QuestionI live in Los Angeles, Ca. My boyfriend bought me a lovely oval sapphire white gold ring flanked with small diamonds .We had it resized down to a size 5 upon purchase and when we received it a few days later, had to have the sapphire replaced the first week due to a very visible fracture in the girdle. Now I notice the stamp is missing. It is an independent jeweler. Along with the purchase came a certificate of authenticity and a lifetime guarantee. Should I insist on a stamp or just hang on to the paperwork for future reference? Thank you for your time.
AnswerSelene,
Depending on where the stampings are in the first place, to size a ring smaller then finishing the work may remove the stamp. Personally, I prefer having the stamp in the ring. This is not immediately critical unless you were trying to sell the ring or wanted a written appraisal for insurance purposes, in which case the ring would need to be tested for gold quality. Even with a stamp, a good appraiser will generally test the metal, stamp or not.
If the paperwork consists of enough information to positively identify the ring it might suffice as an appraisal but that is not generally the case. The sapphire being replaced changes the description which for an appraisal should contain the carat weight of the stone.
For basic future reference, there are several reasons the metal quality stamp could be helpful beyond the paperwork. People are not ready to accept the stated quality of a ring without the stamps present. You know what you have now, stamp or not. In the distant future the stamp might be an asset.
Please have a fine season. God Bless and Peace. Thomas.
