Problems with ELARA (e-ring)

[wallace]

I have been reading this site for some time and I really enjoy your input. Your shared insights and opinions have been very helpful. I thought my issue was put to rest, but we have a new problem - so, I am compelled to talk to you all about it. I need help! (I fully recognize that you offer well-meant advice and opinions and I will take what of it I will.., etc. yada yada).

My sweet finace bought me a stunning Elara three stone ring as an engagement ring. It is absolutley exquisite?. I love it. But, that was in November. I just got the ring back from the jeweler (a very prominent, well-known, long-established, expensive local boutique store stocked solely with gemologist sales personnel - can't go wrong, right)?! TODAY!!! 10 march 2004.

THe original problem has been resolved - namely that the company Elara states on all their materials that all stones over .50c are GIA certified and laser inscribed. THe two .515c setting stones were not certified or inscribed. I called Elara and a very rude man told me that it was cost prohibitive and if I had I had a problem with Elara then maybe I should not have bought one! After spending the equivalent of a down-payment on a house in an urban environment, I was quite simply shocked by his response.

THe owner of the jewlery store has been helpful and agreed to get the stones up to Elara self-stated marketing claims. Great. I looked at the ring when I got home and noticed with utter horror that one of the setting stones is placed in the setting crooked! THe other one is higher than the crooked one so if you look at the ring from the side, all three stones are at different heights. THere are scratches on the prongs - visible to the naked eye, and there are plier-groove marks impressed into one of the center prongs. I do not if the stones have sustained any damage when being "placed" in this unfortunate arrangement.

I am bringing back the ring and meeting with the owner - maybe he visits this site - (if so, please do not be upset or offended - I merely need to talk to someone about this frustrating situation).
What is going on with Elara?

Thanks for your input. I am remaining patient and friendly but I am now tired and angry. My bf feels awful and I hate that. It was supposed to be a great thing, full of joy and happy mem's...

 

[valeria101]

It sounds like the jeweler did an even worse job than Elara!

I can only place myself in your position and write my opinion, of course... But I would be twice as mad about having my ring ruined and, frankly, place very much less importance on Elara's issues. Actually, I would try to talk with the shop manager (or better, higher up, if accessible) about how your call was answered and inquire about having the stones laser inscribed. This is purely cosmetic, as far as I know... Of course, if you want some ID on your stones, you can have them inscribed outside Elara - this is common service. But what happened to your ring is not!

Was that one of Elara's rings? Did they offer any warranty? No matter what, it seem like at least the prongs of your ring have to be remade at this point, and I would surely not have the same jeweler do it (crocked again).

Sad story...

 

[Mara]

What a horrible story!! I can't even imagine...you are so very patient. I would have been clamoring at their door in December after they'd had my ring for a month.




I would take the matter up with the local jeweler and if he seems unwilling to help, call Elara and don't just talk to the person who answers the phone...start climbing the ladder. If they seem unwilling to help you, threaten legal action or to get a local TV station (e.g. 7 on your side) involved.




Hopefully it will not come to that, but it's completely ridiculous for you to have to wait that long to get something that should have been done in the first place repaired, AND then find out that your stones were re-set sloppily and with no care! Horrible.

Best of luck. Keep us posted.

 

[wallace]

Thanks Valeria - I just read dublingirls saga and I feel lucky now! I spoke with the jewlery store owners son(part owner...) originally and they did take care of the Elara problem. THat's what took five months. THat's why I was nice and patient - they were taking care of the problem. I guess I tried to make a long story short and left out the middle! I think the confusion comes from the fact that I do not know who reset the stones, if it was Elara or the jewlery store. I don't know which one I am hoping did it!I will find out tomorrow. I wasn't too mad before and Elara appeased me with the help of the store - but now I am red hot mad about the state of the ring.

When I called Elara I actually spoke with the sales director. And when I got to the jewlery store the next day - the owner new I had spoken to him (Elara) - they had talked to each other in the mean time. Amazing that after all that I get this sloppy ring.

I will certainly update everyone after tomorrow's meeting. I really appreciate having a place to talk about this. THanks.

 

[valeria101]

Oh... this does sound complicated. I hope Elara's representative and the shop are not going to shift the blame from one another forever and leave your ring as is

It could well be that this is what caused at least part of the delay already. If yours is one of the rings on Elara's site, I would venture to say that any damage to the prongs would be hard to repair without extensive work. Can you have the setting replaced ?

Best of luck!

 

[wallace]

Thanks, Mara - I realy hope it does not go that far, too! But I do have a stubborn streak that's like steel if I am wronged - so I will pursue no matter how long it takes. I guess I am left with two questions:

1) Curiosity now - why does Elara make that statements about certs and lasers and then not actually provide it? I spoke to two other Elara dealers who told me that their stones are also not cert/laser unless they are over 1c. It is provided when the customer requests it, as I did, but that takes - well, months - so why don't they just sell the ring to the jewelers with the certs/laser on stones over .50c like they say on their website?Likewise, why do the jewelers not hold Elara to standard they promote before putting this stuff in their stores? It seems that by not doing so, it's lose/lose for everybody - it bad marketing for both and... is it not misrepresenting the product?

Elara told me it was cost prohibitive to laser inscribe. I find this hard to believe since I work with laser and know their costs. I called Sherwood and Atlas as well as visiting two other local jewelers who all gave me the same ballpark price on laser inscription - it was very reasonably priced as you and Valeria stated. Not only that, at the cost of Elara rings and their mark-up (I willingly paid being an informed and "educated" consumer cf. Tifffany links)! they only have to sell a few rings to cover the cost of the laser - unless they are buying many of them and brand new ones every year... Not to mention - at that price tag, are these services not built into the price already? As well as their marketing strategy that they sell the Astin Martin of rocks - then one expects not to have go clamoring about to get all this done after the purchase. THey told me I was a very savvy customer for having called them on this small print - but I think I just know plain English very well when I read it.

I am not trying to beat a dead horse - my situation is resolved. But there are lots of customers buying these rings who are so happy to have it that they are noticing the bold print (my theory).I am wondering about the company itself - I wanted to buy a wedding ring, too (all stones under .50c) and am afraid to! I wonder if anyone else, consumer or dealer, has had this problem.

THey are already a famously secretive company. It very hard to evaluate a fancy cut and even harder for an Elara which has no published standard (or even ideal) cut measurements. You have ot take a lot on faith when you buy their stones - so why don't they at least meet their marketing pitch? Are the jewlers responsible, too?

2)Practical - How do I ensure that my stones were not damaged in the resetting - It seems the only real way is to take a lot of tima and do a lot of running around to get the stones indep. appraised before getting it fixed - which I can't do becuase then they take the stone out of the ring - and I still do not have the new appraisal yet! I have all three certs and the Nov. appraisal. Plus, I am not sure I want this thing out of my hands. I mean, do I really need to be present now to watch everything - because that makes it harder to get it to an appraise, too.

I am just confused on how to proceed to protect myself as much as I can from this situation escalating... I will (briefly, I promise) update you all tomorrow. I just hope my kvetching is helping someone not go through what I have - that Elara perspective buyers have more info. than I could find when looking. THanks for your support - Ciao.

 

[pyramid]

Sorry to hear about your problems Wallace.

You state:
THere are scratches on the prongs - visible to the naked eye, and there are plier-groove marks impressed into one of the center prongs.

One of the jewellers will probably know but does this not happen when resetting stones in a setting and the work has just not been properly finished off, I think I have read that on the newsboards before that a polishing would sort that out. However the stones being at all different levels is another issue is it not?

 

[verticalhorizon]

That is terrible about what happened to your e-ring. And it's exactly what I've been fearing when I started looking for loose stones and settings separately. I'm also particularly fond of the Flanders (the generic version of the Elara). Would you please post pictures so we can see how it turned out?

What would you do differently if you could do it all over again?

 

[niceice]

This is EXACTLY the reason we do not sell Elara's production, we considered doing so during the early part of 2003 but after speaking with the sales manager extensively it became clear that the "marketing strategy" promoted by the company had very little to do with their actual production in our opinion. And then there is the question pertaining to the basic ethics of the company, reach back in time and what is now marketed as an Elara was marketed by the parent company (Moty Ganz) as a Flanders Brilliant in direct conflict and apparent trademark infringement with the Flanders Brilliant that had been marketed here in the U.S. for many years by NDS... The two companies ended up in what seemed like it was going to be an endless trademark dispute and then one day the Moty Ganz Flanders Brilliant transformed into the Elara - clearly for the better as any New York Advertising Executive worth their salt would tell you, we were told that it gave the diamond a "more Italian" feel... Marketing 101.

