WF ACA - Would you return?

[j1nx]

Hi everyone,

I purchased a 0.901 ct G VS1 diamond from Whiteflash, to be set in their Platinum Valoria Tapered Baguette 3 Stone setting as an engagement ring for my partner. I was originally going to purchase (and did put a deposit on) a diamond here in Australia at a local jewellers but immediately upon posting it to Reddit for critique I was told that it was a subpar diamond.

Lots recommended purchasing from Whiteflash due to the quality of their diamonds, attention to detail and the significant cost saving that ordering a ring from the US offered me. They weren't wrong - the diamond is simply spectacular and I paid a fraction of the price I would have here in Australia.

My partner was specifically looking for a 3-stone baguette, I showed her the style online and she loved it, particularly the setting of the tapered side stones.

I have to say that the staff at Whiteflash have all been excellent - due to the time difference, I would have to wake up at 5:30-6 in order to respond to their emails prior to purchasing the ring. That would be about 3pm in Texas so we had a couple of hours to converse. They were very helpful in helping me choose the right diamond for my budget.

Due to the distance between here and the US, and it being a pain to ship the ring back if there was anything wrong with it, I asked for photos of the ring to be sent to me for approval before shipping. Here are the photos that I received:



I woke up at 6am and looked at the photos on my phone half-asleep, and because I have paid thousands and booked a surprise holiday for my partner to propose next Tuesday (5th November) I was concerned that the ring would not arrive here in time. It turns out I was right to be concerned - it took almost two weeks to clear customs and I was able to pick up the ring yesterday -- two days before we go away on the holiday.

I sent back a reply after inspecting the photos for 10 seconds and said yes - ship it.

Over the course of the day, and with the help of someone I have been speaking with online on Reddit, I inspected the ring photos further and couldn't help but notice:

- The side stone on the left is set much lower at the top than the one on the right
- The metal clasps below the side stones do not look symmetrical or rounded - they are more squared and the one on the right looks to be at an angle compared to the one on the right?

I immediately sent emails with my concerns to Whiteflash - here are some of the images I included:




I also included a side-by-side photo with the product photo of the setting to illustrate the difference (bottom is the product photo):



After waiting another 24 hours for a reply (again, not anyone's fault - due to the time difference), someone from Whiteflash responded and said that they had recalled the package and will fix it up. Again, stellar customer service from them.

For some strange reason after some back and forth, FedEx said that they were unable to return the package to sender for whatever reason - very odd statement from a global shipping company, but I digress...

Following the news from FedEx I called Whiteflash and we spoke about my concerns about the ring. They had a conversation with the production manager while I was on the phone and I was told that he said he could see what I mean. Which raised some questions in my mind - how did the ring pass QA in the first place? Am I worrying over nothing?

I was advised to pay the duty and taxes, collect the ring and see what I think. My partner has also had a look at it (can't be helped due to the nature of the process unfortunately, I wish it was more of a surprise but here we are).

What follows is a dump of some images I took (poorly on my iPhone but hopefully you get the gist), and a video (please excuse my cats loudly eating in the background):







Video: https://streamable.com/wrige9

If you've made it this far, hopefully you can answer some questions for me:

- Whiteflash have said that they are happy to recall the ring and fix up the parts of it that I have concerns about. Obviously with me being in Australia this process will take over a month most likely, and be a bit of a pain because I have to drop it off to FedEx an hour away, so each drop-off and pick-up is a 2 hour round trip.
- My partner has said that she is OK with it but if it would make me happy to return it and get it fixed then we can do that. I am inclined to think that if she is happy then I am happy, but upon reflection the overarching thought in my mind is that for such an expensive ring I expected it to at least be symmetrical. Are my concerns valid?

I have never purchased a diamond ring before and this one cost me around $12,000 AUD (about $7,900 US) so I just wanted to get the opinion of some people who know what they are talking about.

I'll finish off by saying that the centre diamond is nothing short of spectacular - I am overall glad that I went with Whiteflash and this post is in no way intended to imply that I am unhappy with the service that they have provided. It's more to get some opinions on whether my concerns are valid and whether I should send it back.

