Jewelry store lost my wife's ring. Advice needed.

[Razrak]

I married my wife last August. I bought the warranty plan on the wedding ring, where every six months you take the ring to the Jewelry store and they make sure no diamonds are loose. My wife took her ring to the jewelry store for her second semi-annual check up. One of the diamonds was loose so they had to send the ring in to get it repaired. It should take two weeks to get the ring fixed. Four weeks later they called and told my wife they lost the ring. They offered to order the same ring and give it to her at no cost.

Tomorrow we are going to the store to talk to them about a resolution. I want to know what type of questions to ask, and how to use the leverage of the situation to our benefit. As a guy I thought getting a replicate of the ring would be reasonable. However, I now know that was a typical stupid guy response. The lost ring has sentimental value to my wife, and even if they replace it, it wouldn’t be the original. I think the obvious wish would be to get the same type of ring with a bigger diamond. Does that sound like a reasonable thing to ask for?

I’d really like to know if this sort of thing has happened to anyone else, and what the resolution was. What would you do in this situation? Would you be happy with a replacement of the same ring? Thanks.

[Lynn Bodoni]

My mother gave me her old engagement ring (my dad had given her an upgraded ring), and I'd be devastated if that ring was lost.

Ask your wife about this. Really. I'd probably ask for a better stone, or more stones, or some sort of upgrade on the ring.

And then, when I had the replacement in my hot little hands, I'd take it to a competing jeweler and have it inspected and appraised, because I'd want to be sure that what they said they were giving me and what I got were the same thing. And I'm not sure that I'd ever let the first jewelry store have any more of my business.

[Alpha Twit]

Originally Posted by Razrak

They offered to order the same ring and give it to her at no cost.

I would call this a fair offer but your wife is the one who needs to be happy with the arrangement. I personally would push for store credit for the first ring's original value and then have your wife come in and pick out a replacement. If the replacement costs more than the original then you may be able to negotiate a discount on the difference.

And I second Lynn Bodoni's thought about getting the new ring independently appraised ASAP.

[needscoffee]

I can see no justification for demanding a ring of higher value than the one that was lost. Their insurance pays the value of the lost ring, not some trumped-up sentimental dollar amount. This isn't a family heirloom, it's a 10-month old ring. If a diamond had been lost, would you demand a better diamond because the old one had sentimental value? If you lost the diamond ring yourself, would you put in a claim with your insurance company for a higher value because of the sentimental value?

"how to use the leverage of the situation to our benefit" sounds an awful lot like "how can we grab more money out of this for ourselves at their expense".

[needscoffee]

It does sound a lot like there is the possibility of them ripping you off, though. As Lynn Bodoni said, get the ring appraised. You may want to ask your insurance company about this.

[aruvqan]

Originally Posted by needscoffee

I can see no justification for demanding a ring of higher value than the one that was lost. Their insurance pays the value of the lost ring, not some trumped-up sentimental dollar amount. This isn't a family heirloom, it's a 10-month old ring. If a diamond had been lost, would you demand a better diamond because the old one had sentimental value? If you lost the diamond ring yourself, would you put in a claim with your insurance company for a higher value because of the sentimental value?

"how to use the leverage of the situation to our benefit" sounds an awful lot like "how can we grab more money out of this for ourselves at their expense".

Dude, but hte fact that it was their WEDDING RING makes it in fact a family heirloom. *Their* family heirloom. Just because it isn't 400 years old does not diminish the heirloomness of the object.

[Dereknocue67]

It appears that since you're coupling sentimental value to this loss of property, you may well be disappointed with the outcome unless your state has a law on the books allowing sentimental value to become part of a loss of property and I haven't heard of any state that does that. Usually, US law allows someone entitled to collect for a apple with the replacement of another apple or the value of said apple.

If you opt for a cash settlement, you may discover just how high the markup tends to be on jewelry.

[Girl From Mars]

Regardless of any additional benefit you can swing from the jeweller, it will not be her wedding ring - there is no way they can recompense you for that. If you get a nicer ring - she'll know when she looks at it that it's not the same.

If you try to turn this to your advantage, you're taking advantage. I would expect the store to restore your belongings as they were before they lost the ring, and nothing more.

Get the same ring you bought originally (or her choice to the same value) - and find a way to make this new ring special - get it blessed, have a new mini ceremony on your anniversary etc.