If you are unable to resolve the issue with your local jeweler and Elara, we suggest contacting JoAnne at The Jewelers Vigilance Committee and filing a complaint against the jeweler and Elara. You might be truly surprised at how fast they will respond to such an action, the JVC is kind of like the Better Business Bureau but their actions are exclusive to our industry and they actually have a pretty good bite

 

[wallace]

Diagonalman -

you asked:

"Would you please post pictures so we can see how it turned out?"

Would love to but I was lucky enough to return the lemon. (updated 16 march 2004)

"What would you do differently if you could do it all over again"?

I WOULD NOT BUY AN ELARA.

Will check out the Flanders now!

 

[Nicrez]

Thanks for Posting Wallace. I was thinking of the Elara Shared prong eternity band as a wedding band, and I am GLAD you wrote this. I am SO sorry to hear what a mess it has been for you! Why do these retialers and jewelers continue to pracite without regard for their reputation and general pride of their profession?!

I hope you can resolve this quicker than a few months and they should throw in diamond earrings to compensate!

 

[Jaded Gem]

Hey Wallace! I am sorry to hear about your troubles. Reading a few threads lately, it seems like consumers are having problems with their diamond purchases measuring up to certs or just having a poor setting job. Sorry to hear that you are the victim or recipient of poor craftsmanship.

I read your recent post, and you wrote "I WOULD NOT BUY AN ELARA." So I have to ask, can you return your ring period and just get your money back? I had some problems with a diamond vendor on Pricescope who botched up with setting their diamond in the wrong setting. Both vendors knew the whole time that the setting and diamond were mismatched the whole time. I had bought the setting from another vendor, and I felt a lot of hesitation about the setting. I asked the setting vendor about it accomodating my diamond and he said it would. Then I asked the diamond vendor about it since I was not too sure, but I still wanted his professional opinion and one that was not of the ring setting vendor. Both vendors point blank lied to me the whole time up till the point when I received the ring and gasped in horror.

So I can really sympathize with you. At the end, I just went through an ugly process trying to recoup the money I had spent for the diamond and the setting. I had to eat up a lot of bitterness, time spent, money on certs/appraisals, shipping costs, etc. Now, I just choose not to deal with these two vendors nor would I recommend them to others. Maybe you can just get your money back from this whole ordeal. I am glad that I did. Why give your hard earned money to somebody who will give you an attitude on why you want your rings inscribed with what they had advertised as a service to the customer? I would just call that Elara representative and say, "Forget it. Don't do anything with the diamonds. If you talk to all your customers like you had talked to me like I should feel lucky to own an Elara then you're not the company I want to purchase from." Gosh, who do these people think they are? If it wasn't for customers then they wouldn't even have a market line to market. Maybe they will be a victim or their own misfortunes. Wouldn't the world be a better place if the people dishing out bad karma would receive it 10 times worse? What are your plans?

 

[Mara]

JG...did you post about your experience on Pscope..I don't recall reading it? I am very curious, who did you work with, what happened?

 

[angela]

Another note, I just saw this when searching on Yahoo for "Elara Diamond"

http://www.highbeam.com/library/doc1.asp?docid=1G1:109445372

I can't read the whole article because I'm not going to join, but maybe someone knows something about this.

 

[Jaded Gem]

Hey Mara! Yes, I did post my diamond experience for all to see. I got some feedback and I tried to be as calm and reserved as possible in dealing with the situation. The Pricescope vendor was Union Diamond and the ring maker was Oxford Diamond Company. I would not recommend either vendor. BIG NO! NO, NO, NO! Both vendors did not disclose information that I had asked for. Before I purchased the diamond, I read books on my own and the advice on Pricescope. I also used David Atlas's DIY cut grading and the Asscher came out to be a 1A-1B cut. I had tried to get Diamond Bob from Whiteflash to secure the diamond since I know that most of the internet and some B & M stores work off a virtual shared diamond inventory list. I had talked to Diamond Bob several times before, and I felt most secure with a purchase through him. Diamond Bob said that he would call me if he could secure the diamond, and I had hoped to purchase an antique setting from them as well. Union Diamond did not have any antique settings at that time and they still may not carry any. I don't know. I have not checked their website. Anyway, Diamond Bob never called me back so I safely assumed that he could not secure the diamond and I had at that point gone to the unheard vendor Union Diamond. I also found a setting around the same time from another vendor that I had liked. I didn't think I or they would/could mess up on this ring. Boy was I wrong! You probably could get a better understanding of what I went through if you read the post itself and if I didn't rehash it all over again. You can run a search by subject: Union Diamond. It is the one thread that has the most viewings and it was posted this past January 2004. I don't want to write, read, or re-live the experience again. Tell me what you think about the craziness.