Apologies for the long story, I tried to keep it as short as possible! I very much appreciate your help and opinions in advance.

 

[concun]

If it were me, I would convince myself to keep it due to all the hassle to return and I simply could not part with such a beautiful stone. Then a year or two later, once the excitement had settled down, once in a while, I would remember the imperfection. I would point it out to friends and family, and most would say it does not look that bad, so I would let it go. Then a few more months, I would stop asking their opinion but the imperfection would grow bigger, and I finally would decide to fix it. Just that now it would be too late to go back to the original vendor, I would either have it fixed with someone locally which may not turn out perfect as I hope or I would do a brand new setting altogether.

Well, this scenario has happened to me many times, but I am the one wearing the ring. In your situation, your fiancé loves it and she said she is ok with it, so I would choose to side with her opinion.

And congratulations on your engagement!!!

 

[MissGotRocks]

I see your concern and would reserve the right to send it back. If your partner is happy, then maybe not send it back right away. Give yourselves a chance to live with it and see how you feel. If it bothered me in the slightest, I would definitely want it fixed and I am quite sure Whiteflash will do just that. I understand the pains you have to go to send it back, but it should meet the definition of perfect for you both. I honestly don’t know why this wasn’t caught before shipping it out!

 

[lovedogs]

Provably not super helpful. But here's my take: I don't see anything, but I'm also really bad at noticing this stuff. However, whenever I've purchased something and noticed flaws, they bother me more over time, not less. So If it were me and I noticed this stuff, I would return (even if annoying), because i would just be more frustrated by it over time.

 

[Dr_Diesel]

I agree with @lovedogs.

Typically, if something bothers you a little bit in the beginning, it will bother you a lot more later on.

Phrased differently, I was once advised “if you don’t fall in love with it within the first three seconds, send it back.”

This advice was given in relation to stones, but I think it applies to this as well.

Think “the princess and the pea.”

It sounds like the stone is a keeper, but perhaps the ring is not.

 

[jjca]

That would drive me crazy every time I looked at it. It comes down to the mind-clean issue. We all have things we can and can't live with. Regardless of the advice you get here - you have to be happy with it and she really does.

Being brand new... you paid for a "prefect setting", what matters is what the two of you decide - but you shouldn't have to pay to fix it later or upgrade just because the setting is bad. Imagine you will keep it forever... and go from there.

 

[Lookinagain]

I would send it back after the proposal holiday. Make sure, with the time it takes to do so that WF understands and will allow for how long it takes. I don't really expect things to be absolutely perfect (and I don't really inspect my rings to look for issues) but I agree this is pretty noticeable and I do think I'd definitely notice the squareness vs. roundness at the base of the baguettes and would not be happy with the square shape. So as long as your partner is okay with parting with the ring for whatever time it takes, send it back, but only after the holiday....

 

[LCS]

I would always see it and know that it was not right..... I'd work with them to make the changes.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Just a slight reframe: the ring cost 12k but the setting is a small fraction of that price. The diamond the lions share. I feel like that matters when you are saying “for that price I expect symmetry etc”. It will be hard to let this go when you frame it like the entire thing is ruined bc of this issue.

I might ask for a price adjustment and keep it personally. You aren’t wearing it your gf is. If you hadn’t seen those super enlarged pictures you may not have noticed it in person. Of course if it was an easy fix I’d do that. But all that shipping and stress isn’t worth it IMO. Don’t spoil your gfs engagement by making her give up her new ring for a month! It’s not worth it.

 

[j1nx]

Thank you all for your comments thus far. I will communicate with Whiteflash tomorrow morning (afternoon in the US) and see what our options are.

Just a slight reframe: the ring cost 12k but the setting is a small fraction of that price. The diamond the lions share. I feel like that matters when you are saying “for that price I expect symmetry etc”. It will be hard to let this go when you frame it like the entire thing is ruined bc of this issue.

This is an excellent point and has certainly given us something to think about. The setting is about 30% of the total cost which is somewhere around $3,500 AUD. Certainly not saying the whole ring is ruined because the diamond is phenomenal but for even the amount the setting cost alone I suppose I was expecting attention to detail.

