GIA certified complaint

[ger100]

I''ve followed this forum for quite some time. Respecting the experts on this list, I searched out a GIA certified jeweler from the JCK site. I drove over an hour to get to him, since I live in a rural area.
I went to get 2 rings sized from 7 to 8.5...2 ruby solitaires with diamonds.
I asked if they stretched them or added gold. They said that they added gold.

When I got the rings home the rings felt different...more than just the size. I weighed them again (I had weighed them before I brought them). One of the rings actually weighed LESS than when I brought it. The other was just a smidge more (0.02 gm).On careful examination, it was apparent that they had SHAVED the sides of the shanks for a distance of about 15-20 mm in order to get the gold for the sizing. No new gold was added.

What can I do about this? AND, is this a good place to post this type of problem...siince most experts here direct us to other experts!??? I''ve just written to GIA. Are they responsive to complains about their grads???

Thanks
Ger

 

[denverappraiser]

I’m sorry to hear of your troubles.

GIA doesn’t certify jewelers so I’m not really sure what you were searching for or what you found but I doubt GIA will be very helpful to complain to. Have you taken it up with the jeweler directly? What did they say? If you can''t come to a satisfactory resolution working directly with them, try the BBB in the jeweler’s town. They may be able to help you come to a solution. What would you like them to do to make it right?

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

 

[kenny]

Yes this has nothing to do with the GIA.

They grade diamonds and train graders.

 

[bgray]

complain online to the better business bureau

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I had a very similiar experience with a jeweler recommended to me. I had planned on a custom ring and we were in the beginning design stages. I also needed a ring sized and specifically requested that the ring be sized one half size up with extra gold added. After a week, I recieved an out of round ring that looked like it had been heated and stretched and was one quarter of a size up. The cost to size it was not cheap and I was in a hurry when I picked it up and did not really look at it until a couple days later.

I did not complain, and I did not return their calls about the custom ring. They were not honest with me so I extended them no courtesy and closed my wallet. I ended up buying a 1.25 carat gorgeous diamond ring with the money I was going to use on the custom ring. I would not waste my time complaining. Just take your money elsewhere.

 

[iheartscience]

I have to disagree with LisaRN-I would absolutely go back to the store and complain. I would call ahead to be sure the owner/manager would be there, and then I would raise hell until they refunded my money and repaired the rings correctly.

Depending on their response, I would file a complaint with the BBB and out them here on Pricescope in a separate post with the store name in the title. You can also leave a negative review on Yahoo, Yelp, etc. explaining what happened. If you can complain to someone at the JCK site, I would do that, too.

Best of luck to you on this.

 

[yssie]

Ditto - BBB.

This is not GIA''s problem, though.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Date: 11/22/2009 4:28:20 PM
Author: thing2of2
I have to disagree with LisaRN-I would absolutely go back to the store and complain. I would call ahead to be sure the owner/manager would be there, and then I would raise hell until they refunded my money and repaired the rings correctly.

Depending on their response, I would file a complaint with the BBB and out them here on Pricescope in a separate post with the store name in the title. You can also leave a negative review on Yahoo, Yelp, etc. explaining what happened. If you can complain to someone at the JCK site, I would do that, too.

Best of luck to you on this.

I respect your opnion but my reasoning was this. I was not going to give them a second chance to mess up my ring even more. The ring has sentimental value to me. And the gentleman who handed my the ring and was to design my ring would have to be blind and careless to either not inspect my ring, or to not see the poor workmanship. If I complain to BBB I could have gotten my money back or they could have requested to fix it. And as stated- they were not allowed to touch the ring again. So the money I was out is just a lesson learned for me.

 

[arjunajane]

sorry to nitpick, but are you sure you don''t mean 0.15 - 0.20mm? 15-20mm would be a massively wide ring!

Apart from that, I agree with Thing - raise hell and all that.
BBB, jeweller''s vigilance committe (if there is one near you?), tahn here, yelp, yahoo etc depending on how they address the issues.

Sorry about your rings