Help needed!!! --- Is the setting problematic?

[wubu]

Hi all, I received my new Paraiba cab ring yesterday. At the first sight, I was happy to see the ring. However, upon closer inspection, I found that the setting is poorly made: 1. I specified the prongs to be sharp eagle claws but they are just basic prongs; 2. The prongs have split ends (see highlights on the photos); 3. The edge of the prongs are rough and unpolished, completely an eyesore. Do you think these are common with ring settings or they are not acceptable? I reached out to the seller and they were apologetic and offered to take the stone out and re-set it. But my concern is that the stone is included and re-setting may pose a risk of cracking the stone. Should I live with it or should I get it reset?


In addition, the setting was a semi-mount for 8mm cushion stone, but I paid extra for a custom option that fits 8.5mm cushion which is the size of my stone. However, the stone seems to be bigger than the setting by a sizable margin, as you can see around the edge. This may also explain why the prongs are not curving naturally but they fold in a funny way. Is this normal or am I paranoid in thinking that the seller used the pre-made 8mm setting instead of customizing the setting to 8.5mm? I have this doubt because the seller never showed me the CAD or anything that proves a custom design. They only updated me that " The CAD is done and approved", without showing me any CAD. Shouldn't CADs be approved by customers? I didn't read too much into these signs because this was my first custom ring design and I knew nothing back then. Do you think that I was taken advantage of in this case or I am just overreacting? Any guidance is greatly appreciated!

 

[Polyhex]

There's a safety issue with the setting, four of the diamond baguette sharp corners extend out from the metal and are hence not protected on any side.

 

[LD]

Oh my word that is really awful workmanship. I hate to say this but is there another problem as well? Can you see in photo 1 it looks like there's a piece of metal on the left hand side. Not sure if that's part of the ring and the angle looks strange in the photo but there's a crack in that too. Look just to the left of the baguette.

Honestly you need a good jeweller to sort that out. The prongs are reasonably simple to sort out but the sizing and the baguettes having over the edge of the metal are not. I'm honestly not sure what a jeweller will recommend. Did you buy the setting separate from the stone?

I've marked some other issues too - is the baguette bottom left already chipped?

 

[wubu]

There's a safety issue with the setting, four of the diamond baguette sharp corners extend out from the metal and are hence not protected on any side.

Your point is spot on! I wasn't aware of this issue until just now my middle finger was almost cut when the ring rotated that way. This is really a design flaw that I didn't think of, and it is absolutely more serious than bad-looking prongs because it can hurt me or others... Thank you for your insightful comments.

 

[LD]

Can I ask was this a semi mount you wanted adjusting? You don’t normally get CADs unless it’s a bespoke setting. If they told you there were CADs then I think they may have been stretching the truth. The problem is that these issues (with a proper CAD are unlikely to be there). Can you get a local jeweller to take your stone out and then send back the semi mount for a refund.

 

[wubu]

Oh my word that is really awful workmanship. I hate to say this but is there another problem as well? Can you see in photo 1 it looks like there's a piece of metal on the left hand side. Not sure if that's part of the ring and the angle looks strange in the photo but there's a crack in that too. Look just to the left of the baguette.

Honestly you need a good jeweller to sort that out. The prongs are reasonably simple to sort out but the sizing and the baguettes having over the edge of the metal are not. I'm honestly not sure what a jeweller will recommend. Did you buy the setting separate from the stone?

I've marked some other issues too - is the baguette bottom left already chipped?

Thank you so much for pointing out these issues! The metal part in Photo 1 is only dirt that messes up the photo. But you are right that it may be tricky to correct the prongs given the setup.

Yes, I bought the stone and ring setting from separate vendors.

Without a magnifying device, it is hard for me to tell if the baguette bottom left is chipped. But no matter what, the exposed baguette edge is a safety concern.

 

[wubu]

Can I ask was this a semi mount you wanted adjusting? You don’t normally get CADs unless it’s a bespoke setting. If they told you there were CADs then I think they may have been stretching the truth. The problem is that these issues (with a proper CAD are unlikely to be there). Can you get a local jeweller to take your stone out and then send back the semi mount for a refund.

