When a custom project doesn’t meet expectations, what do you do?

[Lakefront]

I recently purchased a piece from a much beloved vendor and it just didn’t turn out the way they had assured me it would. But…there’s no benefit in digging into all of that at this point.

Suffice it to say that ever since I received it (months ago), I have wanted to make changes to both stones and setting. It feels awful and so wasteful, but I really don’t want to look at this piece for decades and see the frustration and shortfalls that it now seems to represent.

I can’t be the only one who has experienced this or has changed their mind once a project became reality.

How many times have you changed a piece until it was “right”. Or do you tend to live with it if it doesn’t match up to the expectations?

Basically, please make me feel better.

 

[lulu_ma]

Would you consider selling the piece?

ETA: I think most of us have all been in your position!

 

[Lakefront]

I would. I’d sell the side stones and setting that this vendor created. I’d definitely take a big loss though, so that’s not a fun feeling.

 

[Mreader]

If it’s recent, can you approach the vendor and have them fix what is bothering you?

 

[vintageinjune]

My mom had this experience with her mothers ring she had made. I tried to steer her to another vendor that would actually make her what she wanted, but she insisted the one in town "has won awards for their work!", and ultimately, as I expected, she was left disappointed. The ring is, quite frankly, sloppy.

In the next year or two, I want to take it, send it to DK or CvB and have one of them re-do it. Mom paid about $3k for the stones and custom setting and what should have been a happy, fun ring sits in the back of her jewelry box, only to be pulled out when a visual aid of her disappointment is required.

Honestly, I'll probably have to fork out $2-3k to have it redone. She'll never do it. The thought of it just sitting there useless and ugly bothers me though. She deserves the mothers ring she wanted.

You deserve the ring you wanted too.

 

[oldcutclubmember]

If it’s recent, can you approach the vendor and have them fix what is bothering you?

I would also try to reach out to see if the vendor is willing to work something out.

Did you get to see a CAD or was it just a general idea that was talked about? How was your expectation relayed to the vendor?

I wouldn’t just live with a setting if I didn’t like it from the get go. I would never wear it and it would be even more of a waste than resetting it. It would also make me sad or angry or both and I wouldn’t want a piece of jewelry I own to evoke those emotions.

 

[Lakefront]

I approved it and paid for it. At this point, I’ll take responsibility for it not living up to my detailed expectations. I should have gotten a wax printed to be sure…and pushed harder for things I knew I wanted instead of trusting blindly.

I’m not looking for a way to fix this. I know that could only involve a redesign at my expense.

I’m just wondering if other people are let down by custom work that doesn’t match what you dream of seeing. Should I have expected a few details to be lost in translation?

Do you guys go through some remakes or do you just move on?

 

[lulu_ma]

Can you give some examples of what you are unhappy with? If it is from a known designer, you maybe able to recoup a decent amount of your cost...

Money aside-what would make you happy in the long run?

I will give you my own example--I bought a beautiful stone and had it set. After a few months, I realized that the shape of the stone wasn't exactly what I wanted. I sold the complete ring for a bit of a loss but it was worth it for me. I didn't want to keep a ring that I wouldn't wear.

 

[Cecelovesjewels]

Coming out of lurkdom to say yes it’s happened to me and you can see my thread on it. I ended trying to live with it for a year, couldn’t do it and so paid another vendor to have it redone. It was hard because I was inspired by a design, didn’t want to pay for the cost of the design, but since I had it done twice lol it was the price of what the original design would have been. So a lesson learned for sure but I’m glad I fixed it.

 

[Lakefront]

There are a lot of little things. I wanted the side stones angled with the curve of the band and they assured me that the three stones wouldn’t be straight. The tables aren’t all face up so they are technically angled but definitely not way I had anticipated.
The edges of the ring are crisp and almost sharp. They assured me that with polishing it would smooth out and be more rounded. It’s just not as rounded as I would have liked. Filing the crisp areas down at this point would not look harmonious with the whole setting. It would have to be changed in the design stage to make me happy at this point.
The milgrain is fine and beautiful but it’s scratchy too.

There’s also one big thing. I had side stones custom cut. I was told they were D/E and I paid that price. I then asked and paid to have them sent to GIA. They both came back as H.

To me, three color grades is more than a subjective difference of opinion. I brought this up to the vendor and only heard crickets. I had already paid so I didn’t have any leverage there. They didn’t sell them to me as GIA grades D/E so I expected a little wiggle room but that’s a lot of wiggling for my color sensitive eyes.

I don’t know. It’s just disappointing. I really don’t want to go back and fight out the differences. I’m just frustrated.

