Service Plan

[bluelight]

So my girlfriend is very much set on having a service plan at a local store so she can take it in and get everything checked out and cleaned/repaired as needed for free once or twice a year. Because we're going to be moving around a lot over the next year that eliminates local non-chain stores, leaving only the mall brand Zales, Helzbergs, Kay's, etc.

Since those companies only offer the service plan on items purchased from them, I'm essentially limited to those buying from those stores, which I'm not thrilled about. Does anybody know of a widespread service plan that doesn't require me to be tied to those stores, or any other ideas?

 

[Gypsy]

You girlfriend just needs a little knowledge.

A) You can pretty much get your ring cleaned and checked at any jewelry store with the exception of a couple of highend brands (Tiffany will only clean and check their own rings, for example).

My diamond was bought in DE and set in NY. I live in CA. I can and do have it cleaned and checked here at any of my local stores while I browse.

I can also have it repaired or sized here at any place with than in house bench (place that does on site repairs).

B) Insurance is what you have to have not a service plan. Anything unforeseen: damage or theft will be covered by it. Jewelers Mutual is what we recommend most often here.


So... you can buy your ring anywhere. A service plan is frankly a worthless thing... that's why they offer it. It costs them nothing and is worth nothing. Because you need insurance anyway. And they clean and check rings from anywhere free of change regardless.

 

[denverappraiser]

I’m a smidgen less harsh than Gypsy but I basically agree with her (I usually do).

‘Repairs’ includes things like minor stones getting loose or lost, retipping every few years, rhodium plating on white gold things, and some general maintenance. Most insurance doesn’t cover these things. That said, they usually aren’t terribly expensive either, and in some cases they’re covered under the manufacturer’s warranty. I think of it as a prepaid maintenance plan. I would guess the typical person pays less than $50/year total on this sort of thing and, for the first few years, it’s a lot less. Big things, like loss of the whole piece or damage to the major diamond, are insurance issues anyway so they don't count. Is that worth something? I suppose, but I wouldn’t get worried about it. It’s also worth noticing that there are almost always strings attached; like you need to show up in the store for an inspection every 6 months or the policy becomes null and void. Inspections somewhere else don’t count. It’s easy to forget to go in and people regularly move to a new neighborhood where it’s decidedly inconvenient. It's remarkably hard to guess where you'll be and what you'll be doing in 5 years. That said, it’s nice to have a local jeweler you know and trust, and that’s a fine reason to shop there, even if they cost a little more, but the service plan per se isn’t much to hang your hat on.

 

[heididdl]

Any store any time any place but I usually take it to a local jewel where I can see the bench from the counter so I can watch to be sure my stone isn't switch. Service contract never heard of such a thing. Just had my prongs checked this week as my just freshly reset stone felt loose. I didn't get charged for him to check prongs and clean it