[SanVito]

Originally Posted by needscoffee

I can see no justification for demanding a ring of higher value than the one that was lost. Their insurance pays the value of the lost ring, not some trumped-up sentimental dollar amount. This isn't a family heirloom, it's a 10-month old ring. If a diamond had been lost, would you demand a better diamond because the old one had sentimental value? If you lost the diamond ring yourself, would you put in a claim with your insurance company for a higher value because of the sentimental value?

"how to use the leverage of the situation to our benefit" sounds an awful lot like "how can we grab more money out of this for ourselves at their expense".

I'm totally with you on this. When I read the part in the OP where the jewelry store offered a straight replacement, I couldn't see what the question was going to be.

Really, there's plenty worse things can happen, attaching so much emotion to a pretty newly bought object just seems ridiculous to me.

[Really Not All That Bright]

Originally Posted by Dereknocue67

It appears that since you're coupling sentimental value to this loss of property, you may well be disappointed with the outcome unless your state has a law on the books allowing sentimental value to become part of a loss of property and I haven't heard of any state that does that. Usually, US law allows someone entitled to collect for a apple with the replacement of another apple or the value of said apple.

Yes, but he's not talking about filing a lawsuit for the value of the ring plus its sentimental value. He's talking about getting the jewelry store to do something nice for his wife since they lost her effing wedding ring. You know, customer service and all that.

[Mithril]

From a moral point of view, I think that you are owed a perfect replacement of the ring. From a customer service point of view, they should also give you a pair of earrings, pendant, or something else that is about 10% to 20% of the value of the ring.

[Shirley Ujest]

Originally Posted by Mithril

From a moral point of view, I think that you are owed a perfect replacement of the ring. From a customer service point of view, they should also give you a pair of earrings, pendant, or something else that is about 10% to 20% of the value of the ring.

And then go to a competant jewelry store.

[Lynn Bodoni]

Originally Posted by aruvqan

Dude, but hte fact that it was their WEDDING RING makes it in fact a family heirloom. *Their* family heirloom. Just because it isn't 400 years old does not diminish the heirloomness of the object.

The store cannot replace the value of this ring, precisely because of this. Jewelry stores sell emotional connections as much as they sell bits of metal and stone. Perhaps even more so. They also sell their reputations, and that's why they'll have little signs below their names, saying "Since 1947" or some such. The OP and his wife are NOT happy, and the jewelry store needs to bend over backwards to try to please them.

I've reconsidered my advice. The OP should ask for the full amount of the ring's price, plus the amount of the warranty, in cash, not store credit. Then he and his wife should go ring shopping again, and not at that store, either.

[Markxxx]

You are owed a replacement ring of equal value. Sentimental value is nice but even an heirloom counts for nothing.

The store made an HONEST mistake. And now you seek to PROFIT from an honest mistake.

How would you feel if someone slipped on your floor and said "Great he's got homeowner's insurance, lets sue this guy for all he's got." I'd bet you be on here starting a thread on how ungrateful people are.

Stuff happens in life, there was no malice involved. It doesn't surprise me that anyone wants to CHA-CHING cash in on an honest mistake.

I just hope if you do the next time you and or your wife makes an honest mistake you're not on the recieving end.

[aruvqan]

Originally Posted by SanVito

I'm totally with you on this. When I read the part in the OP where the jewelry store offered a straight replacement, I couldn't see what the question was going to be.

Really, there's plenty worse things can happen, attaching so much emotion to a pretty newly bought object just seems ridiculous to me.

Hello? What part of WEDDING RING do you not understand? Most people are slightly sentimental about things like WEDDINGS, something about that whole LOVE thang, hopefully ONCE IN A LIFETIME thang, forming lifelong MEMORIES thang.

[Lynn Bodoni]

The store made an HONEST mistake. And now you seek to PROFIT from an honest mistake.

Sure, the store made an honest mistake. However, the OP and his wife can never be made whole, unless the store suddenly finds that ring again. Jewelers count on sentiment to sell their goods, and in the case of the OP, they also used sentiment to sell a warranty as well.

[Dewey Finn]

Originally Posted by Mithril

From a moral point of view, I think that you are owed a perfect replacement of the ring. From a customer service point of view, they should also give you a pair of earrings, pendant, or something else that is about 10% to 20% of the value of the ring.

This seems reasonable. But I wanted to ask about the idea of a "semi-annual checkup." I understand that was part of the warranty purchased with the ring, but is that sort of thing really necessary? I don't own any jewelry, but my mother has a lot and I don't think she does this with her stuff.

