E_rnest Jone_s

niceguyed

It's been a while since a company has wound me up to the degree that Earnest Jones has. Bought a platinum diamond engagement ring 3 weeks ago. GF was sized incorrectly so the ring went back. EJ agreed so we had GF re-rized to M1/2 and the ring sent off as it was a half size. Ring comes back and now seems too tight! Took it to my jeweller friend who is part of his family's business. He sized the ring to an M not M1/2 and sized my GF at an N! Took the ring back and EJ got a bit defensive about the re-sizing but backed down when I explained they were quite welcome to talk to my friend on the phone to explain why they were wrong. To be honest I just wanted to tell EJ to do one at this point but my GF loved the ring so we agreed for them to get an N size in (this was after they wanted to re-size the already re-sized ring which my friend recommended against). Anyway go to pick up the N ring a few days back. The diamond is one of the worst I have seen. Very included and poor clarity. Manager says it is so bad she said she wouldn't sell it anyway (do they have no quality control?. So wait for another N to come in. Again, this diamond also was nowhere near the quality of the one we had. I suggested they order more than one in but this is against "company policy". They also said it can take up to 29 days! Call the head office and they can't help either. Eventually enough was enough and I got a refund as I had lost complete faith in EJ and their ability to size a ring. So thanks EJ for leaving me with an upset GF due to your inflexibility and incompetence! They never apogolised and to them it just seemed to be a stone and some metal. Not something with great emotional value. My GF has now agreed for my friend to make one up so he can do it properly. My advice - get sized by an independent. Thanks for reading. Niceguyed

bluecandy5

Ok first of all, every diamond is unique and has internal inclusions which are all 100% natural in any diamond and is not a fault.

The manager, of all people, should now this and never never ever say this to a customer and it is very wrong and needs updating on her info.

As for the sizing, we are always told to tell the customer that we ADVISE you on what size feels best but at the end of the day its what the custimer wants.

And the order time, well that is what it is. If its states 29 days thats because the warehouse has it on back order with the supplier and will be in in 29 days. They could get a priority on the size but it doesnt mean it comes in quicker it means that size goes to you first when it comes in.

Im so sorry that this happend to you but please dont tar all the EJ's with the same brush. Its sad that this store didnt meet your needs or expectation but we jewellers do try our best.

Please feel free to ask me any questions as I am in jewellery myself and have had 2 years training.

CRANKY40

Niceguyed, my engagement ring was purpose made, and I'd recommend it. Dh's friend (a jeweller) ordered us several diamonds to choose from, and dh (who was a goldsmith in a previous life, lol) made the ring up.

It had to go to the Assay Office to be hallmarked, and as dh has his own stamp, I have his initials as part of the hallmark, which is nice.

My ring cost £650 to put together (obviously the work that dh did was free) and was independently valued shortly afterwards as being worth £2000.

maninthestreet

I have a problem with EJ and a watch I bought from them - now that really did wind me up.

honeypop

niceguyed wrote: »

My advice - get sized by an independent.

But it wouldn't make any difference who measured her finger, it would be slightly different in different stores, in the same way that a lady might fit a size 12 in one shop but you probably wouldn't be able to buy a 12 for her from ANY shop and it fit perfectly.

I was measured as an 'O' in an independent jewellers, but trying on this size in a range of shops I found that some shops O's were too big, some too small, some just right. So it doesn't matter where you get measured, it may still be different in another shop - hence your GF being a different size in a different shop.

Also bear in mind that her fingers will swell and shrink up to a whole size or more over the course of a day so what fitted at the time of ordering might well have been too small when it arrived if her fingers were swollen.

Remember, to the store it really is just a stone and some metal, thats what they are selling, it's you that puts the sentimentality into the product. If you wanted something of excellent quality why are you getting it from a shop where they are mass produced items at a high mark-up?

Blacksheep1979

honeypop wrote: »

Remember, to the store it really is just a stone and some metal, thats what they are selling, it's you that puts the sentimentality into the product. If you wanted something of excellent quality why are you getting it from a shop where they are mass produced items at a high mark-up?

But to any decent store the stone will be graded and not just some random hunk of rock of a given weight.

bluecandy5

All diamonds are graded but only around 30-40% have certificates made up for them. It's all down to the supplier not the store.

Again, they can advise on what they think the colour and clairty are but will never know for sure unless they are sent for valuation/certification.

Blacksheep1979

They should only be letting people grade the stones who have some experience in the matter, if you can see inclusions without even the aid of a loop then the stone is of pretty shocking quality - well something I'd never consider buying anyway.

Kavanne

I would recommend Hatton Garden in London for diamonds if you can get there. I got a bargain there after comparing a few prices and played some of them off against each other. Very convenient seeing as they are all next to each other!! Picked the diamond and then chose the setting I wanted. All set in a day for me in my size. Fab.

Ivory_Tinkler

Birmingham jewellery quarter is also very good. In some jewellers you can have a ring sized while you wait as many of them have workshops in the back of the shop. You will find better value for money and be able to speak to people who actually know a thing or two about jewellery.

bluecandy5

For a diamond to have inclusions visbale to the eye it doesnt have to be a shocking quality. In fact its all about how its cut and the size.

Its harder and less likely to find a large diamond with less inclusions than it is to find a small or medium one.

And the colour could be a fantastic or best quality and if it is then its harder to see the inclusions due to the colourless-ness.