Do I have any recourse?

[Mommy_Again]

On April 30, I took my wedding band into the jeweler we purchased it from to repair a loose stone. They kept it for about a week and a half and when I received it back everything looked great.

Yesterday I noticed the stone was gone. I have no idea where it fell out so I doubt I will ever find it. My rings are not currently insured.

So I've been wearing the band for 3 1/2 years, get it repaired, and two months later the stone falls out. Should the jeweler be responsible?

I am calling them later today but I just wanted to see if anyone has experienced anything like this before (and I know a few people have worked at jewelry stores before).

[DebbieJ]

My jeweler has a program that as long as I take my ring in for quarterly inspections and cleanings, they will replace it if a stone ever falls out.

I would bring it up with the jeweler and ask it they have such a program. You never know!

~ deb
DS 12/03
And a niece or nephew arriving in early August!

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/10029.gif

[BillK]

Have you verified with your homeowners or renters insurance agent that it's not covered yet?

As an insurance agency owner - some of my companies automatically include a specific internal limit for jewelry - and some even include coverage for "mysterious disappearence". It may be worth looking into.

[bostonsmama]

When it comes to jewelry & liability, it's a slightly different ball game. I think a lot of what the store decides to do will depend on their policy, warranty and insurance. My aunt has been a jeweler for a couple decades and said this: If the jewelry repair has any sort of warranty with it (14, 30 or 90 days), and it can be shown that by working on one area of the ring that it might have damaged/loosened another, then their insurance might cover your replacement. You might want to have it inspected by an independent jeweler to see if there are any marks or signs of tampering to indicate that area was inproperly repaired. Most jewelers will do a once-over to see how secure each stone is in its setting (because then they could call you and get you to pay more for repairing other flawed settings within the piece of jewelry).

My advice would be to go back to the place you/he bought the ring from (call) and see if they have a diamond lifetime replacement warranty, unless it was an hierloom ring. Most of the mall jewelry stores have this policy for free if you get the settings inspected 2x year.

I'm sorry this happened to you (that would break my heart). While I think you definitely have "recourse" in talking to and asking the jewelry store to be accountable for not catching the mistake, it's a little different than if you took a pair of pants in to a seamstress and when you came out you lost your belt from loose belt loops. Belts=$50, Diamonds=$500-50,000
With only circumstantial evidence, it would even be hard to prove in small claims court. But good luck.

[bostonsmama]

While I've never had experience being dropped for filing a claim, there was a thread just last week where 6 or more posters warned against filing a lost-jewelry claim through your insurance because it was their last claim and they were all dropped by their carriers. Yikes!

Besides, if your deductable is $250-500 (or even $1,000 as some people have)...the portion they'd cover would be small pennies, if anything. IMO, not worth it for the higher premiums I might pay or search I'd have to go on to get coverage from another carrier after being dropped!

[BillK]

Well I can't speak for any other companies - but I'm pretty confident that none of the companies I represent would drop anyone for 1 lost jewelry claim if were their first.

Also - "if" the company has an internal limit on jewelry on their policy that includes coverage for mysterious disappearence - then typically the deductible is waived.

[bostonsmama]

Well, I know my carrier wouldn't drop us (USAA...they're great), but I was sufficiently scared by the PP on that thread to recommend against it. With all those hurricanes last year, a lot of insurance providers are getting very strict about what they cover and who they can afford to underwrite.

[BillK]

Well perhaps I've been lucky in my 16'ish odd years in the insurance business but I've yet to see anyone dropped for filing one homeowner's related claim (except for dog bites) - if it was their first one.

Yes there ARE some companies out there that are notorious for doing crap like that - but thankfully I've not been associated with any of them - and I do believe they are more the exception than the rule.

[pritchettzoo]

I would go to the store in person rather than calling. Take your receipts if you have them still. And remember, you catch more flies with honey... :)

My store would have replaced the stone (unless there were obvious trauma to the ring that happened later) certainly if the one repaired fell out. They probably would replace any of the others because they should have been checked at the same time. Check your receipt for warranty info.

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and a BOY! (coming July '05)

[Mommy_Again]

Unfortunately, the store is in Atlanta and I'm in Florida.

As for our insurance, we are still in the midst of a $70k+ hurricane claim from last year, so I don't even want to go there right now...

I'm about to call and will post an update.