Did my jewelers do this kinda wrong?

[beaujolais]

You may remember that my local jeweler, who has a great benchperson, has counter help that sometimes makes me go hmmm . . .

What do you think about this?

I just dropped off a pair of martini stud settings and a pair of sapphires to be set into them. Counter person pours the 2 sapphires into the little plastic bag that contains the settings. I then requested that we put the sapphires into a separate bag so they don't get scratched by the settings. Yes, I know sapphires don't scratch much but still. Was their procedure correct or not that much? (Probably best if the sapphires were in separate plastic bags or is that overkill?)

They would likely pour two small sphenes into the plastic bag w. the settings and not think twice. They would then most likely insist that the sphenes were peridot or brown topaz or something.

Thanks all.

 

[davi_el_mejor]

UGH!

You should have slapped their hand and did a disappointed face.

Now you know to bring them in their own separate baggies stapled to the baggie with the settings.

 

[minousbijoux]

I would think that to play it safe, any jeweler would work with their staff to create a standard operating procedure where things are automatically separated! Sheesh.

 

[beaujolais]

Oh, I had an extra little plastic bag, so I asked if I could separate the stones from the setting so they don't get scratched. Oy. Are the two little sapphires o.k. to put together in the same bag, in your opinion?

Thanks again.

 

[pregcurious]

Maybe next time put the sapphires in separate zip lock bags, and put both bags in one bigger bag. That way all will stay together.

 

[Agneau]

Ahh, yeah I definitely would have cringed to see that happen. It seems as if counterperson really hasn't thought about the idea of the metals/sapphires hardness and how they could possibly affect each other. Maybe it's not a HUGE deal but I definitely would have said something like you did, explain my reasoning and then maybe the counterperson's eyes would awake with realization.

They should be okay though, they probably won't be jostled around too much.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Platinum won't scratch the sapphires, as it is only a 4 or 4.5 Moh. However, the two sapphires can chip each other, specially if they are poured and the baggie is carried vertically (it should stay horizontal). I would be more concerned about the two stones together than the setting.

 

[chrono]

I would prefer to have the stones in a padded gem case with the setting in a plastic baggie, taped to the case.

 

[Euphony]

The metal will not harm sapphire, and it is not uncommon to group stones in baggies if they are the same material, depending on their size, so I don't think there is actually a high degree of danger there either. A lot of pairs and melee are bought that way, and if they aren't being shipped or roughly handled it isn't a big deal.

They really didn't do anything I would consider dangerous to your stone, it is just bad customer service to not take special care to make a customer feel secure. It isn't what would normally be done, however, because the settings can get scuffed up. So in conclusion, the counter help is dumb, but not dangerously so in this instance.

 

[marcy]

I cringe every time a store does that to my jewelry too. If I see they are going to drop more than one ring in a bag I ask them to wrap them for me.

 

[gsellis]

Actually.... The stones can scratch the setting... But that is a quick fix. A bag in a bag would have been better, but well handled, there is nothing really bad here. After the setting, the settings would get a quick polish and micro scratches would be gone anyway.

BTW, I tumble my non-sensitive stones in silver in steel shot for 2 hours. It hardens the setting and gets a great shine. Then a quick touch with Zam if I don't have to work it out of some nook or cranny. But I don't set professionally either, so take it or leave it.

 

[LD]

As the forum risk taker I will tell you that on a number of occasions I've put a stone and empty setting in the same plastic bag and taken to the setters! Nothing has ever scratched. If I think about it I will throw some padding around the stone but there have been occasions where I haven't.

 

[periwinklegirl]

My jeweler would slap my hand for doing something like that! She's taught me to always thread earrings together so nothing can get scratched.
Have you thought of following up with the owner?

What if they had been tanzanites?