 

[Bonfire]

Yes I definitely see the issues you mention.
You should both be completely happy with the ring even if it means sending it back. It will be worth the temporary inconvenience. Personally I wouldn’t settle.

 

[Bron357]

It is a big hassle to return from Australia because when the fixed ring comes back to Australia you’ll be hit with Customs all over again. Ugh. Then you’ll have the “joy” of proving to Customs you’ve already paid Customs and are entitled to a refund. As you might expect, paying Customs takes two nanoseconds getting a refund, hmmmmm.
If you are in Sydney I can recommend my jeweller to make the necessary adjustments to the setting.
It’s a shame but most big Companies outsource the Manufacture and it can be “hit and miss” with the level of “eye for detail”.

 

[WillyDiamond]

I cannot make heads or tails from the pictures. If you are not happy, then send it back. I am sure that WF will pay/reimburse for the shipping (send you a label). WF is a company that wants to get it right and you are 100% happy. You are in Australia, WF in the US, you had to have known that if things did not go 100% to your satisfaction, then the return and timelines would be a big hassle. If you send it back, make sure it is insured. Good luck.

 

[j1nx]

If you are in Sydney I can recommend my jeweller to make the necessary adjustments to the setting.

I know nothing about jewellery. Would they be able to raise the side stone or would it require a new side stone? How much do you think it would cost to be amended locally? Are we talking hundreds, over a thousand?

You are in Australia, WF in the US, you had to have known that if things did not go 100% to your satisfaction

Yes of course. To be honest I’m kicking myself for not inspecting the photos closer before giving them the OK to send it.

For what it’s worth, my partner said she would be okay with sending it back but I am also conscious that it is a massive effort. If I can get it fixed locally and it doesn’t cost too much, I could try to negotiate a price adjustment with WF to cover it.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I agree this should not have passed QC, just for the record! And it would bug ME. Especially with settings for $$ these days. I still think it’s valid not to choose to do an international exchange. You might visit local Jewelers to ask about a fix but I’m a very distrustful as most Jewelers I have gone to locally don’t have the skill or attention to detail of the vendors PSers like… even including this poor experience in the mix!

 

[freddyboston]

This isn't the first time someone from Australia w/ WF setting issues.. WF really needs to Upgrade their QC especially for overseas orders....

Post in thread 'Please help pick one of these two'

Jul 10, 2024

So I looked at roughly your budget of 6k AUD, this might be a fraction more with taxes.

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-di...olor-vs2-clarity-round-ideal-cut-sku-a4531968

I'm not sure what the policy is right now but White Flash has an upgrade policy which might be useful to consider in case you plan on upgrading your ring.

A recent PS'er @sugarcloud just upgraded her ACA which looks amazing!

Reporting for duty!

@kimp24 I live in Sydney, and have recently received my second ACA (upgraded my old one) from whiteflash. I do really...

• sugarcloud

• 

 

[Rfisher]

Aside from all previous helpful suggestions, OP
I think I’d have a hard time no questions asked any vendors computer generated renderings to look super similar to real life photo, macro to macro as you have done.
It does point out rounded baguette bar setting vs more squared off ones.

Hindsight would be to ask for similar photos of actual past production items, first.

I think you have valid thoughts. Fwiw

What I would do, being in a different county, is different than being in same.

Adding a second vendor to work on it -neither vendor is responsible for the other or the final outcome anymore.
Hope you have an existing relationship with open communication and expectation of results. and what happens if second vendors results are subpar - hoping that doesn’t happen.

Best wishes.

 

[Lookinagain]

30% of the price is not insignificant, so I would still want it fixed. Going to a local jeweler is risky and if it doesn't work out, you're stuck. I don't know what the cost of the import duty is and whether waiting for the refund after proving prior payment is an issue for you, but if you can swing it, I'd send it back. If you were talking about a cheaper setting, I probably wouldn't do it but 30% is a big piece of the whole. Just make sure that if you send it back, it is insured. If WF can send you a shipping label I would assume their insurance would cover it, but that's just a guess on my part. Others may know for sure.

