Diamond switching

[Pandora II]

Just wondering if anyone has any information on best ways of resolving this...

I was emailed by my BIL today asking for advice. His work colleague''s wife took her e-ring into a local independent jeweller to have it cleaned about 4 weeks ago. She''s had the ring for about 5 years and I believe it is an rb around the 1ct mark in a simple solitaire setting.

After she picked it up she started to think it didn''t look like ''her diamond'' and talked to her husband about it.

He took it back to the appraiser that he used when he first bought the ring and he confirmed that it was not the same diamond - in fact it wasn''t even a diamond.

My BIL is getting me some extra info and more details, but from what he knows she wasn''t in the habit of having her ring cleaned by a jeweller and that she did leave the ring with them rather than waiting for it to be done.

Until I heard about the appraiser I admit I did think that she probably didn''t recognise her stone without 5 years of grime on it... especially as this kind of situation is very rare and most jewellers wouldn''t want to take the risk. The fact it was a 1ct rb made me more suspicious as that would be a very sought after size in the UK and easily disposable, plus who knows what problems people have in the current economic climate.

I would have thought it would be hard to prove that the diamond was removed at this particular jewellers.

I suggested that they contact their insurance company and have them handle it. Any other or better suggestions?

 

[Diamond Explorer]

The jeweler should have tested/inspected the diamond before accepting it. While it is unlikely that the jeweler switched it, They seem to have some exposure here because they didn''t say it wasn''t a diamond before accepting it.

 

[denverappraiser]

Call the insurer.

If they’ve got a policy binding it as a diamond and can clearly demonstrate that now it’s not through no fault of their own, they has a basis for a claim. It’s up to the insurer to make a case against the jeweler (or someone else) if they can but is is not usually a requirement for a claimant to be able to prove a case of who stole a diamond for a claim to be a valid. This, of course, depends entirely on the details of the policy in force but the claims office should be fully prepared to discuss what is and what is not covered under the policy in question.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[kcoursolle]

Ditto, definitely contact the insurance company. It''s their job to cover your BIL no matter what and their job to investigate whether the jeweler stole it or not.

 

[DiamondFlame]

Date: 4/2/2009 7:44:57 PM
Author:Pandora II

He took it back to the appraiser that he used when he first bought the ring and he confirmed that it was not the same diamond - in fact it wasn''t even a diamond.

This means it was indeed originally a diamond as he had it appraised 5 years ago. And now it isn''t? Was it even the same ring? Oh my, this store has a LOT of explaining to do.

Btw, since she left her ring with them, what was written on the ''acknowledgment receipt'' they must have given her before she left the store?

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 4/3/2009 12:59:30 AM
Author: denverappraiser
Call the insurer.

If they’ve got a policy binding it as a diamond and can clearly demonstrate that now it’s not through no fault of their own, they has a basis for a claim. It’s up to the insurer to make a case against the jeweler (or someone else) if they can but is is not usually a requirement for a claimant to be able to prove a case of who stole a diamond for a claim to be a valid. This, of course, depends entirely on the details of the policy in force but the claims office should be fully prepared to discuss what is and what is not covered under the policy in question.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

Great, thanks - my worry was that they would either call the police or storm in there themselves.

I''ve said that even if they KNOW that this is the only place her ring has been left in 5 years and so it MUST have happened there that it will still be very hard to prove a case against the jeweller and that the insurance company is best placed to deal with this both for their own best interest and to minimise any unpleasantness that could occur.

Regarding any paperwork from the jeweller, this is something I''ve asked for clarification on. To be honest I wouldn''t be suprised if there wasn''t any. When I left my pearls with Mikimoto for restringing, they were counted, measured and photocopied and both parties signed off on them - ditto when I picked them up. Judging from friend''s reactions as to my/the shops relative levels of paranoia I get the feeling that a lot of places don''t give much in the way of a receipt...

I understand that the setting was still hers - but it was a very simple setting so wouldn''t have been hard to work on in a short space of time (it wasn''t a bezel or anything).

 

[denverappraiser]

This will certainly trigger an investigation and although there will be no storming involved and they won’t be calling the police, it’s pretty likely that they will require the owner to call the cops and file a report. The jeweler is being charged with a serious crime here and it’s entirely appropriate for law enforcement to be involved. The jeweler will have the opportunity to make his/her side of the case as well.

Cases of jewelers stealing customer merchandise are extremely rare even though a lot of people are convinced it’s happened to them. Sorting through the facts is the job of the insurance investigator and the cops.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver