I am interested to know what the consensus is regarding fixing items
that the customer broke because of careless, or rough handling.
I had a similar situation, and finally made the extensive repairs at
no cost
I had donated to a local fundraiser, a stand of really fine cultured
pearls all individually knotted, and attached to a hand made clasp
which I had set with a garnet. I did all the work myself, and knew
that each knot was tight, and close to the pearl. The thread had been
properly stretched, and I had used French coils to attach the strand
to the clasp.
About a month later I received an irate phone call from the person
who won the bid on the pearls telling me that the “knots had shrunk,
and there were gaps between the pearls.” I asked her to bring them
to my studio. To my surprise I found that there were gaps, and I was
puzzled as to how that could have happened. She let it be known,
that she expected me to redo the strand at no charge. During our
conversation, she asked me to add 3 or 4 more pearls,(again at no
charge), as she was having a problem putting the pearls on. Then it
developed that the way she was putting them on, was to leave them
fastened, and would force them over her head. She complained that
they were too tight, and wanted more pearls added. No wonder they had
been stretched.
She said it was too much bother to have to do and undo the clasp
each time she wore them.
I was really in a quandary, and I guess I felt a bit intimidated, as
she suggested that I had not done them right the first time. In
short, according to her, it was my fault that there was a problem.
The upshot was, that I redid the pearls, and added 4 more, all at no
cost.
So, I am eager to hear what should be done when faced with such
situations.
Alma