Quest problems- now we need to find a setting for the asscher

[indecisive]

Well, Pete is upset that we decided not to buy their diamond so he raised the price of the setting, even over the price that he quoted when we originally were going to bring in an outside diamond. When we were there he gave a whole speech to my bf about how they weren''t making any money off the diamond, just the setting. Then when we called and said we had found another diamond and we were willing to pay for him calling the diamond in he told us he had discounted the setting because we were buying the diamond through them. We are so confused and my bf is really mad because he feels like he has been told multiple stories and they are being vindictive. I don''t feel comfortable having a pave ring if it isn''t under a warranty where they will replace lost stones for free and local enough so it wouldn''t have to be mailed out. Does anyone no of another place in the northern VA/DC area that has a similar policy? If not we will have to change ring designs I guess. We just feel like we can''t trust Quest after they did this. They were so great to work with up to this point, but I don''t think it is right to raise the prices like this, and how would we know they wouldn''t pull something like this again before the ring was done. I don''t even know what type of setting I want now, because we had really thought Quest could do the pave for us and we could trust them.

 

[mrssalvo]

Indecisive, I'm sorry things have not run so smoothly for you and Quest. I don't think it's uncommon for a vendor to give a discounted price when both the stone and setting is bought from them though. Sounds like some sort of miscomunication happened. Did you have any of the quotes from them in writing? I know with some vendors they will give you a quote and it is good for 5 days or something. The cost of plat. is very high right now and keeps going up so that could be factored into the price difference too. I have worked with Quest and they are so customer service oriented that I can't help but feel we are missing something? I just don't know any of them to be vendictive or would do something outside standard business practices because they were "upset." As for other jewelers in that area, I know bill at Icemine is in the DC area. I don't know if he does custom but I know he works with Leon Mege so he definitely knows what good pave is supposed to look like

Oh, and you might find out how much Kaleigh paid for her setting or other Quest customers which might help to give you a good idea if they are being fair. I know their price for my setting was several hundred less than any other Quote I got so I'd think their prices even w/out the discount they said they offered should still be pretty good..

 

[princessv]

Indecisive I''m sorry things aren''t working out but I have to agree with mrssalvo, most jewelers give more of a discount if you buy a diamond+setting because they are looking at more of a profit so I can see why the price of the setting would have to increase if one is just going to purchase a setting and not a diamond + setting. Also, most jewelers (in the regular non PS world) won''t even set some other jeweler''s loose diamond because of 1) insurance concerns and 2) profit. I have to agree their prices really are great...makes me wonder how they do it.

 

[sanfranciscoellen]

Grrrrrrr.

A discount for stone+setting is irrelevant, since you said that your were originally bringing in an outside stone when they gave you a quote. So that would already have been factored.

And I''m sorry, but I don''t buy that they were not going to make anything on the stone. Maybe not as much mark up as they like, but come on.

I can''t tolerate petty business practices.

But....the melee guarantee is worth fighting for.

Is there anyone else at Quest you could talk to about this? I would neither look for a new jeweler, NOR settle for a price higher than what they originally quoted. It is worth being as firm as possible, and perhaps going above his head.

If they hadn''t given you the original quote for an outside stone, I''d agree with everyone else about the discount.

Ugggg.

 

[indecisive]

I know that they usually give discounts if you buy the diamond from them, but the new quote is more expensive than the initial quote we got. Also, the ring is white gold, so no platinum issues. I guess we are just upset because he kind of argued with us about why we didn't like the diamond (it is off center enough that everyone on here could see it as well) and he had made such a big deal about not making money off the diamond, just on the setting. Oh well. I guess we have to just suck it up or pick a different style. Also mrssalvo, thanks for the tip on icemine. We will call and see. Thanks.

Thanks wallermama! We may try to talk to them again. I just can't go back to the Quest diamond after seeing the one WF brought in for us.

 

[lmurden]

I''m really sorry to hear about your experience with Quest!!!
I don''t know another jeweler in NoVA but James Allen is in the Baltimore Metro Area. Good luck.

 

[princessv]

Ooo lmurden JA is a good one! They really have beautiful settings I''m not sure about the replacement of lost melee stones but you could always ask?

Indecisive I didn''t mean to come across as one sided....I completely agree that if you didn''t love the stone, you shouldn''t buy it no matter what.

