Please help me with my reset--question...

[Laila619]

Hi,
I own a loose diamond I bought last year. I want to order a setting with vendor X, who is out of state. Vendor X will set my diamond for free, but I would have to pay to send my diamond registered mail. OR they can make the setting to perfectly fit my center stone and mail it empty to me; it's up to me. If you had two options, which would you pick?

Option 1) Have vendor X make the setting and mail it empty to me. Take empty setting to my local jeweler for them to set the diamond. The benefit to doing it this way is that my expensive diamond does not have to go in the mail at all, and I won't have to worry about it getting lost. The negative is the local jeweler would charge a setting fee, whereas vendor X would not.

Option 2) Have vendor X set my diamond in their setting. The benefit is that there's no setting fee. BUT I'd have to risk putting my diamond in the mail, which is nervewracking. Also, I'd have no way of knowing if they actually set *my* stone, since I'm not there to watch. I know they are very trustworthy, but it's a big fear of mine that my stone could get switched.

So, to make a long story short, do I order just the empty setting from the vendor and have a local jeweler set my diamond, or do I have the vendor set my stone and risk putting my diamond in the mail?

Thanks!!

 

[antelope1]

I'd prefer to have the ring-maker have the diamond rather than just rely on dimensions, no mistakes in size that way.

Is overnight fedex or UPS not an option? It will cost you about $80 (assuming under $10k value) to RT ship it and insure it. And you get tracking and signature with UPS / FedEx.

Registered mail will be about $25 (I want to say) one way (I think), and then it's with USPS. The Hope Diamond was shipped to the Smithsonian via USPS back in the day...

 

[b2cjewels]

Hello Laila,

Option 1 is the Best....cause in any event if you mail your diamond to X company you would have mailed it INSURED for security which will cost you more or less equivalent to the price you would pay the local jeweler to set the stone. By and large option 1 stands out better any day. Just ensure that X company has accurate dimension of your diamond so to fit the diamond in the setting.

 

[yssie]

I'd prefer to have the ring-maker have the diamond rather than just rely on dimensions, no mistakes in size that way.

Is overnight fedex or UPS not an option? It will cost you about $80 (assuming under $10k value) to RT ship it and insure it. And you get tracking and signature with UPS / FedEx.

Registered mail will be about $25 (I want to say) one way (I think), and then it's with USPS. The Hope Diamond was shipped to the Smithsonian via USPS back in the day...

This.

Buy a loupe and get to know your stone - the inclusions, the facet structure, the inscription if you've got one. Jewellers have much to lose and little to gain by deliberately switching stones, but familiarity with your stone will preclude accidents as well.

Your stone will be perfectly safe by mail - insure it loose first (I assume you're in the US, JM will insure loose stones for mailing and setting w/ an appraisal that includes a description and replacement value for the setting), mail it insured & registered - tampering w/ USPS registered mail is a criminal offense.

It is always better for the person making the setting to have the stone in hand. Besides, when you deal with multiple vendors you are already going to have the issue of who takes liability for any unfortunate incidents, it is no way better to have three vendors pointing fingers at each other than two..

 

[Dreamer_D]

I too would send it to the vendor for the reasons the ladies specify. Take it to an appraiser and get an appriasal for the loose stone, confirming in particular that it matches the cert. Use the appraisal to get insurance from Jewlers Mutual to cover the loose stone during setting. When it is back in your hands, take it once more to the appraiser and have them confirm it is your diamond!

The issues of insurance for the loose stone and switching (which is actually a non issue) are the same no matter who sets it. The only difference is shipping, and using FedEx makes it very simple IMO.

 

[Laila619]

Thanks everyone!! So it sounds like having the vendor who sells the setting is the best bet to set my diamond. I looked up registered mail prices on the USPS website, it'll cost about $30 to send registered/insured. That's pretty reasonable. I was told this is absolutely the safest and most secure way to mail the diamond, much safer than FedEx or UPS. Registered mail insures up to $25,000. But some people mentioned FedEx; is this better? I have heard USPS horror stories. Remember FrekeChild's sapphire getting lost for like a month?!

I guess I will also buy a loupe and loupe my stone before it's mailed, and then loupe it again when it's set and done. My stone does not have an inscription, which is a bummer, but it's an SI 1 so hopefully there will be enough small inclusions that I'll be able to ID it.

 

[Laila619]

Hello Laila,

Option 1 is the Best....cause in any event if you mail your diamond to X company you would have mailed it INSURED for security which will cost you more or less equivalent to the price you would pay the local jeweler to set the stone. By and large option 1 stands out better any day. Just ensure that X company has accurate dimension of your diamond so to fit the diamond in the setting.

Hi there,

So you think it's best to have a local jeweler set the stone because the cost will be the same in the end?

 

[yssie]

Thanks everyone!! So it sounds like having the vendor who sells the setting is the best bet to set my diamond. I looked up registered mail prices on the USPS website, it'll cost about $30 to send registered/insured. That's pretty reasonable. I was told this is absolutely the safest and most secure way to mail the diamond, much safer than FedEx or UPS. Registered mail insures up to $25,000. But some people mentioned FedEx; is this better? I have heard USPS horror stories. Remember FrekeChild's sapphire getting lost for like a month?!

I guess I will also buy a loupe and loupe my stone before it's mailed, and then loupe it again when it's set and done. My stone does not have an inscription, which is a bummer, but it's an SI 1 so hopefully there will be enough small inclusions that I'll be able to ID it.