 

[Cecelovesjewels]

Thread:

Poll : Would you spend the $$ to fix ring imperfections that some say are minor?

Hi Everyone, I am torn about what to do with my e-ring. I am also unfortunately unable to post pictures - I had to create a new user bc of privacy issues and the pic of the ring would bring up more issues. What I can tell you is that I had a halo put around my princess solitaire diamond almost...

www.pricescope.com

 

[Lakefront]

Thread:

Poll : Would you spend the $$ to fix ring imperfections that some say are minor?

Hi Everyone, I am torn about what to do with my e-ring. I am also unfortunately unable to post pictures - I had to create a new user bc of privacy issues and the pic of the ring would bring up more issues. What I can tell you is that I had a halo put around my princess solitaire diamond almost...

www.pricescope.com

This is so helpful. Thanks for sharing. I guess it’s a risk when you go with custom projects.

 

[vintageinjune]

I approved it and paid for it. At this point, I’ll take responsibility for it not living up to my detailed expectations. I should have gotten a wax printed to be sure…and pushed harder for things I knew I wanted instead of trusting blindly.

I’m not looking for a way to fix this. I know that could only involve a redesign at my expense.

I’m just wondering if other people are let down by custom work that doesn’t match what you dream of seeing. Should I have expected a few details to be lost in translation?

Do you guys go through some remakes or do you just move on?

My mother got a wax mold, approved the design, and paid for it... and it still wasn't right. She too did not push harder, and later lamented that she was disappointed the jeweler didn't help guide her more, as well as wishing she had stood her ground better. Part of it though, was that based on what that jeweler is known for, I knew it wasn't a match for what my mom was envisioning. Sometimes, you just don't know until you try, which is also frustrating.

Of the two rings crafted for me by DK, nothing was lost in translation/had missing details. Same with a pair of earring settings. I had to do a lot more of the design work, but was okay with that as I 100% knew what I wanted and could communicate it in a way that after 1-2 CAD tweaks the design matched my vision

A second pair of earring settings made by another vendor had to be re-done because the first was made off a CAD I said was closer but still needed refinement. I had not actually approved the design, so receiving pictures of settings instead of new CADs was a shock to me. I felt bad, but did insist on a new CAD and new settings made the way I actually wanted them. I'm a major pushover, so that was big for me. My earrings are perfect and I'm so glad I stood my ground.

I have another custom ring with a designer I've never worked with before in the works, but whose design aesthetic already nailed the vibe and style I desired. Definitely more expensive than DK, but I sent a bad pencil sketch with a list of line items I wanted in the design, we had a small back and forth, I got a quote, I paid the deposit, and I received one (much better done) pencil sketch asking if the design was on the right track (YUP!), and the first CAD was exactly what I had been envisioning.

As for the move on/remake question - I'd have to remake it. If I loved the idea enough to ask and pay to have it created, it is truly something I desire to exist in my life. Most of the time, I'd rather go without than not have exactly what it is I want, because mediocre substitutes actually reduce my happiness instead of add to it.

 

[oldcutclubmember]

I would not have expected most of the details that you are unhappy with to have gotten “lost in translation.” It sounds like you got a 3 stone made with 2 side stones that you had custom cut to specifications.

The angles and height of the side stones are crucial to a design of a 3 stone. How were your wishes relayed to the vendor? Did you provide pics of inspos? Were they in writing? Was the vendor just not willing to fix the design/CAD for you even after you said you weren’t happy with how it looked? The shape of the shank is also a pretty basic element that would have been an easy fix in the design. The milgrain, I am not sure what you mean by scratchy… what part of the ring is the location of the milgrain?

The SIDESTONES… I cannot believe you paid to have them custom cut as D/E and they came out as Hs. How big are the side stones? I assume not tiny since they are big enough to have GIA reports. This issue, there is no way I would have left this alone without getting some money refunded or at least the reports paid.

All in all, no, I would not live with what you ended up with considering it appears to be VERY different from what you expected or wanted. Custom cut stones are not cheap and I assume you paid a lot for this setting so I see the hesitation but I would definitely reset to be closer to what I had wanted in the first place.

 

[Lakefront]

The silver lining is that the side stones are pretty. They are around .80ct each and not usually something I’d bother getting a cert for but this was going to be my special ring.

Thankfully they would work well in a different ring or another project - if I don’t decide to sell them. I would really rather have one or two rings of my dreams than a bunch of almost there options.

I just had really high hopes and raised the bar for this ring. It was going to be my heirloom / forever ring.

I guess that means saving up to make it right.

 

[holeydonut]

I recently purchased a piece from a much beloved vendor and it just didn’t turn out the way they had assured me it would. But…there’s no benefit in digging into all of that at this point.