 

[j1nx]

Aside from all previous helpful suggestions, OP
I think I’d have a hard time no questions asked any vendors computer generated renderings to look super similar to real life photo, macro to macro as you have done.
It does point out rounded baguette bar setting vs more squared off ones.

Hindsight would be to ask for similar photos of actual past production items, first.

Yeah I absolutely have sympathy for the fact that the top-down I posted is computer generated. However, if you look at photos of actual rings on the product listing, you can see that whilst they are not completely round like the generated image, but they are not completely flat either like the one I was sent.

To be honest that’s not the major focus here, the main thing is that the side stones align at the same angle, and that is something that they can absolutely fix (otherwise the side stone on the right wouldn’t look fine). From what I can see in the product photos, they all look fine, too.

I don't know what the cost of the import duty is and whether waiting for the refund after proving prior payment is an issue for you, but if you can swing it, I'd send it back.

Yeah it will be a bit of a pain proving import duty but I am quite persistent. I had to call FedEx for days to keep them on their toes following up with customs this time, I’ll do the same again.

Thank you everyone for more replies. I am speaking to WF this morning soon over the phone and will discuss our options with them.

 

[freddyboston]

I wonder if you just keep the diamond @ return the setting for full refund... And Buy a replacement setting locally where you can sign off on the finished / bench work in person....

 

[j1nx]

I wonder if you just keep the diamond @ return the setting for full refund... And Buy a replacement setting locally where you can sign off on the finished / bench work in person....

Interesting thought. I’d still have to send something back to them, might as well let them have the chance to fix it up, as they’re familiar with working with the setting and my partner really does like the design.

 

[freddyboston]

Interesting thought. I’d still have to send something back to them, might as well let them have the chance to fix it up, as they’re familiar with working with the setting and my partner really does like the design.

You have similar settings over there - it is a nice look

Brilliant cut diamond with 2 baguettes ring

This Holloway Diamonds Brilliant cut diamond with 2 baguettes engagement ring is simply stunning.

www.hollowaydiamonds.com.au

 

[Dreamer_D]

I wonder if you just keep the diamond @ return the setting for full refund... And Buy a replacement setting locally where you can sign off on the finished / bench work in person....

I like this idea.

 

[j1nx]

You have similar settings over there - it is a nice look

I like this idea.

Yeah I was originally in contact with Holloway. They wanted $16k AUD for a comparable diamond — just for the stone.

The band they have there is indeed beautiful, unfortunately Holloway are based in Melbourne and we are in Sydney so it’d be the same situation, albeit less distance. Still hard to check in person.

I’ve been in contact with WF this morning. They are going to insure return shipping when we return from our trip and they have said they are committed to ensuring we get the ring perfect. Can’t fault their customer service, they have been wonderful.

We are going to go ahead with the return and get them to resize it slightly, which they have said they will also do for free.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Yeah I was originally in contact with Holloway. They wanted $16k AUD for a comparable diamond — just for the stone.

The band they have there is indeed beautiful, unfortunately Holloway are based in Melbourne and we are in Sydney so it’d be the same situation, albeit less distance. Still hard to check in person.

I’ve been in contact with WF this morning. They are going to insure return shipping when we return from our trip and they have said they are committed to ensuring we get the ring perfect. Can’t fault their customer service, they have been wonderful.

We are going to go ahead with the return and get them to resize it slightly, which they have said they will also do for free.

I am sure they will make it perfect and I am sorry you have had to go through this. Guess the silver lining is that the resizing will be done too! Please enjoy your trip and come back with new pics once the fix is completed!

 

[Bron357]

I know nothing about jewellery. Would they be able to raise the side stone or would it require a new side stone? How much do you think it would cost to be amended locally? Are we talking hundreds, over a thousand?



Yes of course. To be honest I’m kicking myself for not inspecting the photos closer before giving them the OK to send it.

For what it’s worth, my partner said she would be okay with sending it back but I am also conscious that it is a massive effort. If I can get it fixed locally and it doesn’t cost too much, I could try to negotiate a price adjustment with WF to cover it.

My jeweller would simply remove the diamonds from the setting and correct the setting shape as applicable.
Obviously a jeweller needs to see it to check that is possible, so depending on time taken and additional gold probably only a few hundred dollars.