Help, what to do with sapphire e-ring

[forloop]

Hi everyone,

I've had a terrible experience with my engagement ring and seeking all your advice.

I chose a sapphire and fiancé and I went to NYC diamond district. We fell in love with a three stone setting.
When we set the stone in, the ring looked nice in the box but I didn't take a close enough look before paying, which I regret so much.

Once I started wearing the ring I felt it scrape my finger and the prongs got caught on my clothes.
When I examined the ring I saw missing metal, dented bezel, chipped and flat prongs.

We took it back to the store and the owner denied there were any flaws and got aggressive. Denying what I saw and even resorting to personal attacks.

In the end the jeweler said they'd fix issues but there were problems with the original cast that can be mostly hidden. I'm still unhappy with how the prongs are uneven and the head doesn't fit the stone.

After the incident and how the store owner reacted I'm worried now I got ripped off and the diamonds are enhanced or fake.

What steps do I take next?
Get appraisal to make sure the setting is what my fiancé paid for?

I still notice flaws in the ring. In your experience are these things easily fixed by a skilled jeweler? Would it be more worth it to take the stones and have another setting made?

I'm feeling so sad I can't enjoy my engagement because of the terrible experience at this jewelry store.
All advice and input appreciated greatly.

Thank you

Before:
Missing metal

Flat prongs on the side stones and also dented toward the upper right side of bezel.
Uneven prongs with a chip on the top left one (not visible in photo)

Taken of inside when jeweler took out sapphire to fix setting


After
The prongs look so big and uneven. The dent on right side is still visible and sapphire looks lopsided in the head.

 

[Bron357]

Oh dear.
Beautiful stones but OMG that is a pathetic attempt at a ring setting. Heavens, I’ve never made a ring or set a gem, but geez, I reckon even I could do better!
What exactly did you request? It isn’t usual to fill in the back of a setting like that (though that may have been your desire). The prongs look so bad, too big, too pointy and not even close to correct position.
I am incredulous that they actually gave you this ring.
I would be getting the ring appraised and a report on the ring manufacture. Then II would be demanding a full refund of monies paid and then go to a proper jeweller. Depending where you are I’m sure other PSers can recommend a professional jeweller, not a totally crap one like that one.
Sorry, I’m still reeling, I’ve seen $10 costume jewellery made better than that!
Don’t worry, it can all be made better and you can have a stunning ring you adore and one day you’ll look back on this and laugh .

 

[KristinTech]

I love what that setting is supposed to be, and your lovely hand deserves it to be made correctly! What a nightmare situation. The experts will chime in to help you with a plan, but I just wanted to chime in to say I think the idea of this ring is very regal! I can’t wait to see it properly executed for you! I’d almost consider the Better Business Bureau? I mean, that is CRAZY that they let the ring out of the store like that with all the missing metal!

 

[Bron357]

This is what a well finished underneath looks like. Just because no one sees it doesn’t mean the jeweller is excused for crap work. Mine has a few abrasions to the gold from my eternity ring.

 

[Tourmaline]

Wow. That's a train wreck of a setting. I would fight to get your money back, out the vendor, call the Better Business Bureau and file a report, etc. Have a setting made by a different, more competent jeweler/less evil vendor. So sorry you've had this experience.

 

[forloop]

Thank you all for your kind words and support. It was so infuriating for the vendor to deny all responsibility, accusing me of overreacting, and resorting to personal attacks.

We're demanding a refund back and will fight to get this righted.

Bron357, thank you for uploading pic! I'll know what to look for next time. I didn't ask for the underneath to be filled in. Not sure why it was the case. The setting we were shown was very nice.

 

[mrsgreeneyes]

I would not give this jeweler another shot at this ring. Have them unmount your sapphire and then return the setting for a full refund. David Klass would knock a setting like this out of the park, and his prices are incredibly reasonable.

 

[ShinyPink]

Shopping in the NYC diamond district is fun and overwhelming. It's easy to find something you love and just buy it, because the assumption is that these people are knowledgeable and have good prices. There are PSers who know more than many of them. These "jewelers" are salespeople and are trying to make a living, which is hard to remember when you're in the throes of jewel lust.
I have a friend who is a jeweler there. I always loved to visit her and hold the beautiful stones in my hands. I went to her when I needed a replacement wedding ring. She created a gorgeous ring, but the price was insane! I could have three David Klass bands for what I paid, and his are beautiful!!! Lesson learned, again: do not let ring buying become emotional, no matter who I am dealing with. Period.