 

[wallace]

Valeria- good call on the blame shifting! It has already started - so the store says Elara ruined the ring and that I am too picky - it is not dmamged and merely does not meet my satisfaction. Offered cosmetic repair to the platinum and to readjust the stones. i have declined and am taking the ring for indep. appraisal with photos monday. THe woman at Elara's public relations office practically hung up on me after she tried to turf me to the same sales director that I already had aconfrontation with last novemnber! THis looks like it is going to get ugly. I am sooooo upset.

 

[Nicrez]

Wallace you've got our support and I hope you rip them a new....nose...hole!

Good luck and let us know what they do. Elara is dead in my book, and luckily you had to you can just get a Flanders, same thing!!!

 

[wallace]

Hi J.G. - THanks for sharing your story. Looks like we'll be trench buddies soon. I cannot return the ring. The store has a seven day retrn policy, period. thye have been very good at working my poor finace. I insisted that he return the ring when we bought it but he did not. He agreed to have the ring shipped to his office for tax purposes which meant the return time expired before the ring was in his hands. I warned him...

Part of the complication of this that when you deal with wedding stuff you have two clients - totally different and equally participatory. It is his money I am trying to protect. He just wanted to get the ring I liked. He just wants to see it on my finger. He just wants the problems to end so I can stop being angry about my beautiful gift. So he concedes to them and I have play bad cop and go fix it. Now, that it is a mess, I am totally in charge so they only have to deal with one person.

I am trying to get Elara to replace the entire setting - like M or V suggested. Now, I feel like I am going to be blackballed completely. I certainly hope I do - it's just hard to protect myself and the ring - and our rights - without seeming too aggressive. Then, things will escalate too fast. I am hoping to avid attorneys. THe more I do to protecet myslef the maddert hey get and more unwilling to help.

 

[wallace]

Thanks Nicerez - Please don't rule out the ring entirely because of my experience but be forwarned. THe rings are gorgeous and the stones just exquisite... ask lots of questions and really know your jeweler. I think that your suggestion is excellent and I just wiish you worked for Elara!

 

[valeria101]

Sorry to hear this... not unexpected, unfortunately.

Did you get your ring from a store selling Elara goods? Is there any step higher in the organization where they report? No idea what the working of that firtm are like, but it seem that it may be hard to get satisfaction from the people you have already talked with. Also, they may not recognize any value of the appraisal you intend to get and, even worse, take it as evidence that the ring has been worked on outside their service provision (this situation, not involving Elara, but another seller, was recounted on a recent thread here). If there is no good will involved... I can only expect the worst!

On the other hand, if wearing the stones is priority and the mess becomes too much for confort, maybe you would consider having another mounting made for the stones yourself? Diamonds are diamonds after all, and yours should be really something

Usually, getting 'my rights' from this kind of company is quickly wearing off my patience

(not that this is a good thing, I guess)

 

[wallace]

Angela - thanks for the post - it helped alot. I joined High Beam! Very Useful. Here is another link on High Beam for all you Elara info. seekers:

http://www.highbeam.com/library/doc0.asp?docid=1G1:111013737&refid=hbr_flinks1

THis is a short article (3 paras) that gives a good synopsis of the Elara trademark dispute. As well as listing the parent company (think - head rolling letter to higher ups...)

You can also get it from Jeweler's Circular Keystone site in full and printable if the high beam link does not provide the full article (subscriber site).

 

[wallace]

Nicrez - I wrote this to you last week:

"Please don't rule out the ring entirely because of my experience but be forwarned. THe rings are gorgeous and the stones just exquisite... ask lots of questions and really know your jeweler".

I take that back. I have not had a sudden change of heart but rather a growing and intensifying dissatisfaction that has finally bloomed. I tried to be fair - but now I will be honest. I got lucky in the end but others won't - I don't want anyone to have to go through this (even though it could have been worse - it was still very disappointing, time consuming and taxing).

