Engagement ring.

dproctor

I got engaged last year, I picked my ring written my partner. The design is unusual and that was what attracted me to it. The diamond has little metal around it so it is effectively 'free floating'. Before purchasing we asked was the diamond likely to come loose due to the design, well we were guaranteed it wouldn't. So a few thousand pounds later and of course the diamond has come loose.
I took the ring back to the store, they sent it away to be looked at. I was given two options, 1. I could have more metal added to secure the diamond-which to me highlights that the design is flawed or 2. Have the ring sent back to the manufacturer for assessment. I chose the second option, the are now trying to tell me that it is general wear and tear, in a ring that is 12and a half months old that is supposed to last a lifetime. They are also charging me to fix it!
Would anyone be able to offer me some advice, is there anything I can do, ideally I would like a full refund for a faulty product?
Thanks in advance!

susancs

As the ring is over 6 months old you would have to get an independent report (and initially pay for it) to state that it has a fault that was there when it was manufactured and submit it to the store. If the retailers agree with you then they can repair or refund (any refund may be reduced due to the time you have used the ring) and would have to refund the cost of the report. If the store still refuse to provide a remedy then your next step would be a letter before action and then small claims court.

If the ring was paid for by credit card you could be covered by section 75.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/section75-protect-your-purchases

I don't know how reasonable the first repair option offered is, but wonder if it could be done in such a way that it did not spoil the look of the ring, but made the stone more secure.

bris

If its had a few bumps and scrapes they will know through an inspection, I will assume that is the outcome.


You need to now prove otherwise as the above post states.

dproctor

Thanks for your first response. I only received my ring back on Friday. The repaired ring is different, the shape of the diamond is different and raised out of the metal more than before. At no time was I told that it may be returned to me looking differently, have you any advice? It seems that they have ii fact added more metal but in doing so changed the look of the ring. This reinforces the fact that I believe the initial design was flawed if they had to do this?

Pollycat

"the shape of the diamond is different"?
Are you saying it's a different diamond to the one originally purchased? i.e. square instead of round?
What did the retailer say when you pointed out the differences to your original ring?

dproctor

I don't know if it's a different diamond, it looks different. It was originally round and now it looks as though the edges attached to the metal are flat. The retailer said that she thinks there is more metal covering the diamond, therefore it looks different. That this maybe was a means to make sure the diamond was more secure