Another Happy Testimonial for Diane Giles & Mervis
Several years ago I decided to upgrade my wife’s engagement ring to a larger size. Her original ring was from a well respected jeweler in Richmond, VA that my parents and grandparents had used for years. We set up an appointment at the K Street, NW Washington, DC store where we met Diane Giles and also Ronnie Mervis. From this first meeting we have had one of the best relationships with any retail establishment that we can remember. Diane took the time to carefully examine the original ring we wanted to upgrade, had the on-site jeweler do the same and then showed us the difference in quality between that ring and a stone purchased from Mervis. It was quite an education. She suggested that we have the original ring made in to a pendant which we did and I purchased a new stone and had it reset (new platinum setting) in her original band. When we picked up the ring and the pendant, they were both exquisite and my wife, also a Diane, wears the pendant every day.
The experience was so exceptional that we kept in touch with Diane at Mervis and a couple of years later I went back to upgrade the second ring as a gift for my Diane earning her doctorate degree from George Washington University. Here is where the friendship and creative minds of myself and Diane Giles started to work. I wanted the new stone to be a surprise to give her when our children were here for graduation, but did not want to purchase a new ring since hers had a special “split band” to allow her to get the ring on over her knuckle. We took the ring in for “cleaning” and to be checked and left the ring at Mervis using the excuse that the “split band” had to go back to the manufacturer for repair. I actually picked up the ring about 2 weeks later and used the “repair excuse” to keep it for about a month until graduation. The surprise was great and perfect for her efforts earning her doctorate. This was in 2009.
Long story longer, our 25th wedding anniversary was in May 2010 so why not upgrade the stone yet another time. I had planned a three island, 2-week vacation to Hawaii for our anniversary and where my Diane had lived for 14 years before we met in Korea. Like I said, long story longer. I was in the Army and she was working for the Air Force as a civilian. Side note is that I had never been to Hawaii. Back to Diane at Mervis in November 2009. I had no clue how to now switch the stones and make the upgrade. She offered to replace the 2009 stone with a cubic zirconium that closely matched the diamond in the original setting and ring and we would put the new stone in a completely new ring and setting. We did this at the Tyson’s Corner store and waited for the new stone to come in along with the new ring. My Diane wore the cubic zirconium ring from November 2009 to May 2010 when we went to Hawaii. Never questioned that it was not “her diamond”! We left it in our safety deposit box at the bank for “safe keeping” along with the pendant. I picked up the new ring at the Rockville store also in May and hand carried it in my camera bag to Hawaii. I gave it to her on a dinner boat cruise off of Waikiki and Diamond Head on Oahu on our anniversary. She was totally overwhelmed. When we got back to the hotel I also gave her a hand written note from Diane Giles she had given me when I picked up the ring.
End of this story is that Mervis and our friend Diane Giles, made this all seamless, educational, fun, and each time made us (really me) feel we were the most important customer she had. Their stores are great, people always willing to help and why would you go anywhere else to buy a diamond with this kid of personal service.
Thanks for being you Diane and Thank You Mervis!