Yes, I bought this setting as a semi-mount, and paid extra to have a "custom" size that fits the stone.
I haven't used any local jeweler because this was literally my first ring design. Plus, finding and visiting a local jeweler is not an option for me given the pandemic. Do you think it is reasonable request to ship the ring back to the vendor, have the stone taken out, and get (at least a partial) refund? They offer free re-setting service, but I am not trusting them given the communications.

 

[LD]

I wouldn’t ship the stone to them. Who’s to say you would get it back. It’s easy to unmount and wouldn’t take a local jeweller any time to do. Then just send the ring back for a full refund. However show them the photos now because you don’t want them blaming your jeweller. The semi mount looks like they just went for the 8mm(?) and didn’t adjust. Lots of these settings are cast so they are only in standard sizes and you wouldn’t get CADs. This is so disappointing for you. Hope you get it resolved.

 

[Polyhex]

Yes, I bought this setting as a semi-mount, and paid extra to have a "custom" size that fits the stone.
I haven't used any local jeweler because this was literally my first ring design. Plus, finding and visiting a local jeweler is not an option for me given the pandemic. Do you think it is reasonable request to ship the ring back to the vendor, have the stone taken out, and get (at least a partial) refund? They offer free re-setting service, but I am not trusting them given the communications.

I think it's reasonable. You might let them try to re-set it IF they have a compelling case that they know what went wrong and hence how to fix it (ex: they used a different bench jeweler than normal and can switch back to their regular better bench jeweler.) If they can't identify what went wrong then they probably can't be trusted to fix it.

I also have all jewelry work done remotely, it's easier for me than trying to find a local bench that meets my standards especially with the pandemic.

 

[LD]

I think it's reasonable. You might let them try to re-set it IF they have a compelling case that they know what went wrong and hence how to fix it (ex: they used a different bench jeweler than normal and can switch back to their regular better bench jeweler.) If they can't identify what went wrong then they probably can't be trusted to fix it.

I also have all jewelry work done remotely, it's easier for me than trying to find a local bench that meets my standards especially with the pandemic.

My issue with this is that they’ve sent out a ring that’s shockingly bad. So would you trust them to put it right? There are so many problems - it’s not just one thing. I suspect they can’t adjust this semi mount to resize the basket properly so you’d end up with one size up. That could be a better fit but would need to know the exact dimensions.

 

[LemonMoonLex]

Oh my god.

The setting is just awful.
I really don't know how anyone thought that this was acceptable to ship to any customer.

I am so sorry!
Your stone is gorgeous & deserves an equally lovely setting.
I'd follow the recommendations of others and contact them to pursue a full refund as it's so poorly constructed and frankly just dangerous.

Would you feel comfortable sharing the vendors name?
I actually think that it's important to do so in this scenario so we can all avoid them.

 

[Bron357]

As others have said there is more wrong than right with that setting.
the look, the finish, the placement of the prongs AND them not being as requested.
The workmanship and finishing is frankly awful and setting those baguette diamonds like that, exposed corners, is 30 minutes away from a chip off the corner of them!
Unless the setting was under $300 (the baguette diamonds are low quality) I would be getting the tourmaline back and choosing a different vendor.

 

[LemonMoonLex]

As others have said there is more wrong than right with that setting.
the look, the finish, the placement of the prongs AND them not being as requested.
The workmanship and finishing is frankly awful and setting those baguette diamonds like that, exposed corners, is 30 minutes away from a chip off the corner of them!
Unless the setting was under $300 (the baguette diamonds are low quality) I would be getting the tourmaline back and choosing a different vendor.

Bron, when I was starting out I had my round 7mm emerald cabochon set into a 14k gold custom bezel setting which was well under $300 and despite him being a somewhat new artist, the craftsmanship was a million times better & it's held up well.

So even price just doesn't negate this type of neglect in my opinion!


OP, I am so sorry that you are going through this. Setting our gems Is a real treat and a luxury so when something goes wrong like this it can turn the joy of collecting on its head & turn the whole feeling of the ring sour. I've not worn perfectly nice rings just because of this.

If I were you I'd be stern, not a pushover and demand a refund. Make sure it's ok that you or another jeweler unsets the stone before sending back as you want to make sure you can insure that refund. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you run into more questions or have issues with this vendor & please keep us updated!

