AIBU to ask the jewellers about replacing part of my earrings?

[Reallyneedsaholiday]

I can’t decide if I’m being unreasonable or not. I love dangly earrings, and bought (for me) an expensive pair, from a local jewellers. I was just browsing, the lady asked what I was looking for, brought them out and then packed them up for me. But didn’t explain that they were actually both studs AND long earrings. It wasn’t until I took them out, that I realised this, and discovered that I must have inadvertently dropped the stud bit of one of them. I have hunted high and low, with no luck. I have no idea where it could have fallen. I’m gutted. And would have been much more careful if I’d been aware that they came in 2 pieces. So should I just suck it up (YABU) - they are unwearable without the stud, or should I say something (YANBU) and hope they’ll replace them?

Your post is a bit confusing. Did you realise as soon as you unpacked them that a bit was missing? If so it was probably missing when they packed it so I would take them back and explain, and ask them to find the extra piece/replace it/refund me.

When was this? Contact them immediately. The longer you leave it the less chance they'll say you just lost it yourself.

Also confused by the wording, did you discover the second that you opened them that it was already missing, in which case it may have been left at the jewelers? If you had all the pieces and lost it yourself later, it's not the shops issue.

I had all the pieces originally. I was just not aware that they came in two pieces, and so wasn’t as careful as I would have been if I’d known that. Sounds as if I’ve just whistled a lot of money down the drain.

I picked them up by the "dangling bit" and the stud fell out.

My god, how do you get through life if you have to post this on Mumsnet

Asking them to replace it free of charge would be highly unreasonable - it was your fault you lost the bit. Asking them if you could buy a replacement stud to replace the one you lost is reasonable although maybe not possible.

So, you picked them and the stud part fell out and then you couldn’t find it? Despite standing right where you dropped it? Where did you take them out - over a really messy area?

No, you cannot ask for a free replacement but you could ask if you can just buy the stud part, if they are a jeweller who actually makes each item. If they buy them in wholesale then you won’t have much luck being able to have just one part remade.

I’m a jeweller and it doesn’t surprise me that you’d expect a free replacement. The stuff I get asked, especially with earrings - lost one on a night out, can I have a free one to replace it. Left one at a boyfriends, can I have a free one to replace it. Tangled necklace so they cut the pendant off and come and ask for a free chain to replace the one they tangled and cut. People always expect local, independent jewellers to “just quickly make another to replace it for free.”

Did you lose the piece at home or were you somewhere else. If you are at home then I would just put a pop a pop sock over the hose of a hoover (you may have to borrow one) and hopefully that will pick it up.

You could ask the jeweller if they could order an replacement for you but it may not be possible and could cost you a fair bit of money.