A lost stone!

[StaceyMc]

I looked down at the keyboard this morning and noticed a black hole in my engagement ring...one of my stones fell out! I am so sad.

Joe is going to flip his lid when I tell him. First, the jeweler had the ring for two weeks to size it. Now, the stone is out.

Today, I've had it for a month since it's been sized. If they're as slow to fix it as they were to size it, they'll have the ring longer than I've had it.

I'm supposed to go to dinner with one of my girlfriends tonight, and I hope she won't mind detouring to the mall to drop the ring off for repair. It's either that, or I have to go tomorrow and Joe will probably be along. If I was those ladies in there, I wouldn't want him coming in.

*sniff sniff* I'm so sad!

[CindySue]

Awwwwwww Stacey.....I know you have to be upset. I wonder why it fell out? I hope it doesnt cost too much to repair it.

[KMac]

Hi Stacey,
I am soo sorry to hear about your ring. :bbcry: That truly sucks. I have been there before, however, not with an engagement ring.I am sure that Joe will understand. Do you think that re-sizing the ring caused this to happen? The jeweller should have checked the stones before they gave it back to you. I would definitely go with your friend tonite, this might be easier on you and Joe. Sorry for your loss.:bbcry:
KMac

[StaceyMc]

Joe won't be upset with me, he'll just be upset that it happened and I won't have it...again.

They won't charge me. There's a warranty on the diamonds, as long as I get it checked out every six months. Since it's only been about two months, that's hardly a problem.

[Shawna Bride]

The stone shouldn't fall out. I'd complain to the jewler that the setting wasn't right. If they set it properly it should never fall out.

[rainbowtreat]

Soory about that I know how you must feel. Not that I lost a stone but with my first husband I had took the ring in to be cleaned and inspected when the head ( the piece that has the prongs holding the diamond in) fell off, IN THE CLEANING machine. MY ex was ticked. He said that SHOULD not have happened. They said we will fix it and you can be sure it wont happen but he ws still ike, it never should have heppened inthe first place. Good luck with you ring.

[martysgurl]

Aw man i'm so sorry.
I'm suppose to bring my ring in to get checked every 6 months. Now I never do because the store where it was bought is 2 hours away. I hope its easy and fast to fix ! There is only one stone in mine. If it falls out there will be nothing

[StaceyMc]

Can you believe that they told me last night that they'd have my ring for three weeks in order to get it repaired? I've worn it for four weeks and they had it two weeks prior for sizing!

After some back and forth, I got a brand new ring and took it for sizing myself and I"ll have it back Thursday night, no later than Friday.

Can you believe that she told me that if I had taken the ring in this past Friday, I'd get it back sooner? I told her "Well then, I'm sorry that the diamond didn't fall out on Thursday" What a stupid thing for her say and that is what ticked me off the most!

Mom and I asked to exchange the ring and take care of the sizing ourselves after we went around and around for a while, she refused with out a receipt. All I had was my maintance agreement. I asked if she could print out a copy of the receipt on the computer (I'm not stupid...I've worked in retail stores before), NOPE..can't do it. I called Joe, who was sure he gave me the receipt...I tore my purse and wallet apart and almost started to cry at the counter...lol.

Funny, when I was on the phone with Joe and she heard us talking, she suddenly found a way to print a receipt, exchange the ring and give me a new maintance agreement. She told me that she'd probably get fired over that (Yeah, right...if she was going to get fired, she wouldn't have done it).

And, when I called Joe back on the way home, he found the receipt in his wallet...he had been meaning to give it to me....lol.

I didn't cause a ruckus in the store or anything, but I just found it completely unacceptable. If this had happened in six months or a year, I wouldn't have even worried about not having the ring for a few weeks, but it's so new and I was so upset.

[LaceyinPgh]

What retail store is your ring from if you don't mind me asking.

[CarlosHoney]

You should speak with someone higher up. They shouldn't take so long to fix a ring that is unter their warranty. I mean, sure, they already have your money, but will you ever go there again fo jewelry? Not if you can help it! I think that this is way unacceptable. I work in retail, an we would NEVER allow that to happen in our store!

I'm with Lacey. Where did you buy the ring?

