Diamonds International

[charmee]

Bought a ring on March 5th at Diamonds International St. Thomas. Paid $1,099 for it. I looked at the ring today and there is a diamond missing. What are my chances of getting my money back? What kind of customer service can I expect? I am so disappointed. Went to two diamond lectures on Ruby Princess and they really pushed this company. Is there any point in contacting the cruise line?:(

[Lou33]

Yes, they sold you a defective ring, so they should fix it. The ship's so called "shopping advisor" gave her pitch about how everything is worry free if you buy from their recommended stores. Now is the time to use that guarantee. You should have a contact number to use for the guarantee.

 

There are a few recent threads posted here about buying jewelry on a cruise, and how the shopping advisor pushes certain stores to get her commission. I think your purchase is another example of how it might be better to buy locally from a trusted jeweler. It would probably be much easier if you were dealing with a store that you know in your home town. But I'm pretty sure that they will fix your ring.

Edited April 8, 2011 by Lou33

[firefly333]

Did you go back onboard and fill out the guarantee form??

 

I would for sure take it back the next time I was on a cruise ...though I doubt if you did not purchase insurance on the ring they will replace the diamond free.

 

Im so sorry.

 

I know I bought a cheap ring onboard and the stone fell out and the cruiseline said only if its fine jewelry do they stand behind what you buy even in the stores onboard.

 

Yep, bring it back, see what they say.

[tubasteve]

I would advise you to very carefully follow any instructions from either the cruiseline guarantee program or DI themselves. If you deal with DI be prepared, they were not friendly, not helpful and not smart. :rolleyes:

 

I would predict an offered resolution of you returning the item for a refund.

 

If it was already insured under your homeowners/renters policy or a personal articles policy you could deal directly with your insurance.

 

Good luck! :o

[imsulin]

Bought a ring on March 5th at Diamonds International St. Thomas. Paid $1,099 for it. I looked at the ring today and there is a diamond missing. What are my chances of getting my money back? What kind of customer service can I expect? I am so disappointed. Went to two diamond lectures on Ruby Princess and they really pushed this company. Is there any point in contacting the cruise line?:(

 

Actually, I would advise you to contact Princess Customer Service with your booking number and date of sail. I don't know if it would help, but let them know the number of lectures you attended (dates would be good, as well as the name of the lecturer...if you can remember. That's why it's a good idea to keep copies of the daily Patters). If you have the receipt of your purchase, give them that info. as well. Did you receive anything in writing from Princess while attending these lectures about a guarantee? There should be something from Princess regarding that. It may turn out that you may have to send the ring back to DI to have the missing diamond replaced, but you won't get your money back for the price of your purchase. And the replacement diamond will most likely be....schlop. Could be a cheap industrial diamond. Princess isn't the only line that markets DI....because they make a good referral revenue from them. Think kick-back!! And DI isn't the only jewelry company that cruise lines market. ALL the major cruise lines do this. Years ago (many years), I got burned, too. Today, the only thing I'd buy in St. Thomas might be a T-shirt. Better yet, I wouldn''t even get off the ship!!~ My absolute least favorite port....and I've been there MANY times! We live and learn. Good luck to you!!

[Marie51]

Sorry this happened to you. Just another example of why we should buy at home from a local jeweler. Those sales pitches they push on passengers are a bunch of hype.

[Laurie S.]

I bought a diamond ring at Tanzanite International in Cozumel. About seven days later, right before we got to Grand Cayman, I noticed one of the small outer diamonds was missing. I asked the shopping advisor about it and she and her husband offered to take the ring in for me, but I had plenty of time after diving and didn't want to give up the ring. The TI in Grand Cayman was very helpful. obtained the right-sized stone from the DI store and replaced the stone in about two hours. My understanding was that if I didn't do it then, I would have had to send it to the New York store.

 

I've since traded that ring in against a much nicer set at the St. Martin DI store and had my jeweler make a custom ring that is similar in design. Worked out well all the way around.

[imsulin]

I bought a diamond ring at Tanzanite International in Cozumel. About seven days later, right before we got to Grand Cayman, I noticed one of the small outer diamonds was missing. I asked the shopping advisor about it and she and her husband offered to take the ring in for me, but I had plenty of time after diving and didn't want to give up the ring. The TI in Grand Cayman was very helpful. obtained the right-sized stone from the DI store and replaced the stone in about two hours. My understanding was that if I didn't do it then, I would have had to send it to the New York store.

