Question Recently I had taken my Apatite & Diamond ring to the jeweler for appraisal (for insurance) an possible resizing. I have been collecting jewelry and loose gems for years, this was not purchased as a piece to be worn regularly, as I know it is a soft stone. I just fell in love with the colour!
I have run into a problem with the jeweler and don't know what to do. I believe the stone was subjected to heat and/or chemicals: the colour is muddied and cloudy... It is ruined. It was sized before the appraisal was done. The jeweler was very defensive when I spoke to him. And he appraised the stone as Topaz. He said he thought it was poor quality Topaz and was not able to measure the RI, so he assumed it was Topaz. I regularly use my refractometer and I know the refractive index for the two stone are not the same, nor do they overlap. He has yet to tell me how he plans to make this right. I feel the should have notified me immediately after damaging the stone (they never did tell me) and that he should have never "guessed" what it was. I would have more respect for a jeweler that would refuse to reset a stone, or who told me he was unable to determine what the stone was. If the jeweler does not replace the damaged stone, do I have any recourse?
I have many, many gems and jewelry needing appraised (some purchased, some inherited) and am not quite nervous about this or any jeweler.
AnswerG'day Danny and many thanks for your query.
I am surprised that your jeweler is not prepared to fix this problem, as he will lose a good client if he doesn't.
Is he a Member of a Chain of Stores? Does he own his business or is he just a manager? You need to know.
The refractive index for the two gems are actually next to each other on the RI Table with Apatite at 1.628 - 1.649 while Topaz is 1.629 - 1.637 but even that doesn't matter because he assumed it was Topaz anyway and still did the resizing.
In truth, jewelry workshops are busy places and mistakes do happen, but he should at least accept responsibility and try to minimize the problem by fixing it. If he won't - you only have recourse through the small claims office or legal consumers affairs department (sorry I don't now where you live). Either way there would be a government body to handle such complaints. At the end of the day though - it's between you and them.
I assume you had the weight and measurements of your jewelry from the original receipts or previous appraisals, so at least you would know those details. It would be prudent to find out from some other jewelers in your area what the replacement cost would be for the main gem and what the resetting charge might be. You are then armed with a few facts before you go into battle. Remember - you can negotiate anything, so don't go in swinging!
AS far as leaving your jewelry with any other jeweler for appraisals - that's one of the great features of doing a valuation online yourself. Your jewelry never leaves your possession, and if you have the facts before you start - it's easy.
You might also like to add this query to my blog at http://online-jewelry-appraisals.com/ as other may have had a similar problem. Can't hurt anyway and who knows what answers you may get.
Hope this helps...
