Left at the altar by Tiffany & Co.

[Deet007]

I purchased a tiffany & co. engagement ring about a year ago now. Sadly the marriage didn't last more than 3 months and by January I was past the 30 day return period. I asked both in person at the Tiffany store, and via email to the manager and salesperson that sold me the ring, what my options might be. I was told the only thing I could do was try and sell the ring elsewhere. With no luck on ebay and no luck getting in touch with the recommended local auction house I am stuck with this ring.

Fast forward to last month, Tiffany credit informs me there is a broken engagement return policy and I should ask the store manager if they would honor that. The store manager more or less laughed me out of the store, saying that policy only extends for 6 months from initial purchase. My argument was that I attempted to return the ring well within her stated 6 months and I could prove it with saved emails. I got nowhere. Dejected and upset, I called the tiffany online customer service line, where they had not heard of this broken engagement policy (but did manage to find some info on it), they said it was up to the store managers discretion and nobody could overrule that decision. They called the store and conferred with the manager I spoke with, but couldn't help. Needless to say I'm really not happy that I wasn't given this return option in January, and now told to pound sand with no recourse. So much for Tiffany & Co. service.

Please, any assistance would be most appreciated, this ring has become a sharp thorn stuck in my broken heart.

TLDR: I'm stuck with an overpriced tiffany & co. diamond engagement ring, can anyone help with a suggestion for return or how to sell without taking a massive loss on the sale? Thank you.

 

[SimoneDi]

Sorry to hear about your experience and broken engagement/marriage.

Can you post some specs about the diamond ring? Do you have all the paperwork/boxes it came with?a lot of people love the Tiffany brand and you can usually sell on the secondary market.

Loupetroop, diamondbistro, idonowidont are C to C websites where you can create a listing yourself.

Additionally, if he ringis of real high value, hen you may entertain consigning it - LAD, JbG and other vendors offer consignment options.

 

[Shopaholic]

Sorry to hear about this, I love the Tiffany house and have always had great service going in 15 years and many many pieces later but it’s all a matter of individual stores. Some are definitely nicer and better than others.
There is a “broken engagement” or what my store called the “she said no” clause that we were told about many years ago when we purchased my first ring. They allowed a return within 3 months so long as it hasn’t been worn. Perhaps that is where the issue lies with them, that your ring has been worn.

You could still try writing a letter to corporate, stating that you tried to bring the ring back within the timeframe but were not informed about this policy. Unfortunately, Tiffany rings take a big hit on the after market since they are marked up due to their brand and not so much for the actual diamond itself when you buy them new.

 

[Deet007]

Thanks for the quick reply! I do indeed have all the paperwork/receipts and both inner and outer boxes.

Per the diamond certificate, it is:

Square
Modified Brilliant
5.33 x 5.26 x 3.72mm
.90 carat
color grade: F
No Fluorescence

Excellent precision cut
Excellent Polish
Very Good Symmetry

Clarity grade: IF
no enhancements

I am no expert, but the diamond is stunningly beautiful, I could watch the light dance around in it for hours on end. But I would not buy tiffany again given the apparent markup. I took the ring to several local jewellers and they offered at best $2700 for it. needless to say I paid considerably more than that for it.

 

[SimoneDi]

@Deet007 this is a very popular size and you should be able to sell it on the secondary market for better price vs what was offered to you by jewelers, but still less than retail. I would suggest taking the ring for a polish at Tiffanys so it looks brand new and posting a listing on LT, DB, Idonowidont most likely you will be able to find a buyer if you have the patience and price the ring well. It is engagement season right now, so that works in your favor.

 

[Deet007]

Sorry to hear about this, I love the Tiffany house and have always had great service going in 15 years and many many pieces later but it’s all a matter of individual stores. Some are definitely nicer and better than others.
There is a “broken engagement” or what my store called the “she said no” clause that we were told about many years ago when we purchased my first ring. They allowed a return within 3 months so long as it hasn’t been worn. Perhaps that is where the issue lies with them, that your ring has been worn.

You could still try writing a letter to corporate, stating that you tried to bring the ring back within the timeframe but were not informed about this policy. Unfortunately, Tiffany rings take a big hit on the after market since they are marked up due to their brand and not so much for the actual diamond itself when you buy them new.

Thanks, I might try that. It was eventually explained to me that the "broken engagement" policy would be a full refund minus whatever costs were involved to get the ring back into a sellable condition. Essentially a restocking fee, which I would fully accept were they to actually offer. I was told "No" simply because of the amount of time passed. The ring itself was only worn for two months, and then went back into its box and stored.

 

[sln]

Can you please post a photo of the ring.

