Last year I did my research when I decided to buy an engagement ring. Living in a fairly remote area of Alaska it was a little difficult to buy what I had in mind. I had originally wanted to buy something other than a diamond. Or buy a conflict-free diamond. I read once that the only thing with a higher markup than diamonds is popcorn from a movie theater. But the allure of a diamond is strong. I did my homework and found a very reputable dealer. I chose Blue Nile. I actually have a close friend that bought from them too. I bought a princess cut .78 carat, H color grade, VS2 clarity stone.
I also wanted a custom setting. I chose titanium because of the strength properties and because it’s just me. I went with Bruce Boone who has been doing ring settings for a long time and has had nothing but impeccable feedback in the online forums that I lurked through.
So I made arrangements for the stone to be mailed directly from Seattle to Alabama to be set. Then it was shipped to me in Alaska. I was quite pleased. I flew to Shanghai, where Pepper was working as a teacher and proposed. She loved it.
But the setting was a little big for her fingers. Not size-wise, just too chunky. So when she was in Alaska for Christmas she left the ring with me and I shipped the stone back to Bruce to have the setting remade. I brought the ring with me back to China when I visited for Chinese New Year. It fit much better and she was really happy to have it back.
It wasn’t but a few weeks later and pepper looked down at her ring and saw a big chip out of it.
Well, to make a long story short, somewhere along the line the diamond was switched with a cubic zirconium. I’m thousands of dollars out and Pepper is without a ring.
So if you were checking on the laser inscription on the girdle of the diamond you have and it has 1116032280 on it along with a Blue Nile logo then you’ve got the diamond that I bought and gave to my bride. I’d love it if you got it back to me. I’d even pay. Or trade you a chipped fake diamond if you’d like.
