Diamonds International ?

Has anyone had issues with a purchase once they were home? I guess it's a good thing we are going back to St. Maartin, again this year as I've discovered a diamond is missing from our purchase just last year. Just wondering if I've going to be given the run around when we try and fix this issue. Any suggestions? Calling the credit card company now to see if they can be of any help/support.

I have seen issues mentioned on various boards about them. Given the volume of merchandise they sell it's hard to know if 10 or so issues mentioned is a big deal or not.

Was the diamond in the piece in the first place when you purchased it or did it fall out?

Keith

Yes. I've had and worn it everyday since the purchase in February of 2014. I just discovered last week a diamond is missing.

Good luck. Let us know how it turns out.

i am not sure what they would do. The jewelry is almost two years old.

If you had found the diamond I could see the jewelry store putting it back in for you at no charge but not sure I would expect them to replace it for you. This is why we purchase insurance for jewelry.

Please do let us know what happens but I don't think that at close to 2 years I would be expecting much.

Might find your answer here

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=22552014

I gave the wrong date! It was February of this year! It's not yet a year old. My bad. My thoughts are I've had my wedding set for over 31 years and never had an issue yet this is less than year old and its falling apart.

Please let us know how this works out. I have wondered myself.

I bought a ring at Cozumel and noticed a few days later that a small diamond was missing. Our next stop was Grand Caymen. I went in with all my paperwork and they replaced the stone with no problem.

Has anyone had issues with a purchase once they were home? I guess it's a good thing we are going back to St. Maartin, again this year as I've discovered a diamond is missing from our purchase just last year. Just wondering if I've going to be given the run around when we try and fix this issue. Any suggestions? Calling the credit card company now to see if they can be of any help/support.

You've had it almost a year. You are likely out of luck. This is wear and tear, and just one of those things.

Why would the CC company be of help, unless you can show that it was not there when you left the store you are on your own. Turn in a claim to your homeowners.

I bought a ring at Cozumel and noticed a few days later that a small diamond was missing. Our next stop was Grand Caymen. I went in with all my paperwork and they replaced the stone with no problem.

Big difference than almost a year later.

Read the paperwork that comes with the jewelry. DI will replace missing stones, no matter the purchase date. You need the receipt and the warranty papers.

I ended up trading the ring back 11 months later in a DI store in St. Martin and purchased a beautiful necklace, bracelet, and earrings. My jeweler told me the center stone on the ring wasn't good quality and I could see the inclusions. I loved the design so my jeweler made me a custom ring with a beautiful center vintage diamond based on the design. He also inspected the new pieces and said they were great.

I received full trade-in value for the ring at DI.

Has anyone had issues with a purchase once they were home? I guess it's a good thing we are going back to St. Maartin, again this year as I've discovered a diamond is missing from our purchase just last year. Just wondering if I've going to be given the run around when we try and fix this issue. Any suggestions? Calling the credit card company now to see if they can be of any help/support.

"Just" last year?

I gave the wrong date! It was February of this year! It's not yet a year old. My bad. My thoughts are I've had my wedding set for over 31 years and never had an issue yet this is less than year old and its falling apart.

Well that's better.

If this was me I would go to the Diamonds International Web Site.

I would find the e mail for the St. Maartin Location and explain what happened, noting the purchase date and that you will be there on x date this year. See if they would replace it for you. If per chance they have a toll free number you could first call them. Get a name of a manager and try to get a commitment on this.

As mentioned by someone else find your receipt.

This is where I would start before going anywhere else.

Keith

.......................you do know what "D.I." stands for don't you?............."DON'T INVEST".......;):cool:

There displays are so pretty, and enticing.

Some prices looked good.

But something keeps me from making a purchase like this on a vacation.

I always feel I will be taken for my money.

But, if they stand behind their product and to the OP you get your "stone" replaced ....that is a good business practice.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

Safe travels.

There displays are so pretty, and enticing.

 

 

 

Some prices looked good.

 

 

 

But something keeps me from making a purchase like this on a vacation.

 

 

 

I always feel I will be taken for my money.

 

 

 

But, if they stand behind their product and to the OP you get your "stone" replaced ....that is a good business practice.

 

 

 

Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

 

 

 

Safe travels.

"Trust your gut" on this. AND watch the NBC Today Show segment on cruise port business ripoffs.

My jeweler has made it quite clear... If you don't know what you are looking at, A fool and his/her money are soon parted. If you think you are getting such a "great" deal..take a pic.... come home... research it.. talk to a reputable jeweler.

you will be surprised what you will learn...If it's still such a great deal.. then purchase it. I would NEVER buy a piece a expensive jewelry w/o comparing like pieces... for example, my DW loves tanzanite. now when I look at a piece, I know what I am looking at.. took me a few yrs, but can now tell the difference between gemstones using the GIA Colored Stone Grading System, the gemstones color is graded using three components : hue + tone + saturation.

prices are all OVER the place on this stone. I was shown a ring that was being sold for $1200 a car. when I looked at it closely, realized it was nowhere near that cost...bought it for $400...all I am saying, is it"s your $...be careful...