Suffice it to say that ever since I received it (months ago), I have wanted to make changes to both stones and setting. It feels awful and so wasteful, but I really don’t want to look at this piece for decades and see the frustration and shortfalls that it now seems to represent.

I can’t be the only one who has experienced this or has changed their mind once a project became reality.

How many times have you changed a piece until it was “right”. Or do you tend to live with it if it doesn’t match up to the expectations?

Basically, please make me feel better.

If you're posting about it on an internet forum, it means the defect is bugging you a lot... so I would say get it fixed. There has to be some sentimentality or determinacy that you gotta get this right.

If the original designer won't touch it, then find someone who will make the setting you envisioned in the beginning.

If you want to see my thread about this ... read here:

After months of research: Black By Brian Gavin Round 1.8 G VVS2 in 810 Collection Platinum Halo

Ugh... I had a very strange conversation on the phone with Brian Gavin (not his rep, Brian himself) today after he was able to personally inspect the ring after I returned it to his workshop. I expressed that the crooked melee on both sides of the ring was fairly noticeable, since it caused...

www.pricescope.com

Basically the engagement ring in my avatar has like 100 little tiny azz melee stones on it. And when my now-wife saw it, she said "hey, these two tiny stones look crooked". I'm like... whoaaaaa gotta get that fixed.

I brought this up with the sales/service personnel and they initially rejected the claim that there was a problem. They couldn't see what I was telling them was the defect; because most people identify defects that are much more apparent. I took mega zoomed in photos to show them, and they said it wasn't fair to zoom in on a setting because all settings are "off" somehow at that magnification.

Needless to say the owner of the much beloved vendor (and I still belove them since I'm constantly talking about how great they are) actually called me to tell me there was no defect at normal eye-clean viewing. And I needed to appreciate his artwork. I mean, the ring does look awesome. It'd just look awesomer if the melee were all perfect to the CAD lol.

Luckily ranting about it here on PS did get the attention of someone over there, and they ultimately agreed to review my ring. And of course they saw the minute defects... and fixed it. Apparently a couple of the melee were the wrong size for that particular slot in the CAD.

So yeah... if you're not afraid of taking some heat... name some names. If not; find one of those beloved vendors on here that will make your setting what you wanted. By the way, don't worry about hurting a vendor's reputation in the long run. PS can hide threads from spidering through the meta/headers. So a google search won't even turn up the bad press on the vendor.

 

[Autumn in New England]

I haven't had a custom piece go wrong (yet... fingers crossed). But I've definitely purchased something that disappointed me and I didn't return (only to regret it later). I've found that if it bothers you now, you'll never come to live with it, never mind love it. I think everyone else's advice is spot on. If you're not able to have the jeweler in question (or another) make the necessary changes, I would sell what I could and start over. There's no shame in this... we've all been there. Yes, it may cost you more in the end, but that's not what you'll remember. You'll only think of how much you love the new piece. Good luck!

 

[Autumn in New England]

There’s also one big thing. I had side stones custom cut. I was told they were D/E and I paid that price. I then asked and paid to have them sent to GIA. They both came back as H.

To me, three color grades is more than a subjective difference of opinion. I brought this up to the vendor and only heard crickets. I had already paid so I didn’t have any leverage there. They didn’t sell them to me as GIA grades D/E so I expected a little wiggle room but that’s a lot of wiggling for my color sensitive eyes.

Hmm... I just saw this bit. That is a major issue that goes beyond simply disliking design aspects that you initially approved. If you paid for D/E and received H, there should be a price adjustment. Are you SURE you don't want to let the vendor know your disappointment with the entire ring? It's not unheard of for some of us to send completed pieces back for tweaks. Even for a total overhaul, perhaps this vendor will help mitigate the extra costs (as a courtesy), rather than starting over with a new jeweler. You said this is a trusted PS vendor, correct? I'm so sorry this is happening to you!

 

[Autumn in New England]

@Lakefront May I ask you a question (please feel free to decline)? I don't want to pry or put a particular vendor on blast, but I am working on a significant (to me anyway) piece with DK. It's my first time with him, so I'm not exactly sure what to expect. I have requested and paid for VS clarity and F color diamonds (I tend to start detecting color at G). Accurate diamond color (and clarity) designations are quite important to me. Sooo............ do I have anything to worry about here, if you know what I mean?

 

[Lakefront]

@Autumn in New England
I really don’t want to whittle down the vendor list. I’d rather not call out this vendor. I believe that they are well meaning and have done amazing work for many other people. We just had different expectations and, in hindsight, didn’t mesh well. However, to ease your mind, I have not worked with DK. I hope your piece exceeds your expectations.

