Jewelry

[CatsyCline]

*** They would NOT replace the center opal on my GEV ring.  Although Michael emailed me and said he would personally evaluate it and replace it,  the factory said it came into contact with some sort of aqueos liquid!?. 

The missing small stone was replaced.  ring cleaned and polished and it looks a tiny bit more sparkley.  completed customs form, sent by international post  and a check to Nathan Hennick (the GEV factory) for repair. cost was around $30 total. 

i took a look at Shop HQ's GEV "event"  and seems  there were issues w at least one of his band rings with small opals completely losing their color and stones falling out.

if you buy, Wear the h3# out of his jewelry for the 30 day return period. Or buy the insurance. in this case it would not nake a difference as they didn't consider this a Manf. defect.

Has anyone ever contacted Michael Valitutti regarding a jewelry issue?  I have this GEV Opal ring from Evine i purchased a few yrs ago.

Because opals are soft,   barely wore it, and only in the summer on occasion. the stones now are a wierd dull yellow color

a stone had fallen out and the rhodium has worn off the back of the band. not durable at all. it looks so beat up!   i buried the ring in white rice, supposed to remove any moisture. so far, no change.

weeks ago,  submitted a polite inquiry on his website and have not heard back. just wondering if he responds to customers who bought from Evine/ShopHQ

[FancyPhillyshopper]

You probably have Ethiopian opals since Australian opals are much more difficult to source now.  Your concern about color change is a very common complaint.

Unfortunately those opals absorb all kinds of liquids, even body oils and air humidity, and will frequently turn yellow or brown.  Sometimes letting them totally dry out will help but it could take weeks and there is no guarantee.

I love the look of opals but I find it a very difficult gemstone to care for as it is also a bit fragile (lower on Mohs scale).  I have some Australian opals  in earrings and mosaic opals (triplet) in rings, but I will not purchase any of the Ethiopian opals, although I do admire them.

On his Gems En Vogue website Michael states that they guarantee all jewelry for three years, but stone discoloration is not included.  They also have an 800 number. 

I guess you know he is selling jewelry on HSN now.  I recently bought a small sapphire ring from him there which I like a lot.

So sorry your pretty opal ring is no longer in the best condition--I will keep my fingers crossed that maybe in a few months there will be some improvement.

[CatsyCline]

@FancyPhillyshopper    yes they are Ethiopian opals.  i'll have to call them i guess. i did take several pics w my phone to send them but could not attach to their sunmission form. just looked the pics, yes, shows the yellow.

@nother poster here has the same ring i believe..@Kachina  - did your ring stay bright?

[Desertdi]

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@CatsyCline wrote:

@FancyPhillyshopper    yes they are Ethiopian opals.  i'll have to call them i guess. i did take several pics w my phone to send them but could not attach to their sunmission form. just looked the pics, yes, shows the yellow.

@nother poster here has the same ring i believe..@Kachina  - did your ring stay bright?

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FWD: @Kachina624

[Kachina624]

@CatsyCline    Here's a picture of my 3 Ethiopian Opals which I've had at least several years.  The two on the bottom are Michael's rings; don't remember where I got the third.  The one on the left has absolutely magnificent color.  None of my rings have changed a bit since I got them, nor have I ever had any plating wear off of my Gems en Vogue rings. 

The Ethiopian Opals, unlike Australian Opals, have no water content, making them non susceptible to drying out, becoming brittle and cracking, thus more practical.  Chemically, they are a whole different animal.  I've never heard of them changing color.  In fact, because they are more sturdy, they become extremely popular and I recently read that Cobber Peddy, the area where Australian Opals are mined, has completely shut down.  Opal lovers are buying the Ethiopian variety instead.

[CatsyCline]

@Kachina624     your ring on the bottom left  is the one i have.   yours and all your rings so pretty!!  idk what happened with mine. we have very hot humid weather here, maybe the air affected it. still doesnt excuse the worn down rhodium and even the vermeil is getting sketchy.

[SilleeMee]

I store my welo opal bracelet inside a ziploc bag and I put one of those little desiccant packets in with it. I found the desiccant packet inside something I bought some time ago. In case you didn't know, those desiccant packets have the "Do Not Eat" printed on them. They absorb moisture and help keep my opals looking their best.

[Kachina624]

@CatsyCline   Has there ever been an instance where you soaked your ring in water or it had extended exposure to water?  Seems like it would take more than high humidity.  Just look at all the people who live in humid climates who own opal but have no problem.  I see care instructions that suggest washing it with gentle soap and water. 

[CatsyCline]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

@CatsyCline   Has there ever been an instance where you soaked your ring in water or it had extended exposure to water?  Seems like it would take more than high humidity.  Just look at all the people who live in humid climates who own opal but have no problem.  I see care instructions that suggest washing it with gentle soap and water. 

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@Kachina624  i really babied that ring so i always removed it to wash my hands and the minute i got home it went right back in the ring box.

[depglass]

I once accidentally left one of Michael's rings in a jar of jewelry cleaner for more than a month.  It was one of those mild soapy cleaners, so it must have been the water that did the damage.  All the inner play of color is gone.  It is a larger stone with two Russian Diopsides flanking it.  One of these days I may come across a compatible stone I can replace it with.  I just pulled a five stone faceted ring out of the box and sitting here in this bright light the stones look slightly yellow, but there is excellent play of color within the stones.