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 3/23/2006 1:15:57 PM
Author: indecisive
I know that they usually give discounts if you buy the diamond from them, but the new quote is more expensive than the initial quote we got. Also, the ring is white gold

I''m pretty sure WG isn''t cheap right now either so it''s price may have gone up too. Did you ask Pete why the difference in price between the very first quote he gave ( when you were bringing in your own stone) and the new quote now that you actually have your own stone? I would definitely try to find out what exactly changed between that time. Please correct me if i''m wrong but it sounds to me like they gave you quote for a setting of X dollars. Then they gave you a quote of the stone plus the setting which is Y dollars. Now, you changed your mind and decided to purchase your stone elsewhere and they have given you a new higher than the original price of Z dollars. Is that right? So, I''d ask why the price is no longer X dollars.

 

[Kaleigh]

I'm sorry you are having problems with Quest. As mrssalvo said if he gave you one quote with a stone you're bringing in and another quote if you bought the stone from them why would he go back and raise the first quote?? I'd call him and see what the deal is. That doesn't sound like Pete . I didn't buy my stone from him and the quote I got was a firm one??

 

[indecisive]

No, I understand where you were coming from PrincessV. They have been really great to work with and I actually recommended them to a lot of people. And I did like their diamond, I just didn''t love it and when I noticed the off center part I knew it would bother me. I am starting to feel a little less upset, but my bf is really hurt. He has been talking to Pete for a couple of months and Pete has been so positive and easy to work with. Then when we told him we didn''t want the diamond and had found another one he got kind of mad at my bf for it. I think that is why my bf is kind of personally upset. I am not trying to smear them or anything because they do great work. We will call around and see about other things and make a decision. My bf talked to Bill at icemine and it might be promising. Thank you all for listening and offering advice. PS is so great!

 

[decodelighted]

I think there''s just human dissapointment on all sides. If Pete''s been working with your boyfriend "for months" and when you left you were pretty sold on the diamond they found for you, it''s possible they just overreacted a touch when stuff had changed that they didn''t know about.

Jewelers/Vendors etc are human too! I''m not sure about the pricing thing ... if the quote was done "months ago" for w/o stone - prices may indeed have gone up! Vendors usually have a set period of time they "honor" quotes.

Maybe you all should cool off and exchange some key info by email? I can understand your bf''s hurt feelings when someone he''s been coordnating with for a long time doesn''t react how he thought he would. I can really see both sides.

WHATEVER you decide, I''m sure you''ll have an awesome ring when all is said & done!! Not to mention - An officially "kickin" asscher.

 

[mrssalvo]

Well if you boyfriend has been talking with them for a couple of months and they have been helping him, they could understandably be upset that you purchased the stone somewhere else. A couple of months is a lot of time to take up. I don't think it's right for them to up the price because of this but if you original quote is over 2 months old, I can see how with the price of metal and diamonds going up could easily increase the price or the original quote would no longer be valid.


ETA: deco and I were posting at the same time..great minds think alike hey deco

 

[Kaleigh]

I can''t wait to see your ering. Where ever you get it made I know it will be amazing!!!

 

[princessv]

A little off topic haha but hey Kaleigh remember when I had just started my project with Quest and you specifically called and asked about my setting? I think you must have said "hey you better not mess with her!" Kaleigh the Enforcer

I'm whacked I know LOL

I also think your ring will be beautiful and I can't wait to see some handshots indecisive!

 

[indecisive]

Thanks you guys. We have been talking to them for so long because we have been trying to find a good asscher for what seems like forever! We only talked about getting the diamond from them for a week and a half so I don''t feel like we led them on about for a long time. Regardless, like you guys said, I am sure the ring will be gorgeous when it is done. We are going to see what icemines quote is and then maybe talk to WF if it doesn''t work out. Or, I could always put my diamond on a twist tie and it would still be gorgeous

. And thanks Kaleigh. As always you have helped SO much!

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 3/23/2006 1:54:45 PM
Author: Princess V
A little off topic haha but hey Kaleigh remember when I had just started my project with Quest and you specifically called and asked about my setting? I think you must have said ''hey you better not mess with her!'' Kaleigh the Enforcer

I''m whacked I know LOL

I also think your ring will be beautiful and I can''t wait to see some handshots indecisive!

Yessy I do. Anything for my PS pals!!

 

[february2003bride]

Indecisive-

I''m so sorry that it didn''t work out with Quest!

What about asking WhiteFlash to make your ring and ask if they would impose the same policy with the pave stones as Quest?

Carrie

 

[icekid]

aww, that is really too bad that it seems things won''t work out with Quest! They seem like such nice guys too. But i am sure you will end up with a great ring, regardless!