[CindySue]

Im glad things worked out.....sorta. Youre right.....if she was gonna get fired, she wouldnt have done it. Is the new one just like the other one or did you have to get a different one?
I understand you not wanting to be without you ring. Im attached to mine as well. In May I will have had mine for 7 months and I will have to send it to be cleaned and polished and thought about having it sautered to the band part (mines a set) so that when Brian puts in on my finger on our wedding day its in one solid piece. I dreading having to be with out it then! :bbcry:

[CarlosHoney]

Cindy, you could always get it put together after the wedding! So you could wear your engagement ring at the wedding until you 'wed'.

But, you'll be glad that it's squeaky clean!

[CindySue]

Cindy, you could always get it put together after the wedding! So you could wear your engagement ring at the wedding until you 'wed'.

But, you'll be glad that it's squeaky clean!

I would have to take it off when we exchange rings because the engagement ring fits INSIDE the band. The band had 2 sides that sick up with 3 diamonds on each side. The engagement ring has a marquois (sp?) thats fits between those smaller diamonds. If I thought Brian wouldnt have hell getting it together Id let him put it together before he slips it on my finger. What I may do is just have it cleaned and the take it off right before the ceremony and put them together, maybe they will stay together.

[StaceyMc]

He bought my ring at Zales.

I just talked to one of my friends who bought his wife's engagement ring and their wedding bands at Zales too and he's getting crappy service as well. He took his band in to get cleaned and they told him that he'd have it back in two weeks, even though there was a cleaning machine on the counter that they weren't using.

I can certainly say that we won't be buying anything else at their store if that's the way things are there.

[CarlosHoney]

I know not to go there! Zales is crossed off the list.

Cindy, now I see. You might as well get it sautered, since you don't wanna loose it!

[WebLady]

He bought my ring at Zales.

I just talked to one of my friends who bought his wife's engagement ring and their wedding bands at Zales too and he's getting crappy service as well. He took his band in to get cleaned and they told him that he'd have it back in two weeks, even though there was a cleaning machine on the counter that they weren't using.

I can certainly say that we won't be buying anything else at their store if that's the way things are there.

Sorry to hear all this happened to you, glad you got a new ring though ... that is what I would have asked for.

I have heard of the customer no-service at Zales and also heard about the same at the Kay Jewelers out here.

My brother bought an engagement ring for his GF at Kay's and he was going to get a less expensive one but they pushed him to buy a more costly one. They said they would throw in 2, $100 'gift certificates' (that is what he said they told him they were) but it turned out that they were just coupons, you had to by something worth at least $100 and you could get half price. Then when he went back to complain they called him a liar!

One of my friends goes to this little local jeweler and says they have great stuff and good prices and excellent service. One time she had a bracelet break, they gave her a new one just like it without even asking.

It is amazing how expensive these things are and how hard is is to get good service.

[LaceyinPgh]

He bought my ring at Zales.

I just talked to one of my friends who bought his wife's engagement ring and their wedding bands at Zales too and he's getting crappy service as well. He took his band in to get cleaned and they told him that he'd have it back in two weeks, even though there was a cleaning machine on the counter that they weren't using.

I can certainly say that we won't be buying anything else at their store if that's the way things are there.

I worked at Zales in college. First of all, never let them give you a hard time about printing the reciept up for you. It isn't a big deal and it isn't going to cause anyone to get fired. That is the reason we store them in the system. As long as you have the name of the person who bought the ring and it was from that location it is a matter of like two key strokes.

As for the repairs taking so long. That is regular for any chain jewler. This is becauze they don't have trained repair people on site at most locations. In each district there is one maybe two stores that house an independent jeweler who is contracted to do all repairs and resizings. The courier that ships and delivers only picks up and drops off once a week. That is the reason it takes so long. All of the stuff for that region goes to that central location. When it comes to replacing a diamond it takes a lot longer because the piece has to be shipped back to headquarters in Irving, Texas. This is so the entire piece can be inspected and the diamond can be replaced with one of simliar quality. Now if you know the store in your area that handles the repairs you can take it there yourself and have the jeweller handle it for you and then pick it up. But, because he willhave so much to do, it might still take a couple of days.

