[Jewelry making - Article 00835] - Re: [Orchid] Setting customer stones

[Tim Dwornick]

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Stephen,

    I run into this problem almost daily now, and agree that the price to
    set other seller's stones just has to be higher than if you or I sell
    and set them. I always defer to David Geller on pricing, but
    sometimes more than double his blue book price to set stones brought
    in...the cuts are usually horrible (I had an 7 mm. aqua with no
    girdle!), and the chances of breaking the stone have to be mitigated.
    The customer usually thinks they got a great deal, and we many times
    have had to reply with "do you have return privileges?". Yeah, not a
    nice thing to start off with, but the online comsumer has got to be
    educated...the happiest customers I have gotten lately are the ones
    who got stones that I had ordered from my reputable dealers...the
    quality has got to be better from them and the price has to reflect
    the quality...that is how they stay in business, and earn our trust. 

    And, I have got to always return to my background in the auto parts
    world in answer to the question of customers' stones.....your
    mechanic would almost certainly NOT install parts you bought
    somewhere else! He/she, like us at the bench and in the store, have a
    certain markup on the parts along with the basic repair/setting
    charges. If you bring in your own parts, even if they are exactly
    the same brand as the ones the mechanic would get you, there is never
    going to be a warranty on them. Warranty is part of the installation
    process! Same thing with stones brought in for setting...I offer
    warranty/guarantee on the setting and process (within limits), but
    when you buy a stone online, it's gonna be "buyer beware" when I have
    to set it. 

    Gawd, I have a many more horror stories of online purchases coming
    into the store lately, but won't bore ya with that list. 

Best Regards,
Tim
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