Nicholas Buttle asks if the $34,000 diamond ring he bought for $1100 can be made more quickly

THE man who jagged a $34,000 engagement ring for $1100 has asked if the online retailer can make it faster. Meanwhile, the site has been shut down due to fear of a costly repeat.

THE man who jagged a $34,000 engagement ring for $1100 has asked if the online retailer can make it faster. Meanwhile, the site has been shut down due to fear of a costly repeat.

Last month the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal dismissed an appeal by Sydney-based Royal Diamonds, which wanted to cancel a sale to consumer Nicholas Buttle because the price of a 2.16-carat diamond was incorrect.

Last Thursday NCAT held a further hearing to set a time frame for Royal Diamonds to make and deliver the ring. At the hearing in Penrith, Tribunal member Francis Holles said he intended to make orders for the ring to be delivered within 28 days, as was the case when NCAT first ruled in Mr Buttle’s favour in May this year.

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That deadline had expired because of the appeal.

A ring similar to that Nicholas Buttle bought from Royal Diamonds. Source: bluenile.com

Brisbane-based Mr Buttle, who was participating by phone, said: “Can I ask whether Royal Diamonds has any intention to supply the ring? If they have, could we shorten the time frame?”

Royal Diamonds’ representative, who asked not to be named, said it did intend to supply the ring but requested extra time.

“I’m not here to dispute the order,” he said. “We did not sell a ready-made ring, we sold a service. We put the ring together. The diamond that was chosen no longer exists. I need more time to be able to find a diamond with these specifications.”

He asked if he could have until January 10.

However, Mr Holles said he was going to “leave matters as they were” after the original decision.

The Royal Diamonds website. Source: royaldiamonds.com.au

He then made orders that the ring be delivered by December 9, adding that if Royal Diamonds was having difficulty complying, it should “approach the Tribunal to have the matter relisted”.

Following the hearing, the Royal Diamonds director said he had shut the site because he didn’t want to have this happen again. After the ring is made and delivered the business will be closed and its one employee transferred to a related company.

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