[SanVito]

Originally Posted by aruvqan

Hello? What part of WEDDING RING do you not understand? Most people are slightly sentimental about things like WEDDINGS, something about that whole LOVE thang, hopefully ONCE IN A LIFETIME thang, forming lifelong MEMORIES thang.

And it's entirely replaceable, with a ring that looks and feels exactly the same. The same ring they picked out. It's not greatgranny's-made-in-1902-nevertobereplaced ring.

I had a wedding ring which proved faulty - the stones kept dropping out of it. In the end, after round three of repairs, the store replaced it with the exact same thing. Some Big Deal.

[Freudian Slit]

I think if it were something like a ring that they'd had for years, I might be more pissed at the store. But this is the same store you bought it from and that same store is replacing it? I don't really see the big deal. Then again, I don't really like rings all that much and if I get ever get married, probably won't wear mine. And I'm not really too big on sentiment for objects either.

[Wheelz]

The duplicate ring would be sufficient for me. In fact, it was.
My wedding ring is a gold inner band with 2 platinum outer bands. After only a couple of months, one of the platinum bands came loose. It didn't fall off; it just spun around freely, which was quite annoying.
I took it back to the jeweler, and they said they couldn't fix it -- but offered to make an exact duplicate to replace it. I was quite happy with that resolution. Even if it's not the same ring my wife put on my finger on our wedding day, it's still my wedding ring, and it symbolizes exactly the same thing to me.

Lest anyone think it's a male/female difference, I recall briefly lamenting at the time that I wouldn't be getting the original ring back, my wife said something to the effect of, "It's just a thing. Don't worry about it." 13 years later, it's such a non-issue I'd forgotten it even happened until seeing this thread.

[Maastricht]

I'd wait if they offer anything beyond the replacement. If they do, that's nice.

Did you get anything engraved on the first ring? You might want to ask for the store to do that now.

Anyway, "initiating the new ring with new fond memories" is a perfect excuse for you and your wife to go out and have a very nice romantic weekend. Romantic weekends are a good thing for wives, even new wives.

[Eonwe]

Originally Posted by Lynn Bodoni

Sure, the store made an honest mistake. However, the OP and his wife can never be made whole, unless the store suddenly finds that ring again. Jewelers count on sentiment to sell their goods, and in the case of the OP, they also used sentiment to sell a warranty as well.

(bolding mine)

Wow. Sucks to be them. Shouldn't have put their life-force into a piece of jewelry, I guess.

[AClockworkMelon]

Dude, you've had the ring for a few months. They could have replaced it with the same thing and you wouldn't have even noticed. It's hardly an heirloom. Just take the replacement.

If this was a ring that had been in the family or something I could see your beef, but seriously, you just married her.

Edit: And I completely agree with Eonwe's response to Lynn's post.

[Ferret Herder]

Originally Posted by Dewey Finn

This seems reasonable. But I wanted to ask about the idea of a "semi-annual checkup." I understand that was part of the warranty purchased with the ring, but is that sort of thing really necessary? I don't own any jewelry, but my mother has a lot and I don't think she does this with her stuff.

It can be very important. Any wear on the prongs holding in the gems can be noted and the prongs can be built up if the wear is significant enough. I recently lost a side diamond 'chip' (larger than most chips, though) in my engagement ring; I got married over a decade ago and hadn't been taking it in for "checkups" at all. The prongs were very small to start with, and the ring is around 90 years old.


TLDR hijack: I'm not emotionally attached to this ring. His family is, because it's his paternal grandmother's, and my getting it (willed to my husband via his grandmother) caused some turmoil in the family. His father tried to force us into getting a pre-nup just for it, and later I overheard him telling one of my sisters-in-law that he'd "rip it off her fucking finger" if my husband and I ever got divorced. So, yeah, not really my own enduring symbol of love or anything. We're going to get the chip replaced at some point and give it to our only nephew when he starts thinking about marriage, so that it stays in the family.

[Razrak]

Originally Posted by Dewey Finn

This seems reasonable. But I wanted to ask about the idea of a "semi-annual checkup." I understand that was part of the warranty purchased with the ring, but is that sort of thing really necessary? I don't own any jewelry, but my mother has a lot and I don't think she does this with her stuff.

My mother had the same type of warranty on her wedding ring. The diamond fell out of the prongs and the store replaced the diamond since she had been diligently taking the ring in for check ups.

The first time my wife took her ring in, they poked and prodded it with a tool. Then gave it back to her the same day. The second checkup, they prodded it with the tool, and said a diamond was loose so they'd have to send it in.