From what I have learned, personally and through research, I would not recommend to anyone to buy Elara, if they asked my opinion. Unless you have enormous amounts of disposable income and/or simply do not care about quality and integrity of your purchase - go ahead and buy one. They are beautiful. But you can get beautiful and good and honest from many other companies and jewelers who are more willing to work with you.

I hope you find something something smashing! And for the money you will save, whatever it is - you can double the size!

 

[wallace]

Robin and Todd - Thanks for your reply. It will be very helpful to perspective Elara buyers. I wish I had read it sooner! I wondered if they did not want to work with you becuase you do on-line business? They are trying to monopolize the market on square brilliants and force consumers to pay their prices if they want one. Understandable from a business point of view but not necessisarily ethical. That aside, I do not know why they are so difficult to deal with - if they want exclusivity they do not have to force their market - they could just practice better customer service and live up to their marketing skills. There are people , like me and my fiance, who are willing to exchange the additional costs for a branded ring for the services that usually come associated with such a purchase. As you mentioned, they do not even try to live up to their slick marketing claims! (Good for you for not selling them if they could not even provide you, the selling agent with the service you need to support your customers)!

But, as our (former) jeweler said to my fiance (five months after purchasing this ring) paraphrase

What do you expect? You are not buying the Rolls Royce of Diamond Rings!

DO NOT INSULT MY FIANCE!

THank G*d he decided to allow me to return the ring! I think this example speaks for itself about Elara.

THanks for advice on reporting to the JVC. I may take you up on it to file a complaint about Elara. I'll be checking on your Flanders!

 

[Griffin]

>I got lucky in the end but others won't - I don't want anyone to have to go through this (even though it could have been worse - it >was still very disappointing, time consuming and taxing).

I may have missed something, but does this mean that the problem was solved one way or another?
What was the final resolution? More importantly, what did you do to finally get satisfaction? Did it require inflicting head wounds?

 

[wallace]

NiceIce - PS - I have seen his name spelled Moti Ganz, too - if that helps anyone with research.

The two companies ended up in what seemed like it was going to be an endless trademark dispute and then one day the Moty Ganz Flanders Brilliant transformed into the Elara - clearly for the better as any New York Advertising Executive worth their salt would tell you, we were told that it gave the diamond a "more Italian" feel... Marketing 101.

I don't know what you mean by clearly for the better but I think you mean for THEIR better, right?

The trademark dispute was resolved (a few months before my ring was purchased - both facts unbeknownst to me) and a district court judge entered a federal jury verdict finding the Elara patent to be invalid. If I had known, Iwould have reconsidered - but I did not even know he was getting the ring!

So, The question that sfbayarea posed still stands:
What does it all mean?Is this false advertising? What is the practical meaning for the consumer when buying branded diamonds as far as copyright v. trademark v. patent? How does this affect price? Obviously, they can ask any price they want, butas far as value... Can it still be cosidered branded? Any ideas, anyone?

 

[wallace]

Yes Griffen - I did get a resolution - wanted to get all the business out of the way before I wrote personally. I really hope for this thread to help people get information. But I wouldn/t leave you all hanging after your kind support all night on the tenth/eleventh.

To make a long story short, I wrestled with the guy (jeweler) on thursday afternoon and laid it on the line. (He tried again to hoodwink my bf earlier when he went in alone - I did not take knidly to this and went in bunny-faced with lion rage). In spite of the store's seven day return policy, he offered let me return the ring. I wanted to do it that second but I thought about my bf and about having to do all this work again and about the fact that I was very mad - and told him to try to work out my resolution: a new setting. I left town that afternoon. I went out of town for a few days to meet the family (I did not explain why I had no ring). THat's why I have not written to update you all! Family meeting went well, btw. I told him I would have an idep. appraisal on Monday morning when I would pick up the ring and the NEW appraisal (it turned out that one rock came back with a higher cert than the ring was sold to us). I wanted to make sure that the stones were not chipped - if I was to keep this ring. He would tell me later that day whether or not he would get me a new setting.

Monday - Picked up the ring - the appraisal was NOT done. THat was it. I cancelled the appraisal and phoned the store to tell them I would be in first thing next morning for a full return on the ring. I went this morning and returned it with only one small (and funny difficulty). THe owner told me that he had never even contacted Elara about replacing the setting. I should have returned the ring on thursday! THe return is done and I feel 80% relieved. I will feel 100% when the entire transaction posts to my bf account.

