The love affair I have had with my local jeweller is, regretably, over. I will NOT be going back. There has been a change in the store. The Front-of-the-Store guy sold his share of the partnership to Designer guy. Now that Front-of-the-Store guy is gone, the experience is not the same. Front-of-the-Store guy never pushed or did (edited to replace Done with did, DUH!) things his way. He listened, and I never experienced one problem. Since Designer guy has taken over things, everything is different. For example, last fall I had a platinum and diamond ring made. I asked for comfort fit and didn't get it. Whay? Because Designer guy did not think it worth the extra expense, so I get half-comfort. The ring is beautiful, but the sharp edges really do irritate me. As does his presumption that I would not pay the difference to get what I want. I should have known not to go back then.
Foolishly, I took my beautiful Richard Homer deep purple amethysts to Designer guy to have him make me a pair of earrings, and his setter broke one of the stones. On the day I went to see the damage to the amethyst, I also wanted to talk to Designer guy about making my wedding ring with the Richard Homer sapphire. I wanted to ask him to come up with the design so I could purchase the melee. I was also willing to pay him, in advance, for designing the ring. Having seen the melee he had to offer in the store, I did not want to purchase from him. Dark, windowed stones were all he had. You would not believe the pushing for the sale. All over a bit of melee. When I told him I did not like what he had to offer and that the stones could not possibly match the brilliance of the sapphire (or the colour for that matter), it was like WW III had started.
It was only then I managed to get a look at the earrings in progress - TOTALLY WRONG. No dangle, wirework not very nice, poorly designed hook and closure. And you would have laughed at the stone he wanted to replace the broken amethyst with. He said - they'll be on different sides of your head - no one will notice. The cut was not concave, and the colour was only slightly more purple than lavender. No one will notice! Ha!
After thinking of this for a while, I have decided it is not in my interest to deal with someone who does not really listen or pay attention to what I want, and what I am ultimately paying for. The guy I use in Toronto is fabulous for straight-forward work, but I am looking for a jeweller that can do something really delicate. Essentially, I'd like the stones set on the diagonal (they are square cushions), with a vine wrapping around the 4 corners, tapering on the final wrap.
If anyone has a recommendation for a jeweller they like, anywhere in Canada or the US, please do let me know. I'd love to have these made sometime this summer, and would like to have time to look at samples of their work.
Thanks for any help oiffered.
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