformed and just ridiculously naive. He was about triple that. I thought we were playing a game of "if I were going to have a diamond, what would I have?" I already had a gorgeous emerald wedding ring.

For Christmas 3 weeks later, I opened a present and there was a princess diamond. Now can I explain how I knew, in one heartbeat, that this was NOT the princess that I had picked out?

Very long and sad story later, we could do nothing about the fact he had bought the wrong one and that it was written up to be an SI1 and appraised as an I2 and was worth quite a bit less than he had paid. Went thru American Express, the cruise line, all of it.

I hate the ring, primarily because it seems tainted in an emotional way. I was hugely angry with my husband for not getting the one I chose, though in reality if he had said to me he was going to get me a diamond, I would have gone home and started really researching diamonds. I have really never worn it. We are now divorced. I gave the ring to my adult daughter who loves it.

Kind of makes me sound like a spoiled brat, doesn''t it? But diamonds are more than a gorgeous precious stone, they are a symbol. An extraordinary symbol. As are rings. Rings and swords. They are embedded in our unconscious and play out in our folklore, like Excaliber in King Arthur and like the Ring in Lord of the Rings. Never underestimate their unconscious or archetypal strength. You must let your heart open and sing to what it really wants.

The GOOD NEWS is - that princess diamond led me to Pricescope. And I started reading and reading and listening and learning and fell madly in love with diamonds. And now I realize that my "eye" is pretty darn good and the fact that I looked for 5 minutes at a ring in a store and three weeks later could take one look at another princess of the same size and say, "this is not the same ring is it?" is probably an indication of why I love diamonds.

That brings up a thought. Did you fiance pay cash or with a credit card? Since your ring has a "faulty" setting and came out of it, maybe your credit card company will help you make them give you back your money?

My own experience and the others who have spoken here, says, "do not even consider keeping a stone that you do not absolutely love." Otherwise, you''ll spend the next "whatever" number of years wishing you had another stone and eventually getting rid of the one you have. And you''ll be resentful. A waste of time and energy and love. Spend the time now, wind yourself up or get yourself an advocate, and then you can "let go" when you have the one you want and enjoy the stone of your heart''s desires.

 

[aprileubanks]

Sherry,

That story definitely made me feel sad. But I am happy you''ve come to some peace about the situation.

My fiancé used credit he had with them. So we''re doubly stuck. The first setting was faulty - but it was replaced... Now we''re just dealing with poor smithwork. I''m happy though, that he understood my angst, and we shopped for another ring -- TOGETHER.

I think through this, he feels as badly as I do. I felt so sad to hear him say "I really screwed this up, I''m so sorry"

So few people will admit when they''ve done something (unintentionally or otherwise) that hurts someone else. He thought he was making a good decision.

But we''ve both learned much more about each other through this process. I realized how much he wants me to be happy. One of the things he keeps telling me is how he underestimated this process of purchasing, presenting, me wearing HIS ring and my happiness with the ring are so very important to him. He also realized some things about me (that I won''t share here

) that came up during our talks... We never thought something so symbolic could be so complicated and SO IMPORTANT to both of us!

It''s been a cathartic process.

 

[ociopia]

Your reply tells me that this process has strengthened your relationship, your communication and your bond. So in the end, it isn''t about the ring after all and that is lovely. You''ve each been challenged to learn more about yourselves and the significant other and you''ve learned things that have made you deepen your love. I''m happy for you. An auspicious beginning.

 

[vespergirl]

Hey there, I''m really glad that you''ll be getting a ring you love from James Allen - they do great work, you are going to LOVE your new ring.

What are you planning to do with the diamond from the JE? Can you exchange it for a blingy diamond wedding band, or maybe even some diamond studs? I have diamonds studs that are just "good" cut, G I1, but they are big and they sparkle like mad, and I love them. I think that for a pedant, earrings or bracelet it''s totally fine to go with somewhat lower quality diamonds, but for an ering I can understand wanting a perfect diamond. Let us know what you decide, and please post pics of your new ring once you get it!

 

[aprileubanks]

Well - we''re on a budget. There''s a move to pay for, I''m going to grad school, we need to get married next year.... So we''re hoping that we''ll be able to buy a single stone that''s worth trying to sell elsewhere to help recoup some of the money.

I''d love to have some other jewelry - but I don''t think I want to buy anything else from them. I hope I can have a blingy wedding band - but we''ll see. We won''t be buying wedding bands until next year.

 

[MustangGal]

Unfortunatly, you''ll only get 30-50% back trying to resell any type of diamonds or jewellery. You''re better off using the money towards wedding bands, you''ll have to purchase them at some point anyway, it wouldn''t hurt to have them a little early.

 

[NeverEndingUpgrade]

April, your new stone is very pretty! How about making your new radiant into a pendant?

 

[aprileubanks]

The new ring arrived today! I love it!
It''s almost perfect... though I would like a band with a little more width in the band and a little more height in the setting.

Emerald Cut
Measurements: 5.99 x 5.53 x 3.54 mm

Carat Weight: 1.01
Color Grade: J
Clarity Grade: VS1

Depth: 64.0 %
Table: 65 %
Girdle: Slightly Thick to Thick
Culet: Very Small
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Fluorescence: Strong Blue

Pictures will be uploaded shortly!
I''ll attach a few photos.

 

[aprileubanks]

 

[aprileubanks]

 

[aprileubanks]

 

[aprileubanks]

 

[aprileubanks]

 

[got2goldens]

WOW...I''ll bet you are a happy girl now!

Kat

 

[tyty333]

I lovveee your new ring. Its beautiful!