[Freudian Slit]

Originally Posted by AClockworkMelon

Dude, you've had the ring for a few months. They could have replaced it with the same thing and you wouldn't have even noticed. It's hardly an heirloom. Just take the replacement.

If this was a ring that had been in the family or something I could see your beef, but seriously, you just married her.

Edit: And I completely agree with Eonwe's response to Lynn's post.

Wow. Me too. Between this and the similar reactions in the penis ensuing thread, I have to ask--are you borrowing my brain? Or is this an every other day time share type thing?

[Ferret Herder]

Wheelz, that's what my husband said when I told him about the lost diamond chip in the engagement ring. I was worried that he'd be torn up about it since I'd "broken" his family's heirloom, but he was very down-to-earth about it, saying it was just wear-and-tear, it was just a thing, we'd get it fixed eventually and pass it on.

To the OP: I wouldn't blame you if you did ask for a little bit of "consideration" in this respect. Explain the emotional connection and see if that helps. But it's not something, obviously, that everyone automatically assumes is due.

[tdn]

I get it. A replacement is not the actual item. It's like losing a child, then having someone tell you to just have another child, because it'll be the exact same thing. OK, it's not QUITE like that, but I get the sentimental value thing. Having said that, though, what do you expect them to do? Finding the original ring is no longer an option.

Originally Posted by Eonwe

Wow. Sucks to be them. Shouldn't have put their life-force into a piece of jewelry, I guess.

I can just picture Sauron at the jewelry store.

"What do you mean you lost it?"

"I'm sorry sir, but we'd be happy to replace it with one just like it."

"Um, yeah. That's not really going to work for me."

"Sir, I understand that it has sentimental value."

"Well, it's a little more than that."

"Well, sir, there's nothing I can do but replace it. I could put a nice inscription on it if you'd like."

"I'm getting a bit of a headache here. Could you look in the back just one more time? I'd really appreciate it."

[AClockworkMelon]

Originally Posted by tdn

Having said that, though, what do you expect them to do? Finding the original ring is no longer an option.

Are you kidding? He's looking to get paid! He just found a hair in his soup and he'd like a free dessert. Jackpot, baby.

Originally Posted by Freudian Slit

Wow. Me too. Between this and the similar reactions in the penis ensuing thread, I have to ask--are you borrowing my brain? Or is this an every other day time share type thing?

Great minds think alike.

[jsgoddess]

Rings are just a thing. Had this happened to me, I would be sad about it (if it happened now that my husband has died, it would be more traumatic, but still manageable), but it's not something dastardly.

If I were the store, I'd offer to replace the ring plus a gift cert.

[Rushgeekgirl]

Originally Posted by aruvqan

Hello? What part of WEDDING RING do you not understand? Most people are slightly sentimental about things like WEDDINGS, something about that whole LOVE thang, hopefully ONCE IN A LIFETIME thang, forming lifelong MEMORIES thang.

The ring does not hold the memory hostage. It's not the ring that counts, it's what it represents. It hurts when we lose something sentimental. I've suffered so many of those losses in my life, but we can't let the material good hold our memories captive. In the end it really is just a replaceable material good.

In my opinion the ring should be replaced with a ring of equal value, in the same style. Or another if it's preferred. If they want to make it a sentimental thing, take the new ring and christen it in a way they see fit. Give it a new happy memory.

[Gymnopithys]

Jewelry store lost my wives ring. Advice needed.

How many wives do you have ?

[Razrak]

Originally Posted by Gymnopithys

Jewelry store lost my wives ring. Advice needed.

How many wives do you have ?

Good point. Could a mod help me with my grammar please? I think it should read "wife's".

[tdn]

Originally Posted by AClockworkMelon

Are you kidding? He's looking to get paid! He just found a hair in his soup and he'd like a free dessert. Jackpot, baby.

If you reread the OP, he was not originally looking to cash in. He was fine with a straight replacement. What he's trying to do is appease his wife.

[aruvqan]

Originally Posted by SanVito

And it's entirely replaceable, with a ring that looks and feels exactly the same. The same ring they picked out. It's not greatgranny's-made-in-1902-nevertobereplaced ring.

I had a wedding ring which proved faulty - the stones kept dropping out of it. In the end, after round three of repairs, the store replaced it with the exact same thing. Some Big Deal.

Greatgranny's ring started out new sometime. I guess it would be OK to lose that one.

Originally Posted by Freudian Slit

I think if it were something like a ring that they'd had for years, I might be more pissed at the store. But this is the same store you bought it from and that same store is replacing it? I don't really see the big deal. Then again, I don't really like rings all that much and if I get ever get married, probably won't wear mine. And I'm not really too big on sentiment for objects either.

