Platinum ring purchased, but it is 18c white gold!

midlandsgrandma

Hi there, I would appreciate any info on the following issue.

My daughter and future son-in-law went to the birmingham jewellery quarter and designed with the shop a platinum engagement ring with diamonds. the order was sent upstairs to their workshop and a couple of weeks later, he collected it and proposed. they have both assumed for the past 18 months that she has a platinum ring and when they went last week to the same shop for a clean, polish of the ring and to choose a wedding band, they were informed by two staff that it was 18 carat white gold.
Obviously the kids were very upset, and when they got home, they found the documents given to them when purchased, but can't find a receipt! The vaulation certificate, which has the shops name and address on it clearly states that the diamonds are set in platinum.
I rang the shop who said the receipt must be provided. I went to another shop who said that the ring is indeed 18 carat white gold and the valuation on the certificate is above what they would have put on their own certificate if they had made and sold a similar ring.
I rang trading standards and they said that even if the shop kept a copy of the receipt they don't have to provide them with a copy and also they could say that the valuation certificate does not relate to that particular ring! - Seems a bit harsh to me. I would just like some info as to how to proceed. many thanx,

iamana1ias

midlandsgrandma wrote: »

Hi there, I would appreciate any info on the following issue.

My daughter and future son-in-law went to the birmingham jewellery quarter and designed with the shop a platinum engagement ring with diamonds. the order was sent upstairs to their workshop and a couple of weeks later, he collected it and proposed. they have both assumed for the past 18 months that she has a platinum ring and when they went last week to the same shop for a clean, polish of the ring and to choose a wedding band, they were informed by two staff that it was 18 carat white gold.
Obviously the kids were very upset, and when they got home, they found the documents given to them when purchased, but can't find a receipt! The vaulation certificate, which has the shops name and address on it clearly states that the diamonds are set in platinum.
I rang the shop who said the receipt must be provided. I went to another shop who said that the ring is indeed 18 carat white gold and the valuation on the certificate is above what they would have put on their own certificate if they had made and sold a similar ring.
I rang trading standards and they said that even if the shop kept a copy of the receipt they don't have to provide them with a copy and also they could say that the valuation certificate does not relate to that particular ring! - Seems a bit harsh to me. I would just like some info as to how to proceed. many thanx,

Standard practise for diamonds to be set in platinum and for the band to be white gold. What hallmark is stamped on the ring? Is there any mention of white gold on the valuation? What does it say exactly?

The price of gold and platinum has sky rocketed of late, so it's fair that the shop want proof of when the ring was purchased.

I've paid the difference before now to have the band replaced with a platinum one - could your kids do that?

paddyrg

Are the diamonds just set in platinum, or is the whole band/ring platinum according to the certificates? How did they pay? If they can prove they gave the cheque or a card payment to the vendor, they can demonstrate that they bought it from the vendor in lieu of the receipt itself. Does the vendor dispute that the ring was mis-sold (regardless of the receipt) and claim that the band was platinum itself? Are they trying to grab at the lack of receipt to wriggle out of a mis-selling claim? Or just being cautious in case you got something from Ratners claiming it is theirs.

The value of 18ct gold and platinum is significantly different (pure platinum spot price is about 80% more than 75% gold alloy) so this is worth following up on.

Hintza

All they need is proof of purchase ie bank statement, CC statement.

Equaliser123

Hintza wrote: »

All they need is proof of purchase ie bank statement, CC statement.

But that isn't going to state what the purchase was made out of.

meer53

Diamonds will be set in platinum, the ring can be something else entirely. Does it really matter ? As long as your daughter likes the ring, thats all that matters surely ? You're always going to get different valuations for insurance purposes from different jewellers, even if they have the receipt, they won't be able to take it any further. Bonus is, the wedding ring will be cheaper !

Equaliser123

meer53 wrote: »

Diamonds will be set in platinum, the ring can be something else entirely. Does it really matter ? As long as your daughter likes the ring, thats all that matters surely ? You're always going to get different valuations for insurance purposes from different jewellers, even if they have the receipt, they won't be able to take it any further. Bonus is, the wedding ring will be cheaper !

If someone told me that diamonds were set in platinum, then - unless anything else was stated - I would assume that the band was platinum.

Having just bought Mrs E123 a platinum eternity ring, the cost difference is enormous. So, yes it does matter.

ellay864

If they designed the ring to be a platinum band then it's reasdonable that they expected the whole band to be platinum. It doesnt sound like they saw a ring, read that it was diamonds set in platinum and didn't check.
And she needs to know exactly what she's got as her wedding band will have to be the same metal

Loanranger

I had a diamond solitaire and the prongs around the diamond were platinum, the remainder of the ring was 18ct gold.