I have a good jeweler...like a good mechanic.. who takes care of me...:D

My jeweler has made it quite clear... If you don't know what you are looking at, A fool and his/her money are soon parted. If you think you are getting such a "great" deal..take a pic.... come home... research it.. talk to a reputable jeweler.

you will be surprised what you will learn...If it's still such a great deal.. then purchase it. I would NEVER buy a piece a expensive jewelry w/o comparing like pieces... for example, my DW loves tanzanite. now when I look at a piece, I know what I am looking at.. took me a few yrs, but can now tell the difference between gemstones using the GIA Colored Stone Grading System, the gemstones color is graded using three components : hue + tone + saturation.

prices are all OVER the place on this stone. I was shown a ring that was being sold for $1200 a car. when I looked at it closely, realized it was nowhere near that cost...bought it for $400...all I am saying, is it"s your $...be careful...

I have a good jeweler...like a good mechanic.. who takes care of me...:D

I agree 100%.............you need a family doctor, a family financial person and a family jeweler......

P.T. Barnum was truly a genius and right about people. So ask yourself some questions. Why is DI, TI and all those other "I's only located at cruise ports? Why do they not have some nice NYC offices given that the owner is a New Yorker? Do you suppose (we are only speculating here) that there might be a connection to the cruise industry? Do you wonder why that retailer only seems to be able to market to cruisers? And do you wonder why they only have a few US Offices that just happen to be located only in cruise ports (Key West and a few Alaskan locations)?

Now, ask yourself why a jewelry company would only prey on cruise passengers? Enough said.

Hank

Again, to the OP I would followup with them.

While I agree with the advice to not purchase jewelry while cruising this doesn't help you now.

Also a diamond falling out can happen even if you buy something at home and no matter what the quality.

Again, start by trying to call them if you have a toll free number.

Keith

So here's the low down. Let me address some of the posts. First off, trust me, we've learned a lesson. Not sure who posted DI stands for "don't invest" but you are SO true. And yes, we've NEVER purchased before so I'm really not sure why we did this last cruise. Maybe because we were celebrating 30 years of marriage and just over radiation treatments and our emotions took over our clear thinking. Either way, we did what we did, but never again.

DI says they only cover items 60 days out so don't say you weren't warned! They sent me an email with an agreement to sign and fax back. They agreed to fix the ring, but . . . . .they can't tell me how much it will be. They already had the credit card information so they have a card to charge for the repair, NO MATTER the cost. The man was VERY hard to understand on the phone and spoke very poor English, but I did get that he "thinks" it would be between $50 and $150.00. Once they get the signed agreement, they will send me the information on where, in New York City to send the ring. From there they will fix it, charge me, and send it back to me. I also can, on our next stop in St. Maartin in a few weeks see if they have the same "color" "clarity" diamond to fix it while in port, for a charge, of course.

Discover Card is the BOMB! They will cover a purchase a year AFTER the warranty has expired! So we are covered for the repair. All I have to do was call and they assigned us a claim number. I should hear back from them within a week or so. I can then have it repaired locally, or I can have Di fix it and be reimbursed.

In the end, lesson learned! I really have an issue with the fact that I've had my wedding rings for over 30 years and have never had an issue. While this ring was 11 months old and a diamond was already gone. I anxious to see what my local jeweler has to say about how much the ring is really worth! Thanks for all who replied. I think if it were to do all over I'd keep my money and spend more time at the beach!

Wife and I spent $4500.00 in Aruba at Diamonds International. Was there with a carnival cruise rep so we wouldn't make the wrong decision. They kept throwing in other pieces of jewelry to "sweeten" the deal. later found out the ring was 3300.00 and they charged us for the so called "freebies". 4 days later, the ring broke. Have been fighting D.I. now for 2 months, they will not address the issues of the under appraised ring or charging us for the freebies, and they will only either repair the ring,(which means shipping to them and trusting them with it to give us back the same stone, or exchange it with one on their very limited web sight of rings half the quality for twice the price. Carnival cruise originally told us all would be made right, even if it meant a full refund. Now they are backing what ever D.I. will offer. She doesn't trust them to fix it right and the "freebies" were pieces that she would probably never wear. Don't trust Diamonds International and don't trust Carnival Cruise at their word.

P.T. Barnum was truly a genius and right about people. So ask yourself some questions. Why is DI, TI and all those other "I's only located at cruise ports? Why do they not have some nice NYC offices given that the owner is a New Yorker? Do you suppose (we are only speculating here) that there might be a connection to the cruise industry? Do you wonder why that retailer only seems to be able to market to cruisers? And do you wonder why they only have a few US Offices that just happen to be located only in cruise ports (Key West and a few Alaskan locations)?

 

Now, ask yourself why a jewelry company would only prey on cruise passengers? Enough said.

 

Hank

Sound advice: ask yourself those questions.

There is a phenomenon common to many cruisers: they buy "art" on ships and diamonds ashore. Perhaps there is not enough room in their carry-one for scepticism and common sense.

I have had issues with a setting we bought at the St. Thomas DI. That being said, any ring with set stones should be checked once or twice a year by a jeweler for wear and tear if you wear it often. The DI setting turned out to be a weak setting and did not last. I had to replace it after a few years. Settings do wear. I looked down at my engagement ring at a NYC restaurant. One of the prongs had broken off. I could have lost the carat+ diamond very easily. Put it away in my purse and had it fixed by my jeweler.

HAVE YOUR RINGS CHECKED BY A JEWELER OFTEN! Sorry for yelling but don't want anyone to loose their precious stones.