A fake fake, really?

[seaurchin]

(By the title, I mean I knew the diamonds weren't real. A little confusing there, sorry). I bought a "14k yellow gold and CZ" necklace a while back, at the mall. I posted it here then but here it is again, though the color isn't showing up well. In real life, it's bright gold in color and sparkly:



Anyway, I just looked at it closely and the only markings on it are on a tiny connector piece next to the clasp. It says "585" on one side, but it's messy, like something else might have been scratched out and the numbers stamped on over it. On the other side of that tiny connector piece, it says "14K GF." "GF" means gold filled, right? My husband and I both looked over thoroughly with a loupe and couldn't find any more markings on it.

Then I looked up reviews of the store and there weren't many. But the ones that were there were not good. Someone else accused them of passing jewelry off as 14k when it wasn't. Apparently, the owners get nasty when confronted.

So now I'm trying to decide what to do (it cost $250). I guess I'd have to get it tested, for starters. Maybe I could just drop in at a different jewelry store and ask them to test it? If it didn't test as gold, I guess it would cost something to get the results in writing. And then I'd have to go through the hassle with the owner. If I had to file in small claims court, how could I even prove it was the same piece they sold me?

Of course I don't know for sure that it's not solid gold at this point but, unless I'm missing something here, I don't think it's looking good. It really didn't even occur to me to not trust a mall jewelry store on the gold content.

Has anyone else had something like this happen at a B&M jewelry store? What would you do?

 

[Mreader]

(By the title, I mean I knew the diamonds weren't real. A little confusing there, sorry). I bought a "14k yellow gold and CZ" necklace a while back, at the mall. I posted it here then but here it is again, though the color isn't showing up well. In real life, it's bright gold in color and sparkly:



Anyway, I just looked at it closely and the only markings on it are on a tiny connector piece next to the clasp. It says "585" on one side, but it's messy, like something else might have been scratched out and the numbers stamped on over it. On the other side of that tiny connector piece, it says "14K GF." "GF" means gold filled, right? My husband and I both looked over thoroughly with a loupe and couldn't find any more markings on it.

Then I looked up reviews of the store and there weren't many. But the ones that were there were not good. Someone else accused them of passing jewelry off as 14k when it wasn't. Apparently, the owners get nasty when confronted.

So now I'm trying to decide what to do (it cost $250). I guess I'd have to get it tested, for starters. Maybe I could just drop in at a different jewelry store and ask them to test it? If it didn't test as gold, I guess it would cost something to get the results in writing. And then I'd have to go through the hassle with the owner. If I had to file in small claims court, how could I even prove it was the same piece they sold me?

Of course I don't know for sure that it's not solid gold at this point but, unless I'm missing something here, I don't think it's looking good. It really didn't even occur to me to not trust a mall jewelry store on the gold content.

Has anyone else had something like this happen at a B&M jewelry store? What would you do?

I’m so sorry- how stressful. Usually any pawn shop will test for free. Can you just return it anyway? Are you within the return period? Alternatively if they are difficult and you paid with a credit card, you can contest with your cc company.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Dam !
i loved this when you showed it the other day​

 

[seaurchin]

I guess I'll take it by a pawn shop and see if they'll test the gold, and go from there.

 

[seaurchin]

Okay, a pawn shop was nice enough to test it for me but it didn't really solve anything. Their tester apparently only shows if the piece is real gold on the outside, which it is, but that doesn't mean it's not gold filled.

I contacted my credit card company and now just wait.

In the meantime, does anyone know how I could get it tested definitively for solid gold vs. gold filled and get something in writing to that effect?

 

[MamaBee]

(By the title, I mean I knew the diamonds weren't real. A little confusing there, sorry). I bought a "14k yellow gold and CZ" necklace a while back, at the mall. I posted it here then but here it is again, though the color isn't showing up well. In real life, it's bright gold in color and sparkly:



Anyway, I just looked at it closely and the only markings on it are on a tiny connector piece next to the clasp. It says "585" on one side, but it's messy, like something else might have been scratched out and the numbers stamped on over it. On the other side of that tiny connector piece, it says "14K GF." "GF" means gold filled, right? My husband and I both looked over thoroughly with a loupe and couldn't find any more markings on it.

Then I looked up reviews of the store and there weren't many. But the ones that were there were not good. Someone else accused them of passing jewelry off as 14k when it wasn't. Apparently, the owners get nasty when confronted.

So now I'm trying to decide what to do (it cost $250). I guess I'd have to get it tested, for starters. Maybe I could just drop in at a different jewelry store and ask them to test it? If it didn't test as gold, I guess it would cost something to get the results in writing. And then I'd have to go through the hassle with the owner. If I had to file in small claims court, how could I even prove it was the same piece they sold me?

Of course I don't know for sure that it's not solid gold at this point but, unless I'm missing something here, I don't think it's looking good. It really didn't even occur to me to not trust a mall jewelry store on the gold content.

Has anyone else had something like this happen at a B&M jewelry store? What would you do?

It’s so cute..but I think it’s gold filled..

Is Your Jewelry Gold Filled or Solid Gold?

www.jewelrynotes.com

 

[Beaders Secret]

I would suggest going to an appraiser/valuer and have a test performed.

For gold filled there is really no option except to perform a procedure that removes some material in order to be certain that the test is not just capturing the surface capping ( even the X-ray testing devices <XRF analysis> won’t give certainty on gold filled/rolled gold)

this can be done on an unobtrusive spot, and if the test shows the piece is indeed solid gold, it can be polished. If however the test shows a difference and the piece is capped over some other metal, than your case is proved.

 

[seaurchin]

I would suggest going to an appraiser/valuer and have a test performed.

For gold filled there is really no option except to perform a procedure that removes some material in order to be certain that the test is not just capturing the surface capping ( even the X-ray testing devices <XRF analysis> won’t give certainty on gold filled/rolled gold)

this can be done on an unobtrusive spot, and if the test shows the piece is indeed solid gold, it can be polished. If however the test shows a difference and the piece is capped over some other metal, than your case is proved.

I emailed a jeweler I've worked with and if he doesn't want to do it then I'll take it to an appraiser. I didn't know where to start in looking for someone to test it but I just googled "jewelry appraisal near me" and got a few hits. They could test it on the back of the pendant since no one sees that anyway. I've filed with my credit card company because of the "14K GF" marking but I'm sure I'm more likely to win if I have a professional report. Thank you!

 

[marymm]

What does the receipt say, i.e., item description?

If your receipt states "14kt" and not "14kt GF", then that should be enough to effectuate the return, no?

 

[seaurchin]

What does the receipt say, i.e., item description?

If your receipt states "14kt" and not "14kt GF", then that should be enough to effectuate the return, no?

Yes, the receipt says 14k. I couldn't get a good enough photo of the "14k GF" but someone with a better camera got it for me tonight so I'll add that to the dispute with my credit card company. Thank you.