Go back in there, be calm and persistent, and very clear about what you expect. You will have a ring you love, from another jeweler who is a true professional.

 

[minousbijoux]

I totally understand this discomfort around now having to deal with this jeweler. But compare it to buying groceries that turned out to be rotten, or having your car fixed for an expensive problem only to realize the problem remains - in those situations, you wouldn't hesitate, but would absolutely expect them to make it right. Well the same applies here - you paid for a service that they failed to provide and now you get to exercise your rights to get what you paid for!

 

[SimoneDi]

Dear Lord OP I am so sorry that you have to deal with this issue when this is supposed to be just a “happy time” for you. Your ring has the potential of being very beautiful, but the current setting is just beyond comprehension for me. Who is this jeweler?
You have gotten some sound advice here and are doing the right thing to demand a refund. I hope you paid with a credit card because you can open a dispute and that has proven to be effective in some cases. At the very least - get a partial refund for the setting. The side diamonds look real to me, but I am not sure what is the real value of the ring compared to what you paid. Best of luck and keep us posted please!
Btw here are some profiles that I would expect to see:

 

[737liz]

I'm so sorry that this has taken an ugly turn, in more ways than one! I'm echoing what everyone else has said : DO NOT LET THEM TALK YOU INTO RECASTING. If they did it so badly the first time and refuse to acknowledge how shoddy it is, they don't deserve a second chance. They want to keep your money, so it may get uncomfortable. Hold your ground! Good luck, it is a beautiful sapphire, a lovely classic design, and will be stunning when properly executed.

 

[T L]

The back of the ring should also not be filled in like that. It's a trap for mousture, germs, tarnish, and the stone won't show it's full brilliance either.

 

[metall]

Oh that is awful!! I am sad that this jeweler turned what could have been a gorgeous ring into this... that dent is what gets to me....its like thinking you bought a lexus and went home with a hoopdy.

Definitely try to get a full refund of the setting. Did you also buy the sapphire through this vendor?

 

[rockysalamander]

Ouch. That setting is a mess. The only reason I can imagine for closing the back is to help hide a window in a gem. Even then, it should be beautifully made with holes for cleaning.

Once you get a refund...don't go back to the Diamond District. Contact a well-known vendor like DiamondsByLauren, David Klass, Steven Kirsch, Maytal Hannah, and Victor Canera. Get a quote for a better setting.

 

[forloop]

Dear Lord OP I am so sorry that you have to deal with this issue when this is supposed to be just a “happy time” for you. Your ring has the potential of being very beautiful, but the current setting is just beyond comprehension for me. Who is this jeweler?
You have gotten some sound advice here and are doing the right thing to demand a refund. I hope you paid with a credit card because you can open a dispute and that has proven to be effective in some cases. At the very least - get a partial refund for the setting. The side diamonds look real to me, but I am not sure what is the real value of the ring compared to what you paid. Best of luck and keep us posted please!
Btw here are some profiles that I would expect to see:

The jewelry store is called Fantasy Diamonds. Before the sale they showed us a sample of what we would be getting. They promised it would be of highest quality and could get a refund if we were not happy. Those turned out to be all lies. When we went back, the situation got nasty and they told us they were not responsible and refused any refund.

The salesperson (owner I think) who sold us the ring said he is currently out of the country. I emailed him that I'm going to return his setting for a full refund because he showed us one setting but then delivered a damaged product. He is back next Monday and I will update how that goes. If that doesn't go well I will pursue my other options as all of you have advised.

Also, SimoneDi your sapphire ring is so gorgeous -- everything from the stone to the craftsmanship. Thank you for sharing. It gives me a better sense of what excellent work looks like.

 

[forloop]

Oh that is awful!! I am sad that this jeweler turned what could have been a gorgeous ring into this... that dent is what gets to me....its like thinking you bought a lexus and went home with a hoopdy.

Definitely try to get a full refund of the setting. Did you also buy the sapphire through this vendor?

I bought the stone through GemFix and I love it so much! My fiance bought this setting with the intention of it being a forever ring, but sadly I look at it and I feel upset.

Funny you compare this to a car. When we went back to the store, we spoke with one of the owners and he denied anything being wrong and compared the ring to a car.