It is my belief and that of friends, family and new jeweler that the store did the setting themselves, not Elara. That is why they told me they would not ask Elara to provide a new setting. THey had no alternative but to offer me a full return. I will not repeat, now, the many insulting things the jeweler said to me and my bf (in very ingratiating tones) but all of a sudden there was a radical change in his position about his position with Elara. He was such good friends with them that he kept acting on my behalf to resolve problems - when it came to the setting he even told me that he would not behoove himself to make such a ridiculous request to Elara! But after the return, it was all - see how we accomodated you - you got a full return when you shouldn't have - now you don't have to trach our good name - this was unfortunate but didn't we do good by you... you just simply did not like what we gave you and we returned it - aren't we great?!?!?! Despite the lies and innuendo I must say I am happy they got sick of me and told me to go away. THe thorn in the side thing worked! IOt was not my objective and it does not undo a lot of other damage - but I am just glad we got out this unscathed. I will start with something entirely new.

ANY IDEAS!! Thanks again everyone for your input and support.

I will sometimes post more info. on Elara but like JG - I want to move on... I think to a Ryal Asscher....

 

[diane5006]

I love the phrase 'bunny-faced with lion rage'

I am so glad you got your money back...

There are a lot of great modified squares out there...hoepfully it will be more fun for you to help pick out your e-ring

Best of luck in your search

 

[elmo]

I guess from your post earlier it's too late now, but in general for this sort of complaint a picture is worth a thousand words as the saying goes. I certainly like seeing someone in the business get what's coming to them when it comes to lousy workmanship getting passed off as quality, but without the pics I can't help but be reminded of Griffin's "disturbing patterns" topic. I'm sorry you had such a lousy time with these folks...photos would help me want to share in your anger with the company.

 

[wallace]

GIA Newsroom -
Update on Proprietary Diamond Cuts
Thomas W. Overton
References:
a)Gomelsky V. (2003) Elara Diamond design patent invalidated by court. National Jeweler, Vol. 97, No. 18, pp. 28, 30.
b)Overton T.W. (2002) Legal protection for proprietary diamond cuts. Gems & Gemology, Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 310–325.
c)Rockman H.B. (2003) Obtaining U.S. copyright registration for the Elara square cut-cornered brilliant diamond. Gems & Gemology, Vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 210–213.
d)Solotaroff I. (2003) Brand name: Chicago. Modern Jeweler, Vol. 102, No. 11, pp. 42–44, 105–107.

October 2003 Fall Issue GIA Newsletter blurb - "In “Obtaining U.S. Copyright Registration for the Elara Square Cut-Cornered Brilliant Diamond,” Chicago attorney Howard Rockman recounts the background and registration process for what is believed to be the first U.S. copyright registration for a diamond cut design".

I am waiting for the full copies of all these articles.

Diane - thanks! THat is my girlie version of "walk softly with a big stick." Use it any time... I am excited about starting over!

Rhino - I am educating my bf from your site - excellent and we are coming up to NY to see you in the next month or so.

Elmo - sorry - no go on the pics - didn't have time although I would have been happy to post some - I did not want to lose my chance to return the ring! I will put pics of my new ring one day.

 

[wallace]

FOLLOW-UP: Now that the ring has been returned and a second one purchased from a good jeweler, I would like to clarify something that was unclear to me throughout the forst transaction.

ELARA - YOUR PURCHASE IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE JEWELER YOU ARE DEALING WITH.

It turns out that basically ALL of the problems I had were not with Elara but with the jeweler! This jeweler was blaming Elara for mistakes they made. THis gave Elara a bad name in my eyes. Ultimatley, this "dishonesty" worked in my favor as I got to return the ring becuase I caught them at their game. Sad! I think I was lighter on the jeweler in this thread than I should have been - but it was written during the issue and I was concerned that they would read it. Now, I don't care! And it was their fault! The jeweler was the TIny Jewel Box on Washington, DC.
I could have dealt with almost anything but the insults!

Luckily, there is another Elara dealer in the area who is honest and has a good relationship with Elara. They were able to give me the confidence in Elara to buy another ring - very different! Elara had better pay attention to who they are dealing with beucase their sole representation comes form the limited number of jewelers they are dealing with.

I just wanted to make clear that it turns out the problem was less with Elara than with the jewler - so, if you like Elara, find ANY other dealer than the one above and enjoy your ring!