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 Post subject: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 10:58 am 
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I just got 5 opals in the mail and not one of them is even close to the dimensions offered in the listing, I think they must have measured them with a ruler. I don't make my own settings and these are not common sizes so it looks like I have 5 cheap opals to add to my collection of loose stones :evil:

Oh well, I got them for next to nothing.


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 Post subject: Re: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:48 pm 
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C'mon over to Annapolis and I'll teach you how to make your own bezel settings ;)

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 Post subject: Re: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:57 pm 
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One of those things on my to do list, I need to get some good soldering gear :) Unfortunately, only one of the stones is a cab, the rest are faceted :?


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 Post subject: Re: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:58 pm 
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That doesn't mean you can't bezel-set them, you just add another ring inside the bezel to support the girdle/pavilion.

Edit: not saying you want to bezel set them, just that you can. Bezel setting works fine for well-performing stones, but may not be so hot for a shallow-cut opal.


If you find a lapidary/jewelry guild in your area, they may have a shop you can use if you join. That's how I get my soldering & casting done.

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 Post subject: Re: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 7:54 pm 
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I agree buying on ebay is always a hazard.. but there is a very good safety net.....

If you payed with e-bay then use their return policy, item not as described.
very easy, usually defer to the consumer.....

does not solve the problem of not getting what you thought, but at least you can get money back.

but if you are happy with the itemfor the price, time to learn a new skill.... always fun. :D


Last edited by wilsonintexas on Fri Oct 24, 2014 8:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 8:03 pm 
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Meh, I paid 30.00 total including shipping, I'd be throwing money away paying to ship them back, it wouldn't be worth it. Eventually I'll learn to make settings ^_^


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 Post subject: Re: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 1:58 am 
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If you return the items to eBay under "item not as described", you will receive a full refund including shipping, and not have to pay for the return shipping, either. I think eBay must have finally gotten the message from dissatisfied customers; must have been thousands of people who just kept items because it wasn't worth it to pay return shipping. I know I was one of those customers :| .

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 Post subject: Re: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 7:40 am 
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Really? We've had to pay return shipping on everything we've returned. I've stopped using some of my once favorite sellers because they've refused to refund return shipping on items when they've made a mistake.


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 Post subject: Re: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 11:55 pm 
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Scroll down a bit on this page for "Didn't get what you ordered?". I used the service last month and was reimbursed the cost of the item and my shipping, plus I was able to print off a return-shipping postage label at no cost. Just remember, this is for items that are not as described or the wrong item, not just if you changed your mind [-X .

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 Post subject: Re: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Sun Oct 26, 2014 8:35 am 
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Oh, they definitely aren't as described. I contacted them and told them all the measurements of the five stones, and they came back with "Oh, well we didn't correct to two decimal places...." *sigh*


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 Post subject: Re: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Sun Oct 26, 2014 10:32 am 
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How far off were they?

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 Post subject: Re: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Sun Oct 26, 2014 11:53 pm 
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Faceted Pear: 7.85x5.70 listed as 7x5
Faceted Round: 6.08 listed as 6mm (this one I can actually set, but it's not very nice, it was just included in with another one I wanted)
Faceted Marquise: 9.62x4.46 listed as 8x2 though from the picture I assumed it was an error and was supposed to be 8x4
Faceted Oval: 8.66x6.30 listed at 8x6
Oval Cabochon: 10.35x8.16 listed at 10x8


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 Post subject: Re: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 10:07 am 
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Robin,

Those measurements as stated are not that far off, except for the marquise. Most folks would call the first stone, the pear a 8x6 stone. Usually the problem is when the seller says it's 8x6 and its 7x5 or 6x4.

If you contact Tripps they would tell you that a setting can hold a stone up to 1 mm different than the size of the setting, but recommend getting a setting that is within 1/2 mm. This, for example, would mean a 8x6 for the pear and oval, a 6 mm for the round, a 10x8 for the cabachon, and talk to them about the marquise. Often a four prong setting otherwise meant for an oval, square or round can be used, with the prongs holding the middle of the stone. Not the best perhaps, but it works. So most of these stones ARE common sizes.

Calibrated stones can be made in factories, and I have no idea who sold you the stones, but if the seller cut the stones themselves, then calibration is rare. Of over 800 stones I've cut, I've cut to the rough and not ever to calibration, but no one has had any problems getting them set. But then I cut because it's my hobby, not a commercial endeavor.

If you want, you can send the stones to Tripps and they will set them for you for a slight fee, $6 a stone the last time I asked (plus the cost of the setting of course).

So, you didn't get taken or anything, just got introduced to individually cut stones.

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 Post subject: Re: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 10:24 am 
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Whether or not the stones can be forced into a Tripps setting, the seller should post the actual sizes, and let the buyer make that decision.

Since I don't usually cut expensive rough, most of my stones are calibrated. If I were cutting a stone worth thousands, it probably wouldn't go in a Tripps setting.


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 Post subject: Re: Ah, the hazards of buying on Ebay
PostPosted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 10:43 am 
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1 mm is too far off, any more than a .1mm difference and it likely won't go smoothly, any supplier I've ordered from has had a disclaimer saying any difference in size greater or less than .1mm is probably not going to work, and I've got experience to back that up.

Anyone selling stones should always list measurements to at least 1 decimal point.


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