 

I've since traded that ring in against a much nicer set at the St. Martin DI store and had my jeweler make a custom ring that is similar in design. Worked out well all the way around.

 

Tanzanite International?? What's next? Irridiated Topaz International?

[jewopaho]

Bought a ring on March 5th at Diamonds International St. Thomas. Paid $1,099 for it. I looked at the ring today and there is a diamond missing. What are my chances of getting my money back? What kind of customer service can I expect? I am so disappointed. Went to two diamond lectures on Ruby Princess and they really pushed this company. Is there any point in contacting the cruise line?:(

Briefly (and not to hijack this thread), "they" (both Princess and your "port and shopping guide") pushed Diamonds International because they're paid to do so. The cruise line receives a hefty fee, and the guide gets a kickback on every item sold. He/she is an independent contractor, not a cruise line employee, whose income is commission-based.

 

Many contributors (myself included) have discussed the numerous pitfalls of buying jewelry in the Caribbean ... but we're here now. All that being said, there should be a mechanism in place for recourse. Princess has an individual whose job it is to resolve such issues with its "recommended" merchants. Call the cruise line, and you should be directed to that person. I've slammed Diamonds International (and all its subsidiares) on other threads ... and, I believe, for good reason. But from what I've read, they're pretty good on resolving matters such as this. Please keep us posted. I wish you well.

 

Al

[charmee]

Thank you for all of your advice. I do have a patter sheet that guarantees 60 days from time of purchase. I attended two diamond lectures and Rachel delivered both of them on the Ruby Princess. I had no idea she was not an employee of the ship it was never mentioned.

 

This was my first diamond ring and my first cruise at 57 years of age. I wanted a memento of my caribbean cruise and I got one. I was very skeptical about purchasing outside of Canada, hence two lectures on diamonds. I will let you know what comes of it. Unfortunately, although I gaze at it all the time, when I noticed it was missing was when all the offices were closed for the weekend.

 

We are not wealthy people and $1,000 is alot of money for us. Very disappointing.

[lakeguy]

It is infortunate that you lost a stone but they will fix it, if under the warrenty period. They will not refund your money. Are you sure that you didn't bump the ring against something and loosen the stone yourself Some ring styles are prone to the happening so it may not be their fault.

Expect to ship the ring to their repair facility. It's not a big deal really and you will have it back soon.

[cruisin'tex]

Bought a ring on March 5th at Diamonds International St. Thomas. Paid $1,099 for it. I looked at the ring today and there is a diamond missing. What are my chances of getting my money back? What kind of customer service can I expect? I am so disappointed. Went to two diamond lectures on Ruby Princess and they really pushed this company. Is there any point in contacting the cruise line?:(

 

They have a website (http://www.shopdi.com) with a Contact Us link.

[firefly333]

I had no idea she was not an employee of the ship it was never mentioned.

 

None of the shop employees work for the cruiselines. Ever notice how similar the shops are from one cruiseline to another?? Its the same company who runs the shops on most all cruiselines. Its not just the shopping specialist.

[jewopaho]

None of the shop employees work for the cruiselines. Ever notice how similar the shops are from one cruiseline to another?? Its the same company who runs the shops on most all cruiselines. Its not just the shopping specialist.

Agreed ... but the "port and shopping guide" is in the unique position of being able to pursuade uninformed consumers into spending serious money on items they perceive to be the deal of a lifetime. Technically, few if any individuals aboard ship are actual employees (in the traditional sense) of the cruise lines. But I'm hoping that DI will step up and resolve the matter under discussion.

Edited April 9, 2011 by jewopaho

[charmee]

In answer did I bump my hand against anything? I am not a prize fighter, I work in an office, my kids are grown and gone, I don't even do housework, my husband is retired and looks after all of that.

 

This ring was not abused in anyway. My hands are never even in dishwater. I am now afraid that one by one these diamonds are going to start falling out.

 

Maybe I was typing too fast at work:rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

Just for the 'hay' of it, why not go to a local jeweler. Show them the ring and ask how much they would charge to replace the diamond and check the rest of the prongs/setting of the ring to be sure you don't lose any more stones.

 

You just might find the convenience and ease of dealing with the local jeweler may be worth it to you vs. the run around and hoops DI will probably make you jump through. Also, if you have it fixed locally and another stone happens to fall out, it would be easier again to deal with them and they would then have some responsibility to you.