 

[wubu]

My issue with this is that they’ve sent out a ring that’s shockingly bad. So would you trust them to put it right? There are so many problems - it’s not just one thing. I suspect they can’t adjust this semi mount to resize the basket properly so you’d end up with one size up. That could be a better fit but would need to know the exact dimensions.

Thank you, @LD . I reached out to the vendor and they agreed on the poor workmanship and offered full refund if I choose so, or a free complete redesign of the ring into a 9mm setting if I want to. Since I don't have a local jeweler who can take the stone out for me, I am going to ship the ring back to the vendor and let them take it out and give me the stone and refund. My options are limited so I'll count on them being honest. They are on Esty so I think I am under buyer protection, right?

Oh my god.

The setting is just awful.
I really don't know how anyone thought that this was acceptable to ship to any customer.

I am so sorry!
Your stone is gorgeous & deserves an equally lovely setting.
I'd follow the recommendations of others and contact them to pursue a full refund as it's so poorly constructed and frankly just dangerous.

Would you feel comfortable sharing the vendors name?
I actually think that it's important to do so in this scenario so we can all avoid them.

Thank you, ,@TheGarnetGirl . You are so sweet and helpful. I am going to send the ring back and have a refund, as agreed by the vendor. I am not sure of naming the vendor though, given how apologetic they are and how much it'll hurt them once I expose the identity. On the other hand, I do see your point of making PSer's aware. I am not sure what would be best to do. Maybe let's see what others think about this?

As others have said there is more wrong than right with that setting.
the look, the finish, the placement of the prongs AND them not being as requested.
The workmanship and finishing is frankly awful and setting those baguette diamonds like that, exposed corners, is 30 minutes away from a chip off the corner of them!
Unless the setting was under $300 (the baguette diamonds are low quality) I would be getting the tourmaline back and choosing a different vendor.

Thank you, @Bron357. I paid $580 for this setting... Now I realize that it was not money well spent...

 

[partgypsy]

That is one of the worst setting jobs I've seen on pricescope. If the seller of the setting and the setter are one and the same, I would try to get a return of setting. Neither the customization promised nor the quality of work are as advertised.

 

[Polyhex]

That's awesome the vendor is taking accountability. Disasters will happen in any business or hobby, it's how people respond to the disaster that counts the most.

 

[chrono]

I am sorry but I would not risk sending the ring and hope that they will ship the stone back to me. It is not something I am comfortable with unless I accept the fact that:

1. Stone might be damaged during shipping, unmounting, etc
2. Stone might not be returned to me.

I've had issues with Etsy vendors and the window is very small. I've had to go through PayPal for issues.

 

[CSpan]

Thank you, @LD . I reached out to the vendor and they agreed on the poor workmanship and offered full refund if I choose so, or a free complete redesign of the ring into a 9mm setting if I want to. Since I don't have a local jeweler who can take the stone out for me, I am going to ship the ring back to the vendor and let them take it out and give me the stone and refund. My options are limited so I'll count on them being honest. They are on Esty so I think I am under buyer protection, right?




Thank you, ,@TheGarnetGirl . You are so sweet and helpful. I am going to send the ring back and have a refund, as agreed by the vendor. I am not sure of naming the vendor though, given how apologetic they are and how much it'll hurt them once I expose the identity. On the other hand, I do see your point of making PSer's aware. I am not sure what would be best to do. Maybe let's see what others think about this?

I'd like to know as well but perhaps an after action report once you send the ring back and get whatever resolution they offer. It isn't a risk to their integrity if it is your experience but if they handle the mistake well that also speaks volumes.

 

[Acinom]

Oh no!! So sorry to read this. I Just admired your ring in your other thread but these are indeed serious flaws. Hope all the issues will be resolved... by a good jeweller.

 

[wubu]

Hi all, I am back to share some update --- the seller issued a full refund for the setting, removed the stone from the ring and shipped it back to me. The stone looks great and exhibits no signs of cracks.
Some PSer's requested disclosure of the seller name, which I agree can help others in their decision making. They are NNJGemstones on Etsy. My overall experience is that they did not make a perfect product for me, but they are willing to take responsibility and make things right eventually. Hope this helps~