He said, "I got a 100K Range Rover and I got a check engine light. You don't see me going there with an attitude demanding a refund. You go and fix it. You got two options: your ring is fine or you fix it. What do you think we are? A jewelry rental?"

 

[ShinyPink]

I learned the hard way get pictures/documentation of everything, car, ring, whatever, to be sure I am receiving what I ordered. I'm sorry you had this happen. I'll bet you he would be the first person at the dealership demanding a new car if his car was crap. AND, Range Rover most likely has good customer service and would take appropriate action. OK, he's making me angry now...

Your stone is so pretty, btw.

 

[rockhoundofficiando]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost...iamond-ring-that-turned-out-to-be-a-fake/amp/

https://www.ripoffreport.com/report...nest-and-aggressive-new-york-new-york-1417175
A quick Google search and these articles popped up....

 

[metall]

I bought the stone through GemFix and I love it so much! My fiance bought this setting with the intention of it being a forever ring, but sadly I look at it and I feel upset.

Funny you compare this to a car. When we went back to the store, we spoke with one of the owners and he denied anything being wrong and compared the ring to a car.

He said, "I got a 100K Range Rover and I got a check engine light. You don't see me going there with an attitude demanding a refund. You go and fix it. You got two options: your ring is fine or you fix it. What do you think we are? A jewelry rental?"

Nope this business should receive no type of lienency! This isn't anything like a check engine light! Check engine lights show something seriously internally wrong...(which is in my opinion WORST) This is an external major flaw due to his crappy customer experience and craftsmanship! Oh people like this makes me so angry. I'm with @MrsKMB...he is outragous!

I am so so sorry that this wonderful time in your life is being marred by this major ass. I wish you a speedy refund process and I hope that this experience doesn't turn you off from this setting if it is what your hearts set on. I am 1000% sure the wonderful folks here at PS will be able to guide you towards a reputable jeweler who can make your dream ring a reality!

 

[forloop]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost...iamond-ring-that-turned-out-to-be-a-fake/amp/
https://www.ripoffreport.com/report...nest-and-aggressive-new-york-new-york-1417175
A quick Google search and these articles popped up....

My biggest regret is I didn't look up the place before going in. I saw the setting I wanted and they were so nice when we first met. If I had known beforehand how terrible it'd end up, I would have stayed away.
Huge takeaway for me is to be more careful next time and don't buy based on emotions. Also, documenting everything and don't take their word just because they act friendly. Had to learn that the hard way

 

[T L]

I bought the stone through GemFix and I love it so much! My fiance bought this setting with the intention of it being a forever ring, but sadly I look at it and I feel upset.

Funny you compare this to a car. When we went back to the store, we spoke with one of the owners and he denied anything being wrong and compared the ring to a car.

He said, "I got a 100K Range Rover and I got a check engine light. You don't see me going there with an attitude demanding a refund. You go and fix it. You got two options: your ring is fine or you fix it. What do you think we are? A jewelry rental?"

Well thank goodness you got the stone from a reputable vendor at least!!

 

[partgypsy]

Wow I don't know anyone who would say that it is acceptable workmanship. I am really sorry you are going through this. I would see if you could return the setting and start over with someone else. Research and find a reputable shop before you step into it. I wonder if it would be worth having someone look at the diamonds. If they are at all enhanced, it would make it even easier to get it returned.

 

[digdeep]

At the least I would call the New York Attorney General's office and file a complaint on Fantasy Diamond's deceptive business practices..........it would seem the AG may already know about these guys and this option is certainly appropriate.

 

[arkieb1]

You need to look into filing some sort of claim against these people and how did you pay? If you used a credit card or any type of card you might be able to contact your bank and have them reverse the transaction on the basis you did not get what was described when you first met the jeweller.

Let the owner of the shop know you will be filing a claim if you do not get a full refund, because the ring was not "as described" by them the workmanship is shoddy and well below what was agreed when you first met them. I'd also tell them that you are going to write bad Yelp reviews and any other reviews and put them online until they resolved the situation.

 

[PintoBean]

When you're ready for a re-do, go to IDJ in the diamond district. They polish my settings inside and out. I didn't ask them to but now I expect it from any vendor lolol.

Their prongs are always a fine balance between delicate and functional. They always make sure that you're happy.

Nearby are also BE and DBL. you could make appointments and go see them all for quotes.

 

[chatoyancy]

I think this is the first time I’ve seen that kind of backing on a ring on here. I’m sorry this happened to you.