 

[Deet007]

@Deet007 this is a very popular size and you should be able to sell it on the secondary market for better price vs what was offered to you by jewelers, but still less than retail. I would suggest taking the ring for a polish at Tiffanys so it looks brand new and posting a listing on LT, DB, Idonowidont most likely you will be able to find a buyer if you have the patience and price the ring well. It is engagement season right now, so that works in your favor.

I realize that unless anyone knows of a way I can get tiffany to play ball I will have to sell at a loss, but I can't take a bath of over $10k. I just looked on LT, it looks like some tiffany engagement rings have been listed for 3 and 5 years!!! could you expound on what DB is?

 

[Shopaholic]

Thanks, I might try that. It was eventually explained to me that the "broken engagement" policy would be a full refund minus whatever costs were involved to get the ring back into a sellable condition. Essentially a restocking fee, which I would fully accept were they to actually offer. I was told "No" simply because of the amount of time passed. The ring itself was only worn for two months, and then went back into its box and stored.

.

Unfortunately you had a run in with manager that didn’t know her stuff or is just not sympathetic. We were told about the policy and we chose the ring together, so they knew we wouldn’t have the “she said no” issue but told us that we had a longer window and they would just put that down as the reasoning if it was past 30 days and I changed my mind.

 

[Deet007]

Can you please post a photo of the ring.

 

[sln]

Beautiful. Is it more princess or cushion?

 

[Deet007]

.

Unfortunately you had a run in with manager that didn’t know her stuff or is just not sympathetic. We were told about the policy and we chose the ring together, so they knew we wouldn’t have the “she said no” issue but told us that we had a longer window and they would just put that down as the reasoning if it was past 30 days and I changed my mind.

This is what I can't understand... how can a local store manager have this much power, final say on a customer service issue that has certainly turned me off Tiffany & Co. forever, and I am for sure telling everyone I know not to shop there. I would think a brand/company like this would be more interested in keeping a customer happy. (This was not my only Tiffany purchase, but for sure it is my last.)

 

[Deet007]

Beautiful. Is it more princess or cushion?

Paperwork says "Princess"

 

[Shopaholic]

This is what I can't understand... how can a local store manager have this much power, final say on a customer service issue that has certainly turned me off Tiffany & Co. forever, and I am for sure telling everyone I know not to shop there. I would think a brand/company like this would be more interested in keeping a customer happy. (This was not my only Tiffany purchase, but for sure it is my last.)

This is the case at many places, even The Home Depot. They leave certain decisions up to the store manager. One store manager wouldn’t do something for us but then a different store bent over backwards. I found it odd too that they individually could make such calls.

In any case I wish you luck!

 

[Deet007]

This is the case at many places, even The Home Depot. They leave certain decisions up to the store manager. One store manager wouldn’t do something for us but then a different store bent over backwards. I found it odd too that they individually could make such calls.

In any case I wish you luck!

I agree I have seen similar problems as you say, but with home depot etc., you can go to a different store. Tiffany is telling me I can only deal with the store of purchase, and nobody has any higher authority over the store manager. No area manager, no corporate supervision. I find this very odd. I work in retail customer service, I have manager experience, I thought Tiffany & Co. were supposed to be better than this.

 

[rockysalamander]

Write a letter to the corporate office and include copies of your emails. Be kind and gentle but direct and clear. Try to cast the manager's action in a "there must have been a misunderstanding" framework. Leave a graceful exit possibility for the manager involved.

Address your letter to Allessandro Bogliolo, Chief Executive Office, Tiffany and Co. {BTW I do mean a letter on proper weight paper, typed, letterhead, respectfully formatted, no errors, black pen signature...Old school...no emails or printing on office printer paper}. Mr. Bogliolo won't read the letter, but when you start at the CEO, a VP somewhere will get involved. VP trumps store manager every time...

Allessandro Bogliolo, Chief Executive Officer
TIFFANY & CO.
727 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10022

 

[Deet007]

Write a letter to the corporate office and include copies of your emails. Be kind and gentle but direct and clear. Try to cast the manager's action in a "there must have been a misunderstanding" framework. Leave a graceful exit possibility for the manager involved.

Address your letter to Allessandro Bogliolo, Chief Executive Office, Tiffany and Co. {BTW I do mean a letter on proper weight paper, typed, letterhead, respectfully formatted, no errors, black pen signature...Old school...no emails or printing on office printer paper}. Mr. Bogliolo won't read the letter, but when you start at the CEO, a VP somewhere will get involved. VP trumps store manager every time...

Allessandro Bogliolo, Chief Executive Officer
TIFFANY & CO.
727 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Thank you very much, I will give that a shot!