Not everybody is sentimental I guess, must be great for moving time, just burn the old house, move into the new and replace everything. Nothing worth saving there...

Originally Posted by Rushgeekgirl

The ring does not hold the memory hostage. It's not the ring that counts, it's what it represents. It hurts when we lose something sentimental. I've suffered so many of those losses in my life, but we can't let the material good hold our memories captive. In the end it really is just a replaceable material good.

In my opinion the ring should be replaced with a ring of equal value, in the same style. Or another if it's preferred. If they want to make it a sentimental thing, take the new ring and christen it in a way they see fit. Give it a new happy memory.

Anything including great grannys ring is ultimately replaceable. What makes an heirloom but memories. Now they will never have their wedding ring ever again. A new lump of metal may look like it, but it is NOT it. Same principal as a pet, that new golden retriever may look just like Phluphi, but it is heartbreaking to many people when a beloved pet dies. Hell, greatgranny is ultimately replacable, just og to the nearest retirement home and 'adopt' a senior and start visiting them. You will soon have new memories.

[Freudian Slit]

Originally Posted by aruvqan

Not everybody is sentimental I guess, must be great for moving time, just burn the old house, move into the new and replace everything. Nothing worth saving there...

Well, I wouldn't want that either. Some of that stuff IS expensive.

Hypothetically, if someone could come and replace everything in my apartment, transporter/replica style and it's so good, I wouldn't know the difference, then I really wouldn't care. Even if you told me.

I do have a few things I really like, mainly because they were autographed, but if hypothetically I could get them again with the same autographs, I wouldn't be upset at losing the originals.

[SanVito]

Originally Posted by aruvqan

Greatgranny's ring started out new sometime. I guess it would be OK to lose that one.

Not everybody is sentimental I guess, must be great for moving time, just burn the old house, move into the new and replace everything. Nothing worth saving there...


Anything including great grannys ring is ultimately replaceable. What makes an heirloom but memories. Now they will never have their wedding ring ever again. A new lump of metal may look like it, but it is NOT it. Same principal as a pet, that new golden retriever may look just like Phluphi, but it is heartbreaking to many people when a beloved pet dies. Hell, greatgranny is ultimately replacable, just og to the nearest retirement home and 'adopt' a senior and start visiting them. You will soon have new memories.

I had a girlfriend like you once. Everything was SUCH a drama, thank god she didn't have anything really important to worry about.

[tdn]

Originally Posted by Freudian Slit

Hypothetically, if someone could come and replace everything in my apartment, transporter/replica style and it's so good, I wouldn't know the difference, then I really wouldn't care. Even if you told me.

That's great for you, but not everyone is like that. If you have no sentiment for things, then I understand that it probably seems pretty irrational. But to those of us that have setiment, the attachment to an actual object is as real as the object itself.

[Trepa Mayfield]

Originally Posted by aruvqan

Not everybody is sentimental I guess, must be great for moving time, just burn the old house, move into the new and replace everything. Nothing worth saving there...

Nice fallacy of the excluded middle.

Originally Posted by aruvqan

Anything including great grannys ring is ultimately replaceable. What makes an heirloom but memories. Now they will never have their wedding ring ever again. A new lump of metal may look like it, but it is NOT it. Same principal as a pet, that new golden retriever may look just like Phluphi, but it is heartbreaking to many people when a beloved pet dies. Hell, greatgranny is ultimately replacable, just og to the nearest retirement home and 'adopt' a senior and start visiting them. You will soon have new memories.

Rings are not living things. The difference between two rings of the exact same type are minuscule compared to two people, or two dogs of the same breed.

[Freudian Slit]

Originally Posted by tdn

That's great for you, but not everyone is like that. If you have no sentiment for things, then I understand that it probably seems pretty irrational. But to those of us that have setiment, the attachment to an actual object is as real as the object itself.

I know. I'm just explaining how I'd react to my house being burned down and all the objects destroyed. If I could get replicas, I'd be okay. Otherwise, I'd be annoyed. I mean, as pedescribe just said, it's not like everyone who's not super sentimental has NO attachment to anything.

[DiosaBellissima]

I think it's fairly admirable of the company to tell you- they very easily could have just replaced the whole shebang and not told you. A dirty company would have done this. I'd say you're probably dealing with honest folks here, though I would take whatever replacement you get in to somewhere else to make sure it's up to par with what you had before.

