About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

CJ831 Posted: Dec 19, 2005 02:08 PM

About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

Hi!
I just went shopping for my engagement ring with my boyfriend at Zales this past weekend. Picked out a beautiful ring/band set and then picked out a stone. Didn't find a loose one I liked so we picked one out of a ring. He noticed a mounting fee of $800 on his receipt. It seems expensive and so I wonder if he was ripped off or is that usual? I know that it takes work to take out the diamond from one ring and then mount it on another but never knew how much they charge. Seems expensive.
Please let me know if you have any knowledge on this.
Thanks!

divabride Posted: Dec 19, 2005 02:15 PM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

Hello and welome to the boards!

I dont mean to alarm you anything, but that just doesnt sound right to me. I've never heard of a mounting charge. And even if there was, that seems to be pretty expensive.

CJ831 Posted: Dec 19, 2005 02:28 PM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

Thanks!
oh boy, I was afraid of that. Thanks for the quick response!

Mrs. dleeny Posted: Dec 19, 2005 02:30 PM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

$800 for a mounting!!!!!! that is insane!!

I wouldn't pay it! that's more than my engagement setting cost, and it's platinum!

ETA: when I had my e-ring appraised for replacement value, the appraiser calculated $100 for re-mounting the stone. that's the most I would pay.

divabride Posted: Dec 19, 2005 02:31 PM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

Posted by csyrek

Thanks!
oh boy, I was afraid of that. Thanks for the quick response!

No problem. With making such a huge purchase like an engagement ring, you have every right to question an extra $800. Good luck and keep us posted!!

Tarae Posted: Dec 19, 2005 03:25 PM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

That is this ridiculously expensive!!

Laura&Phil Posted: Dec 19, 2005 10:43 PM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

That seems high to me! I have heard that Zales is on the high side overall tho- not to upset you or anything. I'd talk to them about that! Did you put it on a charge card at least? That way you can dispute the charge if they give you a hard time. Good luck!!

(and welcome!!)

MJDoc12 Posted: Dec 19, 2005 10:50 PM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

Welcome to the boards!

i agree with the other ladies--that fee is crazy. myself personally, i am not a fan of Zale's...you're paying for the name not the quality. did they let you view the diamond carefully (using the special scope to view it magnified?) a lot of times they pass off some diamonds that might look brilliant in the store...but have some dark spots and such. for that price you could go to a wholesaler or private jeweler.

FH bought my e-ring with a private jeweler...paid for a loose stone and had it mounted into a setting he chose. at no time was a 'mounting fee' discussed..he was charged the price of the loose center stone and then the price of the setting...that was it!!

i'd go back to zale's and find out what's up and/or get your $$ back and go somewhere else.

akajt98 Posted: Dec 19, 2005 11:05 PM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

Welcome to the boards.

I have to agree with the other girls in saying that the fee they are charging doesn't seem right. I for one would not purchase my engagement ring from Zales... I think you can get a better value elsewhere, but that is JMO.

PegaLega Posted: Dec 19, 2005 11:19 PM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

Posted by akajt98

Welcome to the boards.

I have to agree with the other girls in saying that the fee they are charging doesn't seem right. I for one would not purchase my engagement ring from Zales... I think you can get a better value elsewhere, but that is JMO.

I have to agree-youcan definitely find better value somewhere else!

GL-keep us posted

CrescentBride606 Posted: Dec 19, 2005 11:22 PM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

WAS NEVER CHCARGED FOR A MOUNTING FEE

afrodyt2000 Posted: Dec 19, 2005 11:40 PM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

we got my ring from one store and the diamond from another diamond dealer. The dealer mounted the outside stone and charged another $50. That was all. $800 is ridiculous to me.

jenheartsrob Posted: Dec 19, 2005 11:43 PM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

wow, that's crazy... my FH got my diamond mounted onto his own setting and didn't get charged a mounting fee....

dispute that charge!

CJ831 Posted: Dec 20, 2005 08:47 AM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

Thank you all for your responses. My boyfriend is going to be picking it up in a couple days and will be disputing this fee. The whole receipt just didn't make much sense. A lot of things were broken down and discounted and then it just had the word 'mounting' and $800 next to it. We did a build a ring on several sites last night and found that the total price was about average. But he will be disputing it when he goes there.
I was with his mother as well and all three of us inspected every diamond very carefully. His mother found flaws that the salesperson didn't. We were there for a long time inspecting diamonds until we found one we absolutely loved. So we definitely got a good diamond. His mother has shopped there before and was happy which is why we chose Zales.
His mother is a very strong willed person and will no doubt be asking about that fee.
Thanks again for all your input!

JazzyT Posted: Dec 20, 2005 08:54 AM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

FH works with jewelry, he says that to set a stone ina ring should cost no more than a copule hundred $800 is way too much.

Blu-ize Posted: Dec 20, 2005 10:23 AM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

Posted by csyrek

Thank you all for your responses. My boyfriend is going to be picking it up in a couple days and will be disputing this fee. The whole receipt just didn't make much sense. A lot of things were broken down and discounted and then it just had the word 'mounting' and $800 next to it. We did a build a ring on several sites last night and found that the total price was about average. But he will be disputing it when he goes there.
I was with his mother as well and all three of us inspected every diamond very carefully. His mother found flaws that the salesperson didn't. We were there for a long time inspecting diamonds until we found one we absolutely loved. So we definitely got a good diamond. His mother has shopped there before and was happy which is why we chose Zales.
His mother is a very strong willed person and will no doubt be asking about that fee.
Thanks again for all your input!

Was the stone graded? If you were dealing with a salesperson that didn't know the grading of the stones and the flaws it sounds like you need to deal with the manager or the staff gemologist.

CJ831 Posted: Dec 20, 2005 10:33 AM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

The saleswoman brought out the manager and the gemology card with the grading was with the ring. I actually have it now.
We dealt with the manager from that point on.

divabride Posted: Dec 20, 2005 10:43 AM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

Just a suggestion, but if you can, have it independantly appraised also. Was the gemology card supplied by Zales or was it certified by GIA?

PrincessRose Posted: Dec 20, 2005 10:55 AM

Re: About to get engaged but want to know about a mounting fee.

Good - keep his mother there with you.

But I'll tell you that the worst quality Jewelry I've ever owned has come from Zales. They sold me a cracked Sapphire and told me it was 'part of the stone'. Took it to a real Jeweler and they told me I'd been scammed. They also sold me a platinum ring that broke twice in 5 months (with one of those months of it being in the shop getting fixed). Wearing it to class was apparently too much for the sturdy metal.