If you EVER run into a problem with customer service at Zales you need to talk to a manager and if they aren't helpful you need to contact the district manager and talk to them. Also, read ALL the fine print on your sales agreement and ask questions and have the sales assocaite there explain things to you two or three times. There is a lot of fine print to be dealt with.

Do you know what store he got the ring at?

[StaceyMc]

Lacey,

He purchased the ring at the Zales in Westmoreland Mall in Greensburg.

I knew that printing out a receipt wouldn't be a problem. I've worked at a jewelry store before and I could find ANYTHING on the computer. I think they were just trying to be difficult. And, I almost told her that I didn't give a flying fig if she got fired or not, it's not my problem.

I also didn't need the clerks smarty comment about how I should have brought the ring in prior to this past Friday...hahahahahaha-Blech. Quite frankly, I wasn't in the mood for them to be trying to act cute and funny.

It wasn't all bad service, mostly, the first little guy that tried to help me did attempt to call the Monroeville store to see if their pickup was Tuesday and maybe I could get it down there before and get it back faster, of course, I was going to have to fly there (either on my broom or on an airplane) to get there, or take time off of work. After he gave me the answer (which was negative), he continued to BS on the phone to someone in Monroeville. Mom and I figure he was afraid of us :bb:

I really do understand the length of time that it takes to get things done and repaired and really, if this hadn't happened after only a month, I wouldn't have been so upset. I just hated that they were so nonchalant and kind snotty about it.

As for the small print, I can't figure out of they explained the service warranty to Joe or not. He handed me the maintance contract slip, but that was it-no folder explaining anything like I received with my wedding band elsewhere. I asked him if he knew we had to take it back every six months to be checked out...he said "No". I'll have to study the back of my receipt when I go home tonight.

Hopefully, this isn't a sign of things to come. My guess is it's a fluke and won't happen again (at least that's what I'm telling Joe)

Ahhhh...the adventures of being engaged.

[LaceyinPgh]

At Zales they should have given you not only the reciept but a print out of the service agreement that looks like the reciept. Then they should have also given you ta little plastic envelope thing with a copy of the formal service agreement along with the booklet you have to take in with your ring every time that you get it inspected. THis should be every six months. They are really strict on the 6 month thing. If you last inspection wa a day or two over the 6 month mark we were NEVER to take your ring to get it repaired.

The repair division that you shoul duse woul dbe at Century 3 Mall in West Mifflin. Your district manager (beacuse I think you are still in the same district) would be based out of Boardman, Ohio at Youngstown Mall.

[bnd94]

My Mom use to buy all her jewelry at Zales. She even had a card there. But because they had such awful service when she had a problem with some of the jewelry she bought there, she will never go there again. So I am not even going to go in to look. They are great when you are going there to spend money but when there is a problem forget it. You almost have to jump across the counter, grab the guy by the tie and say look buddy!! LOL!

My Mom is a diamond-aholic. She said to look for a diamond either with lots of prongs or one that is channeled. So that is what I am going to do. I am pretty rough on jewelry. :bbconfused: I won't be able to wear mine all the time anyway because I would be afraid of getting it caught on something at work. None of the mechanics or other workers wear their wedding bands at work cause one guy got his caught and it almost ripped his finger off. OUCH!!

Glad to hear your problem got resolved Stacey! :D

[StaceyMc]

Now, I definately know that they didn't give either one of us a plastic envelope and a book for the maintenance contract. They changed my maintance contract when they exchanged the ring. I got the receipt and the receipty looking copy of the contract.

Hey..that's good to know that Century 3 is the repair location. I can take the ring there myself and maybe shorten the wait time. And, I know exactly where the mall is in Boardman. Thanks for all of the info Lacey! I'm going to make sure to jot it down with the receipts and maintance contract.

Becky - The lady that my mom buys all of her jewelry off of and who is sizing my ring cautioned me on rings with a lot of prongs. Prongs are prone to loosen and if you have a lot of them, that means a lot loosening. I wear 4 rings on a daily basis (well...five, as soon as I get my engagement ring back)...all are prong set, and I haven't had one loosen yet, however, they are heavier prongs. Good luck!