If you have been looking to get your wife something else (birthday present, whatever), why don't you go in and ask if they'll give you a solid discount (maybe right about cost) on something else for your wife? A little necklace or bracelet or something she might enjoy. That way, the business isn't really HURT by this, but you are being helped by it. If that makes sense.

[Ferret Herder]

What pedescribe said. I understand the sentimental affection for some objects, but that's the risk in having them at all. Becoming attached to pets or people is waaay different than an attachment to a thing. The former are unique creatures that can never be replaced or duplicated; the latter almost always are never utterly unique in this world, and only gain importance that you imbue them with yourself.

[PunditLisa]

You should take your wife out to dinner and re-propose with the new ring. With any luck, you'll get a second honeymoon night out of it.

[tdn]

Originally Posted by pedescribe

Rings are not living things. The difference between two rings of the exact same type are minuscule compared to two people, or two dogs of the same breed.

To somebody who places a great deal of sentiment on the rings, the difference is not miniscule to them at all. Maybe it's not to you, but it is to them.

[cherry]

Is this the wedding band or the engagement ring that they lost? If it's the engagement ring then you should pull out you original GIA certficate and make sure your stone is at least equal if not a little better than the original. I'd want the same band for sentimental reasons. Also I would pose this question at pricescope to get answers from people in the diamond industry about what is customary or common. Do you have jewelry insurance because most plans replace with like rings instead of a cash payout unless you specify.

[torie]

Originally Posted by Gymnopithys

Jewelry store lost my wives ring. Advice needed.

How many wives do you have ?

Dammit, I KNEW someone was going to get to it before me!!

[Yarster]

I'd take the replacement ring with the GIA cert showing a diamond of equal or greater value. I really don't think the jeweler is going to screw you on that given that that they already have egg on their face to the point where you really need to have it appraised at a second independent jeweler. I suppose if you insist on that, you could ask them to pay for the second appraisal, but I think that's the full extent of what you're entitled to since it was an honest mistake. Alternatively, you could get the cash value of the ring as a refund, but if you are expecting anything more than that, I think you're being unreasonable.

My wife once took a random ring into a jewelry store in the mall that was offering a free cleaning while you wait in an effort to get people in to browse. They cleaned her ring and apologized that one of the stones had come loose and gave her back the ring with the stone offering to fix it for a small fee. She was super pissed off and was convinced they pried the stone out just so they could charge a fee to fix it. I told her she was over-reacting and that I was sure the stone really was loose and they did her a favor because it otherwise would have fallen out at a random time and would have been lost forever. Then again, who knows? She took it to a different store to be fixed and even asked if it looked like it had been pried out. They didn't think so.

[Trepa Mayfield]

Originally Posted by tdn

To somebody who places a great deal of sentiment on the rings, the difference is not miniscule to them at all. Maybe it's not to you, but it is to them.

My point was simply that comparing rings to people or pets is hyperbolic in nature.

But okay, fine. For some people, the fact that it is not the same ring means a great deal. I can understand that. Given that, though, wouldn't the best replacement be a ring that is as close as possible, imbued with a new ceremony or memory? I mean, if Razrak trades up, not only will the ring be a different ring, but it will look different, and feel different, and be that much more distant from the original ring.

[MsWhatsit]

Originally Posted by Razrak

They offered to order the same ring and give it to her at no cost.

Sounds good to me. I don't see any further need to "leverage the situation to your benefit."

[Razrak]

Originally Posted by cherry

Is this the wedding band or the engagement ring that they lost? If it's the engagement ring then you should pull out you original GIA certficate and make sure your stone is at least equal if not a little better than the original. I'd want the same band for sentimental reasons. Also I would pose this question at pricescope to get answers from people in the diamond industry about what is customary or common. Do you have jewelry insurance because most plans replace with like rings instead of a cash payout unless you specify.

After the wedding my wife had the engagment ring and the wedding band welded(is that the right word?) together. They lost both of them since they were attached. The only insurance that would cover the ring is home owners insurance, I believe it'd have to be stolen to use home owners insurance. The store wants to replace the rings with an identical set. I'm not sure if they insure the rings when they send them to the center for repairs. My wife signed some paperwork when they took the ring in for repairs. Both rings are listed retail at the store for $3,000 as a combo deal. My wife signed some paperwork when they took the ring in for repairs. She just read the fine print and called me at work. It said something to the effect they valued the rings at $2,400 and if it was lost or stolen they would replace with a like ring.

It seems we won't really have any input as to what the remedy will be.