 

After all the years I have spent on these boards and all the 'faulty jewelry' posts I have read, it will be very surprising if either Princess or DI handles this easily and without aggravation for you. Perhaps you'll be the lucky one...... :) hope so.

 

[klauer]

I was also thinking about recommending taking the ring to a local jeweler. The fact that a diamond fell out doesn't mean that the ring was defective or you abused it. Sometimes the type of setting (like marquise style where there is only a top and bottom prong) make the stone more vulnerable to falling out. If the diamond is small, you may be able to have it replaced relatively inexpensively.

[sail7seas]

I was also thinking about recommending taking the ring to a local jeweler. The fact that a diamond fell out doesn't mean that the ring was defective or you abused it. Sometimes the type of setting (like marquise style where there is only a top and bottom prong) make the stone more vulnerable to falling out. If the diamond is small, you may be able to have it replaced relatively inexpensively.

 

 

 

:D My marquise style stone has six prongs. One on each end and two on each side.

 

 

:D :D Must be 'cause it's so Huge@!!!!!.@@

 

(kidding......... )

[Laurie S.]

When I had my ring made, my jeweler said to come back in two weeks so he could check all the prongs. He said often that they need to be tightened on a new ring. I think that's what happened with the TI ring I bought. They also checked all the prongs when they replaced the lost stone, which was a small one.

 

Oh, and TI is the same as DI. I preferred the TI store at Cozumel because it was smaller and the staff were much more helpful.

[klauer]

What I was thinking of was a ring I got about 20 years ago that was an "anniversary band" that had about 7 marquise cut stone (larger in the middle going to smaller at each end). It was a ring from a higher-end local jeweler, but I lost one of the tiny end stones twice. I ended up just wearing the ring once in awhile, because the settings seemed too fragile for everyday wear and tear.

[DanJ]

In answer did I bump my hand against anything? I am not a prize fighter, I work in an office, my kids are grown and gone, I don't even do housework, my husband is retired and looks after all of that.

 

This ring was not abused in anyway. My hands are never even in dishwater. I am now afraid that one by one these diamonds are going to start falling out.

 

Maybe I was typing too fast at work:rolleyes:

 

I don't think that person was suggesting you abused the ring or anything. You don't have to be a prizefighter, or shovel crap from ditches to cause a ring to lose it's stone. It happens. I hope you are able to get this resolved.

[tubasteve]

It is infortunate that you lost a stone but they will fix it, if under the warrenty period. They will not refund your money. Are you sure that you didn't bump the ring against something and loosen the stone yourself Some ring styles are prone to the happening so it may not be their fault.

Expect to ship the ring to their repair facility. It's not a big deal really and you will have it back soon.

 

When I had an issue with DI, once they finally offered a solution, they offered for me to send the item back for refund. Have you personally had a different experience lakeguy?

[lakeguy]

When I had an issue with DI, once they finally offered a solution, they offered for me to send the item back for refund. Have you personally had a different experience lakeguy?

Tubasteve, my comments were based only on information gleaned from others.

I have made many purchases from DI over the years.

After thinking about it I have had 2 experiences with DI's repair. once they were mounting a stone that was mine into a semimount they I purchased from them and cracked my stone. The store manager let my wife and I pick a sutable replacement from their inventory and all ended ok, anouther time I purchased a very expensive ruby silde (not a DI) for my wife's omega. We tried it on a same size omega in the store and it worked fine but when we got back onboard my wifes omega had a larger clasp and the silde wouldn't go on. We didn't have time to go back as the ship was sailing but at the next port we went to DI and explaned our problem to the store manager and even though we hadn't purchased from DI they altered the slide free of charge.

DI is very high volume and I sure not everyone has had a good experience with them but I have and most people I've talked to were able to resolve any issues. Best of luck.

[lysolqn]

If you get nowhere with DI and you paid for the ring with a credit card, contact the credit card company. They will likely issue a temporary credit to your account pending an investigation into the matter. Once the cc company has contacted DI, one of three things will happen: DI will agree to fix the ring, DI will advise the cc company why they are not obligated to fix the ring, or DI will ignore the inquiry altogether, in which case the credit to your account will be permanent.

Edited April 11, 2011 by lysolqn

[CrusinCyndi]

Depending on how small the diamond is and/or quality it could be replaced by a jeweler in Canada or US for about $70-$125. I had that happen with a ring that was purchased here in Illinois and the jewelers charged me about $70. Whatever you do, good luck and I hope it works out for you. P.S. DI is a total rip-off.