So we checked around the car at the expo center. Nothing.
We checked in the car. Nothing.
We checked the driveway and grass when we got home. Nothing.
We checked the entranceway, the living room, and kitchen. Nothing.
We checked the stairway. Nothing.
And then I walked into our bedroom and there it was, plain as day in the middle of the floor. PHEW. Of course I was happy and Tom was elated. I didn’t call to let the owner know about it right away because I wanted him to stew about it for a bit (if he even was—who knows, he probably didn’t give it another thought).
A few hours later I did call and let them know and said I could come in then if it was convenient (if it was just a matter of me looking through some books and picking a similar band and having it sent out, we could get the ball moving ASAP). Of course they were having an event that day and parking (and service) would be a little crazy, so I just said I would wait and come in during the week. And in our brief conversation, when I asked what would happen if we couldn’t find a similar band or one that I liked, she said he could mold one from my ring. Um, NO THANKS. He’s not touching my ring again, thankyouverymuch. If he messed it up the first AND second times, what makes you think he won’t mess it up the third time?
So then I started thinking about all possible outcomes.
What are the chances he would give me a refund and then I could take it somewhere else? I feel like he needs to make this right, but at what point do I cut my losses and move on? But even if he did refund me and I took it somewhere else, I’m back to the original “resizing” cost of $1200 or so. Maybe a little different since it would be a totally new band, but I just know if he deals with it, all the cost is on him. If I have to deal with it, I have to wheel and deal with the future jeweler to take my old gold and give me a new setting for $0. Which I don’t see happening.
I had to have the stone reinserted a few years back (it came out after 13 or so years after I got it caught badly on the sliding door) and that jeweler had no issues…but they weren’t altering the setting.
I may take the pieces to another jeweler in the meantime and see what they say…though I will likely have the same issue I had originally—they don’t want to mess with a tension setting. And this is not just putting a diamond back in because it obviously isn’t the right size so I would assume the band still has to be adjusted. And that’s where the problem comes in.
I’m thinking that if he has to order the new setting, the diamond will be shipped out to the company and that company will do the specialized work…which I’d be perfectly okay with since that’s how I got the ring in the first place. But I need to make sure that’s what actually happens—and NOT that he orders the setting and does the diamond himself. If he thinks he’s going to do the work, I will see what my other options are. He mainly designs jewelry so I can see why he’d want to keep his hands in the process…even though he really should have learned his lesson.
I’m just afraid they won’t be able to find a similar setting (or that I will find one I like better) and then he will want to cast my ring and make it himself. I will have to be adamant that we find the right setting and get it sent off. I want to hear what he has to say before I make a final decision. I know he wants to handle it himself and make it right so he may put up a fight about a refund (so I just need to be prepared). I won’t hand over my ring until I’m confident.
All I know is I am NOT looking forward to dealing with this…and we obviously won’t have anything done by our 15th anniversary in 12 days.