natlaw
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2005
- Messages
- 37
Early this week I posted my pics and since it was an uncertified stone, I was eager to get it appraised so we knew the specs and can put our minds to ease. Well, I went to Benson's (since it is near my job downtown) and here is the hamburger story...
Since it was uncertified he agreed to have me come that day so we could put our minds at ease. When I sat down his first comment was this is a pretty nice stone ... and literally it went down hill from there after I told him that I purchased it at the gem show. He said "why did you not purchase here...blah blah blah..." (adding that purchasing online is not a good idea). He then proceeded to just tear my ring apart. Stating that it has a lot of stuff in it and that the setting was not properly set, that my stone has medium pink flourescence, he, also, said that the measurements were really off and that my 1.46 reflected more like a 1.2 - 1.3. I was not a happy camper. I then asked him if he could show me a 1.25 stone ... so when I compared that to my 1.46 I said "mine looks bigger"...and he basically just brused it off. I asked him if he could show me a 1.5 stone so I could compare mine to that...then another customer walked in and he politely excused himself and tended to the customer. When the "appraisal" was completed he said if you are not happy with that stone, then let me know and I can work with you...blah blah blah.
I immediately called Martin Fuller! I don't know if it was instinct or panic or what....but I just did not feel that the guy at Benson was right. When I talked with Martin I was paniced and he calmly said..."Everyone feels this way after...you second guess, etc. etc., come and in, and I will look at it but I think everything will be fine") When we went there today...I just can not express that if you are in the Metro DC area...pay the $175 and be prepared to walk out with a smile. Not only does Martin know what he is doing (he has done analysis on the Hope Diamond) ... he, also, has the BEST customer service!!! His wife is a sweetheart and just greeted us with the warmest personality. Martin himself is just a doll...answering all of our questions and giving us all the information we needed in order to confirm that for my baby's budget we got the best that we could get and did PRETTY DAM GOOD!!! Martin commented that the setting was done very well and that it was very nice and after asking if it was a Ritani.
When he looked at the stone he confirmed that it was an H by looking at crystals and putting it in a machine. He did measurements that were much more in line with the actual weight (unlike the guy from Benson's who had measurements tht did not even sound right after looking at stones online). And what makes my stone an I is an unfinished cavity on my stone. Martin explained that what probably happened was that if they would have finished that section it would have caused the stone to be smaller and in the end does it not interfere with the brillance of the stone. He commented that the cut was done well so it masked the unfinished part underneath. The depth is a bit thicker than I would have wanted...but everything else is pretty dead on! And ... my ring has no flourescence ...(and definitely not pink flourescense)
He, also, confirmed that my fiance paid right on the money and to boot we got a great looking ring (I knew that party already)! So...
if you are in the DC area... go to Fuller, when we left my fiance said...I know we paid alot...but I feel like it was a bargin.
The specs on my ring are as follows:
1.46 round brilliant cut
7.00-7.02 x 4.55
Depth: 64.9
Table: 56
Girdle: Thick, faceted
Clarity: I1
Color: H
Symmetry: VG
Polish: VG
Culet: None
Flour: None
...and here are more pictures of my ring
Since it was uncertified he agreed to have me come that day so we could put our minds at ease. When I sat down his first comment was this is a pretty nice stone ... and literally it went down hill from there after I told him that I purchased it at the gem show. He said "why did you not purchase here...blah blah blah..." (adding that purchasing online is not a good idea). He then proceeded to just tear my ring apart. Stating that it has a lot of stuff in it and that the setting was not properly set, that my stone has medium pink flourescence, he, also, said that the measurements were really off and that my 1.46 reflected more like a 1.2 - 1.3. I was not a happy camper. I then asked him if he could show me a 1.25 stone ... so when I compared that to my 1.46 I said "mine looks bigger"...and he basically just brused it off. I asked him if he could show me a 1.5 stone so I could compare mine to that...then another customer walked in and he politely excused himself and tended to the customer. When the "appraisal" was completed he said if you are not happy with that stone, then let me know and I can work with you...blah blah blah.
I immediately called Martin Fuller! I don't know if it was instinct or panic or what....but I just did not feel that the guy at Benson was right. When I talked with Martin I was paniced and he calmly said..."Everyone feels this way after...you second guess, etc. etc., come and in, and I will look at it but I think everything will be fine") When we went there today...I just can not express that if you are in the Metro DC area...pay the $175 and be prepared to walk out with a smile. Not only does Martin know what he is doing (he has done analysis on the Hope Diamond) ... he, also, has the BEST customer service!!! His wife is a sweetheart and just greeted us with the warmest personality. Martin himself is just a doll...answering all of our questions and giving us all the information we needed in order to confirm that for my baby's budget we got the best that we could get and did PRETTY DAM GOOD!!! Martin commented that the setting was done very well and that it was very nice and after asking if it was a Ritani.
When he looked at the stone he confirmed that it was an H by looking at crystals and putting it in a machine. He did measurements that were much more in line with the actual weight (unlike the guy from Benson's who had measurements tht did not even sound right after looking at stones online). And what makes my stone an I is an unfinished cavity on my stone. Martin explained that what probably happened was that if they would have finished that section it would have caused the stone to be smaller and in the end does it not interfere with the brillance of the stone. He commented that the cut was done well so it masked the unfinished part underneath. The depth is a bit thicker than I would have wanted...but everything else is pretty dead on! And ... my ring has no flourescence ...(and definitely not pink flourescense)
He, also, confirmed that my fiance paid right on the money and to boot we got a great looking ring (I knew that party already)! So...
if you are in the DC area... go to Fuller, when we left my fiance said...I know we paid alot...but I feel like it was a bargin.
The specs on my ring are as follows:
1.46 round brilliant cut
7.00-7.02 x 4.55
Depth: 64.9
Table: 56
Girdle: Thick, faceted
Clarity: I1
Color: H
Symmetry: VG
Polish: VG
Culet: None
Flour: None
...and here are more pictures of my ring
And it makes it feel so much more natural.
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