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Who Will Help Me Now?
If youÕre shopping for an engagement ring youÕve
probably already realized there are two components that must be
evaluated before you sign on the dotted line; the diamond and the
setting that holds it. The funny thing is more and more people are
buying the setting from one place and the diamond at another. Which
leaves us with some serious questions:
1. Who should set it?
2. Who should be responsible for the diamond during
the setting?
3. Who will service the ring after it is set?
i.e. who will size it if it needs sizing, who will repair it if
it gets damaged, who will do the annual check up and if you were
lucky enough to buy a bonded diamond, is the bonding still in force
if the seller doesnÕt do the setting.
Who should set it?
The seller of the
setting may or may not agree to set the diamond. Many jewelers wonÕt
set someone elseÕs diamond because they donÕt want to be responsible
for any chipping or nicks that my result in the setting process.
In fact, many jewelers will only set the diamond if you sign a "hold
harmless" agreement. The rest of the jewelers in order to pressure
you to also buy the diamond from them, wonÕt agree to set someone
elseÕs diamond under any circumstances.
The Facts
• Jewelers
carry exclusive lines of designer jewelry no one else in their region
can carry to lure you into the store. Their hope is to hook you
with the setting and reel you into a diamond.
• The reasons
the settings are so expensive is because even through the jeweler
hopes to sell you their diamond they are well aware of the commoditization
of diamonds and the difficulty of competing against wholesalers
that are now selling direct. With the loss of the "rock" profit
they must compensate with an over-priced semi-mount.
• I donÕt blame
the jeweler, I wouldnÕt want to set someone elseÕs diamond unless
I had insurance to protect me plus even if I am covered, where
is
the incentive for me to service some guy who blatantly didnÕt consider
me for the major purchase, had insurance to protect me plus even
if I am covered, where is the incentive for me to service some
guy who blatantly didn’t consider me for the major purchase,-
the diamond.
• As the customer
I wouldnÕt even ask the jeweler who sold me the setting to set the
diamond for one very good reason, heÕs probably upset with me for
not buying my diamond from him; and his setter may take it out on
my beautiful new diamond with "torquing" (Torquing is the over application
of pressure to a prong in order to cause permanent damage to the
girdle of the diamond).
So the answer to
who should set it is easy; itÕs the seller of the diamond. And not
just for the setting, but all servicing as well. Furthermore, if
the diamond is bonded the diamond sellerÕs insurance company requires
him to set it or it voids the warranty. If the diamond seller refuses
responsibility then buy your diamond somewhere else.
The Diamond Guy®
by Fred Cuellar,
author of the best-selling book "How to Buy a Diamond." More questions?
Ask the Diamond Guy®
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