 

[Queenie60]

Write a letter to the corporate office and include copies of your emails. Be kind and gentle but direct and clear. Try to cast the manager's action in a "there must have been a misunderstanding" framework. Leave a graceful exit possibility for the manager involved.

Address your letter to Allessandro Bogliolo, Chief Executive Office, Tiffany and Co. {BTW I do mean a letter on proper weight paper, typed, letterhead, respectfully formatted, no errors, black pen signature...Old school...no emails or printing on office printer paper}. Mr. Bogliolo won't read the letter, but when you start at the CEO, a VP somewhere will get involved. VP trumps store manager every time...

Allessandro Bogliolo, Chief Executive Officer
TIFFANY & CO.
727 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Great advise!

 

[HappyNewLife]

You've gotten excellent advice. I wish you luck. I'm sorry that things don't work out.

(DB- diamondbistro.com)

 

[WillyDiamond]

You have been given good advice, good luck writing to the President of Tiffanys, I hope you are successful.
You can always keep it, and should the situation arise, you can use it the next time around. You can get it buffed and polished and it will look brand new.
Best of luck.

 

[MollyMalone]

Tagging onto rockysalamander's splendid suggestion, I'd cc the letter to
Caroline D. Naggiar
Senior Vice President-Chief Brand Officer
Tiffany & Co.
(same mailing address as for Mr. Bogliolo)

Summary of her career with Tiffany (she started as VP Marketing Communications, has had oversight of the Public Relatios department) here:
http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=190133&privcapId=35576

 

[Austina]

Just a thought @Deet007 did you pay by credit card? Maybe they could take up your case with Tiffany?

 

[lambskin]

If all else fails, could you tell them that you are willing to have them reset the diamond into a pendant and a buy a colored stone or pearl for the ring setting giving some credit/discount for the purchase price? I know that you would be spending more money but in the end you would have a nice pendant and a ring.

 

[partgypsy]

If all else fails, could you tell them that you are willing to have them reset the diamond into a pendant and a buy a colored stone or pearl for the ring setting giving some credit/discount for the purchase price? I know that you would be spending more money but in the end you would have a nice pendant and a ring.

He's a guy. I don't think he wants more jewelry.

 

[Shopaholic]

There is also one final option if you can't return it, and you don't want to sell it at a lost. They have an upgrade policy, if you plan to marry again you could trade it in, but the upgrade must be 100% more of your original value (depending on the manager you could get it down to just 80% of your original value for upgrade).

 

[lambskin]

Oh. But if he has a mother, sister...?

 

[rocks]

Write a letter to the corporate office and include copies of your emails. Be kind and gentle but direct and clear. Try to cast the manager's action in a "there must have been a misunderstanding" framework. Leave a graceful exit possibility for the manager involved.

Address your letter to Allessandro Bogliolo, Chief Executive Office, Tiffany and Co. {BTW I do mean a letter on proper weight paper, typed, letterhead, respectfully formatted, no errors, black pen signature...Old school...no emails or printing on office printer paper}. Mr. Bogliolo won't read the letter, but when you start at the CEO, a VP somewhere will get involved. VP trumps store manager every time...

Allessandro Bogliolo, Chief Executive Officer
TIFFANY & CO.
727 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10022

And if that doesn't work, contact the state attorney general or consumer protection agency. Provide them a summary of what happened, reference their "she said no policy" with dated copies of your emails. Worth a try.

 

[HDer]

We also had a bad experience with Tiffany.

When my SO and I first started dating we picked out a nice Tiffany necklace for a mini-anniversary. The necklace itself was sterling silver, and we paid probably 20x their cost to make it.

Anyways, within a month or so, the hoop that attached the necklace to the chain broke. So we go back to the store, get ushered into the back room where they handle the repairs and proceed to be subjected to the most condescending lecture about how "it's sterling silver, not stainless" and get accused of "rough handling."

After that ordeal, my SO was so pissed off she called the store 3 times to complain, although nothing really came of that, and I personally would never buy from Tiffany again.

 

[Allisonfaye]

I am considering upgrading my current set and I knew the retailers wouldn't pay much so I listed it on IdonowIdon't. It's easy to list. The website isn't that great but it's worth a shot. I think you would probably have better luck than trying to get Tiffany to refund your money.

 

[whitewave]

I think it's over with Tiffany (you didn't have a broken engagement. You divorced) and you have to sell on the second hand market. I would contact Erica at Love Affair Diamonds about consignment with her.

Next engagement, buy from High Performance Diamonds where they have an 80% lifetime buyback policy.