 

[cymbrie]

Oh Inde I''m sorry to hear you are having such problems

I guess we must have been really lucky GOG and Mark Morrell have been just awesome did you guys ever make it to GOG?

 

[indecisive]

Thanks you guys! I am feeling better about everything. I am one of those people that believes that everything happens for a reason. We have decided to go with a plain white gold or platinum ring for now and come in under budget for the ring, though my bf says he is going to spend a little more on the proposal

! That way I can see how hard I am on the ring and maybe for Christmas we will get another setting custom made. Perhaps all the hurt feelings with Quest will be gone by then or we may go with a Leon piece through icemine (Bill is so great to talk to and I don''t think I would be patient enough to talk to Leon himself!). Then we could use the original setting as a right hand ring with a gem stone maybe and pass it on to our children or my niece if we don''t have any. I really love this idea and I think it is going to work out so well. We have had a hard couple months with my health and finding out that I may not be able to have children, so we are ready for things to go smoothly from now on!

cymbrie- we really had a hard time communicating with Tim. Each time we asked him about how the diamond search was going he told us that he didn''t have anything but he would start looking and Jonathan was so busy with the wonderful website he told us to keep working with Tim. By the time it got time to go they only had 2 diamonds, one which was a .8 and the other that was out of our price range. It was a little discouraging and we couldn''t reschedule because I was in the hospital after that, but it all worked out because I think we were supposed to get the 1.06 from WF

I am going to start helping my mom find an oval in a few months though, and I will keep them in mind as well as WF! Maybe we will make the trip with my mom and with less stress on my and my bf, which will be great!!!

 

[sanfranciscoellen]

Indecisive, you have been through so much lately...I think that a lovely proposal is soooo what you need right now.

Are they sure about children? I think sometimes doctors are so cavalier about making such statements, when the body is such a mysterious beast. I have had friends told the same thing and now they are mommies.

I too am a big believer in things happening for a reason, whether we originally like that reason or not, and your live with your true love will be special whether you have kids or get to savor your days with him and him alone. There is no right way.

Is your health better? How long were you in the hospital?

By the way, I love the simple band idea! Let''s just get you engaged and then you can think long and careful about your options....

 

[indecisive]

Thanks wallermama. Having children isn''t hopeless but it may be hard. I wouldn''t have too hard of a time conceiving but I might have problems carrying a baby to term, and I don''t think I could deal getting pregnant multiple times and loosing the baby. We will try when the time is right though and have very good doctors, so I am trying to be positive. It is just hard to hear this at 21 when it seems like everyone else can have babies with out even trying. I do have my niece though who I love like I would my own child and there is always the option of adopting. I think things will work out, like you said, it is just hard to get to that point sometimes! I truly couldn''t have handled all that I have been through without my boyfriend. He has taken care of me through everything and never even thought about complaining or finding someone without health problems. I wasn''t in the hospital for too long, just long enough to ruin spring break plans. But I have the rest of my life to spend with my guy so I can''t complain

I am going pretty well right now and I can''t wait for my gorgeous ring and whatever it is he has planned!! I am really getting excited about the plain band too... I might not ever want to change it after I see it!

 

[Rhino]

Hi Indecivive,

I am sorry to hear about the issues with the setting but glad to see all is coming along. I read your comment regarding Tim and was wondering if your fiance''s initials are MF? We generally have all emails answered no later than 24 hours (with the exception of our days off) and was a little concerned when I saw your post in case there was something we needed to brush up on this end. We are busy with the new site and all but never too busy to help people. We wish you all the best.

Regards,

 

[indecisive]

Hey Jonathan. Yes, that is my bf. The main problem that we had was every time we contacted Tim for an update on how the asscher search was going it was like we had never contacted him before and we would give the specs again and he would say he would start looking. When we asked to see some info on the diamonds he had gotten for us the day before we left he showed us a .8, which was a little smaller than we wanted, and also a .9 that is on your website, but it is listed as $1,000+ dollars more than the budget we gave him. It was a little frustrating because we had told him a little over a month earlier that we were planning to come and told him what we wanted and they were the only two that had been found. We called and canceled for that day and we were going to try and re-schedule later in our spring break to see if any other asschers could be called in but that is when I ended up in the hospital. That said, I would still recommend your company and I have already recommended you to my mother, along with WF, when she starts looking for her upgrade. I think she would really want to make a trip up to New York if you would still have us. The website looks great btw! Thanks.