Side note: After all of this, I would recommend documentation before purchasing any significant stones if you are color sensitive, as we seem to be.

 

[yssie]

I’m really sorry to read this. Yeah, I’ve been there. A few times.

For me… I can never learn to live with it. But I also won’t go back to the original vendor without a reason to believe next time will yield a better working relationship and experience - no point really. I do agree with other posters that the sidestone colour difference is non-trivial… But if you’d rather just move on with your bling, well, I understand that too. Some things are worth stressing about. Some aren’t.

Personally I’d say - let it sit in a box for a while. And in the meantime, find a vendor with whom you do click really well. And then, once you’re sure you trust this new vendor with a redo, have at it, make new memories to enjoy it with

 

[Autumn in New England]

@Autumn in New England
I really don’t want to whittle down the vendor list. I’d rather not call out this vendor. I believe that they are well meaning and have done amazing work for many other people. We just had different expectations and, in hindsight, didn’t mesh well. However, to ease your mind, I have not worked with DK. I hope your piece exceeds your expectations.

Side note: After all of this, I would recommend documentation before purchasing any significant stones if you are color sensitive, as we seem to be.

Thank you, my friend. I'm rooting for you to have the ring of your dreams in the end. I do hope you keep us updated, whatever you choose to do. Best wishes to you!!

 

[kenny]

What would I do?
I'd never do custom anything ever again.

Fortunately, after hearing a lifetime of others' disappointment with contractors, I minimize entering contracts.

How I see it...
Contractors bids are full of lies
They have to lie.
Why?
Because every other contractor does.
A contractor who tells the truth won't get any business; all the other contractors's bids are cheaper, faster, and better.

 

[Mreader]

There are a lot of little things. I wanted the side stones angled with the curve of the band and they assured me that the three stones wouldn’t be straight. The tables aren’t all face up so they are technically angled but definitely not way I had anticipated.
The edges of the ring are crisp and almost sharp. They assured me that with polishing it would smooth out and be more rounded. It’s just not as rounded as I would have liked. Filing the crisp areas down at this point would not look harmonious with the whole setting. It would have to be changed in the design stage to make me happy at this point.
The milgrain is fine and beautiful but it’s scratchy too.

There’s also one big thing. I had side stones custom cut. I was told they were D/E and I paid that price. I then asked and paid to have them sent to GIA. They both came back as H.

To me, three color grades is more than a subjective difference of opinion. I brought this up to the vendor and only heard crickets. I had already paid so I didn’t have any leverage there. They didn’t sell them to me as GIA grades D/E so I expected a little wiggle room but that’s a lot of wiggling for my color sensitive eyes.

I don’t know. It’s just disappointing. I really don’t want to go back and fight out the differences. I’m just frustrated.

I’m confused about the GIA stones. You said that you paid for DE but then you said they did not sell them to you as DE. I cannot tell if that’s a typo. In any case if you paid for higher color and you got H then you should definitely be given a credit.

 

[Lakefront]

I’m confused about the GIA stones. You said that you paid for DE but then you said they did not sell them to you as DE. I cannot tell if that’s a typo. In any case if you paid for higher color and you got H then you should definitely be given a credit.

They sold them to me as D/E but did not specify a GIA graded stone. Knowing they weren’t lab graded and were basically just eyeballed, I expected that they might not come back certified as D or E, especially by GIA.

I do submit to the fact that color grading is somewhat subjective I expected that I might see a slight variation. F would have been fine. (These were ungraded fancy shapes so I was feeling flexible.)

However, I certainly didn’t expect H. In my opinion, that’s more than just a difference of opinion. That’s a stone of a different color.

 

[Inked]

I wouldnt say this exactly happened to me... I got the ring i asked for EXACTLY - it was exactly what i asked for and wanted and it's literally perfection...

However after wearing it for a few years I wish i had done something differently... like one aspect that now that i have been wearing it i think "wow, i wish i had done this instead" NOTHING the vendor did, just that *I* changed my vision after wearing it for a few years.

I asked my vendor, this is 3 years later, and he said "Sure, send me the old ring and i'll recycle what i can and charge $xyz for the change" So instead of a huge loss, it's a tiny small amount for the labor. I am so happy i reached out and asked him - again he didnt do anything incorrectly - i just changed my mind 3 year later.