I think registered *is* safer.. that said, I personally will from now on always fedex overnight my (insured) pieces, for the peace of mind of only having to wait a day!

Your vendor likely has a preferred method - best to ask them!

 

[antelope1]

I was told this is absolutely the safest and most secure way to mail the diamond, much safer than FedEx or UPS. Registered mail insures up to $25,000. But some people mentioned FedEx; is this better? I have heard USPS horror stories.

I've heard that registered mail is the best way as well. However, I like the tracking that I get with UPS and FedEx. You really know exactly where your package is at any given time. Also, whichever option you choose -- make sure that someone has to sign for it during business hours.

 

[stone-cold11]

There is no insurance for Fedex or UPS, or a much lower amount so if it gets lost, you are stuck with it. Jewelers appraisers have their own independent insurance to cover for lost by Fedex/UPS, so they can send it through those channel.

Maybe get an appraiser involved, since you will need an appraisal after the setting, and use his shipping and insurance service for a charge?

 

[Laila619]

Thanks so much everyone!

Maybe get an appraiser involved, since you will need an appraisal after the setting, and use his shipping and insurance service for a charge?

Hi Stone-cold! Do I really need an appraisal when the ring is done? Can't I just loupe it myself to make sure it's really my stone and that there aren't any chips?

 

[antelope1]

There is no insurance for Fedex or UPS, or a much lower amount so if it gets lost, you are stuck with it.

Not true. See: http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/shipping/time/service/value_added/declared_value.html and http://images.fedex.com/us/services/pdf/Fees_Shipping_Information.pdf (page 4/12)

Rates are the same for both carriers. From the UPS website:

Per domestic package and international shipment*:
$0.70 for each $100.00 (or portion of $100.00) of the total value declared, with a minimum charge of $2.10

*These conditions apply for international shipments:
* The maximum declared value per individual package is $50,000.00.
* To calculate declared value for multi-package shipments greater than $50,000.00, multiply the declared value by .0070.

You just pay a little extra for the insurance. On $10k value, this is about $70.

ETA: I suppose that it was cheaper to pay for shipping through the seller because they only insured the wholesale value, not the retail value.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Thanks so much everyone!

Maybe get an appraiser involved, since you will need an appraisal after the setting, and use his shipping and insurance service for a charge?

Hi Stone-cold! Do I really need an appraisal when the ring is done? Can't I just loupe it myself to make sure it's really my stone and that there aren't any chips?

You need it if you plan to insure your ring.

 

[Laila619]

Thanks so much everyone!

Maybe get an appraiser involved, since you will need an appraisal after the setting, and use his shipping and insurance service for a charge?

Hi Stone-cold! Do I really need an appraisal when the ring is done? Can't I just loupe it myself to make sure it's really my stone and that there aren't any chips?

You need it if you plan to insure your ring.

Hi Dreamer! The diamond is already insured under our homeowner's insurance. The ins. company took the paperwork/diamond cert from Whiteflash as the appraisal value.

 

[yennyfire]

Definitely send it to the vendor.

 

[MarkBroumand]

I would also recommend mailing your diamond to the setter.

Have you contacted the setting vendor and inquired about shipping arrangements? Most jewelers work with insured shipping couriers who are accustomed to mailing expensive jewelry pieces. That could probably smooth out a lot of the process.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Thanks so much everyone!

Maybe get an appraiser involved, since you will need an appraisal after the setting, and use his shipping and insurance service for a charge?

Hi Stone-cold! Do I really need an appraisal when the ring is done? Can't I just loupe it myself to make sure it's really my stone and that there aren't any chips?

You need it if you plan to insure your ring.

Hi Dreamer! The diamond is already insured under our homeowner's insurance. The ins. company took the paperwork/diamond cert from Whiteflash as the appraisal value.

Then the only reason you would need an appriasal is if you want the insurance to cover the setting as well.

 

[Natylad]

I suspect that this will sound like a silly question, but i feel comfortable among my friends here and i'll ask anyway...So let's suppose that your stone is appraised and you also loupe it and you know all its individual characteristics, etc, etc...Then you ship it to the maker of the setting. Then it comes back and the stone is different. How do you prove against the ring maker or the insurance company, etc. that it wasn't You who switched the stones after receiving it? I mean, it's a good thing to know your stone's inclusions and characteristics so that you can check if it is the same diamond immediately at the moment that you pick up the ring YOURSELF and in person from the ring maker who set it, but if you're not able to check the stone right at the moment it goes on the mail, then how can you prove who changed what? I understand that reputable vendors would not risk their reputation that easily, but the possibility is there and that's why we're discussing the issue, right?

(For peace of mind reasons, i wouldn't ship my diamond to anybody, if i had a very good and trustworthy local jeweller, who could set my stone to the setting, regardless of the fee that he'd ask. My local jeweller has set the diamond of my RHR and allowed me to be present during the entire procedure. But i know that this is not something that happens very often).

 

[Laila619]

I suspect that this will sound like a silly question, but i feel comfortable among my friends here and i'll ask anyway...So let's suppose that your stone is appraised and you also loupe it and you know all its individual characteristics, etc, etc...Then you ship it to the maker of the setting. Then it comes back and the stone is different. How do you prove against the ring maker or the insurance company, etc. that it wasn't You who switched the stones after receiving it?

Yeah, that's a good question natyLad. I'm sure it very rarely happens, but for the one unlucky person who has it happen to them, what can/should they do?