So, is that a possibility for you? To reach out to the vendor and say "Hey, I have had a change of heart, how much would it be to redo the ring with these changes" that way it's not a huge loss? I feel like the D/E color is huge, that i might make a stink about, thats just a huge price difference in my opinion from D to H, i would definitely say something but i know what you mean when you say "I agreed to it so its really my fault" on the other parts. I hate that feeling, like why didnt i speak up?! again, not with my ring vendor, just other things in life LOL

 

[Cerulean]

Some of the design issues are subjective, but color grading is not. I'd press hard on that one. You having paid already doesn't mean that the vendor shouldn't honor what they sold to you. That is a significant color difference and to me quite unethical. They may not have done it intentionally, but it doesn't matter what the intent was IMO.

If nothing else, I'd pursue that matter further to recoup some of the cost difference to put towards a new setting with a new vendor.

Good luck. And yes, I've been there too. Hugs.

 

[marymm]

If the piece met the order specifics yet did not meet my expectations, that's on me, and maybe I live with it, or sell it, or figure out what I should have ordered and then have the piece re-done -- at my cost since the vendor did the work right.

If the piece did not meet the order specifics and did not meet my expectations and did not please me, then that's on the vendor and I contact vendor enumerating the failures to adhere to the order specifics. Depending on the issues with the piece, I may return it to vendor to correct or I may request refund due to manufacturing defect -- I have gone down both of these avenues, successfully.

In your case, OP, in your first post you say you recently purchased a piece from a vendor, but in the next paragraph you say you received it months ago -- if months have gone by, you have little recourse against the vendor, unless it is only very recently that you received the GIA reports on the diamonds -- if so, then you do have reason to contact the vendor to request a price adjustment based on the item being significantly not as described. It would depend on the vendor's business ethics as to whether he/she engages with you to address the matter.

I will add, I bought a vintage three stone ring last year, and decided to take it apart to use the stones in new multi-stone project. It turns out the diamonds were actually only two-thirds of the listed carat weight (per newly obtained GIA reports) and the colored gemstone was only one-third of the listed carat weight. I view this as a significant departure from the item's listing since the carat weight differential was well outside the trade margin of error. I contacted the vendor, Davin Jewelry on Etsy, with this information (including the GIA reports and contact info for the local jeweler handling the piece) and requested a price adjustment. She responded that the carat weights were estimates and noted as such in the listing, that she no longer had the ring or the stones, that time had passed, and declined to correct the situation. Luckily this is the only piece I had from her shop, and certainly I would never buy from her again or recommend that anyone else do so, as I find her business practice to be less than ethical.

 

[bludiva]

It turns out the diamonds were actually only two-thirds of the listed carat weight (per newly obtained GIA reports) and the colored gemstone was only one-third of the listed carat weight.

that's so awful. i'd purchased an item recently where the vendor mislabeled the color and luckily was able to return it. the vendor relisted the item without amending the description. if there's no certificate, i'm just assuming the vendor will exaggerate from now on. sad to feel so cynical. :/

would love to see pics of the multi-stone project - wish you lots of joy wearing it

 

[distracts]

There are a lot of little things. I wanted the side stones angled with the curve of the band and they assured me that the three stones wouldn’t be straight. The tables aren’t all face up so they are technically angled but definitely not way I had anticipated.
The edges of the ring are crisp and almost sharp. They assured me that with polishing it would smooth out and be more rounded. It’s just not as rounded as I would have liked. Filing the crisp areas down at this point would not look harmonious with the whole setting. It would have to be changed in the design stage to make me happy at this point.
The milgrain is fine and beautiful but it’s scratchy too.

There’s also one big thing. I had side stones custom cut. I was told they were D/E and I paid that price. I then asked and paid to have them sent to GIA. They both came back as H.

To me, three color grades is more than a subjective difference of opinion. I brought this up to the vendor and only heard crickets. I had already paid so I didn’t have any leverage there. They didn’t sell them to me as GIA grades D/E so I expected a little wiggle room but that’s a lot of wiggling for my color sensitive eyes.

I don’t know. It’s just disappointing. I really don’t want to go back and fight out the differences. I’m just frustrated.

The things like the angle of the side stones and the edges of the ring are things I would expect the CAD to accurately reflect - at least all mine have. I don't think I would trust a vendor if they said it would be different. But I also would never blame anyone for trusting a vendor who said that - the vendor really should know better since they are the professional and in charge of how things turn out. The milgrain - idk. Depending on where it is, it might just be scratchy. I have a bunch of rings with milgrain and they all feel a little scratchy to me? The diamond color is really off and I can't believe they didn't offer you a price adjustment or to replace with whiter diamonds. That's unacceptable.

I also think you should share the name of the vendor because that diamond difference is pretty extreme and that they did nothing is concerning - and I would love if other people could be spared that. But I understand if you're not comfortable with it, especially given the propensity of some PS users to pile on discounting your experience once they realize it's one of their favorite vendors.