Molina Jeweler from Phoenix, AZ

[kimophan]

hello all,

I was so upset with my experience at Molina Fine Jeweler in Phoenix, AZ that I decided to post it here so that others are aware. Molina is the most stuck up business in town AND they are very expensive. I went in asking them to make a simple custom setting for my 2.27 ct round diamond, the setting similar to Tiffany&Co setting. They asked for the full amount to be paid before they can start on the diamond, which I paid. Then they said that they can''t build the ring exactly like the Tiffany&Co setting because of copyright, which I understand, so I asked for a drawing of what the ring will look like. They said that they will charge me $100 or so, which I contested. Then they asked me to come into the store to look at the drawing because "it''s proprietary" and that they can''t fax the drawing over to me. So I drove 25 miles to see the drawing, which is so small that i can''t tell the difference between the custom design and any generic 6 prong setting. The sales lady said that it''s only a drawing and the end result will be "different'', then I asked "what''s the point of having a drawing if it doesn''t reflect the outcome?"..she was upset and so was I. The manager came out and we talked back and forth and he said "we are the #1 jeweler in Phoenix and we have always exceeded customers'' expectations. If you don''t like what you see, then you can take your pictures and we will refund you the money. We''ve given you a really good price and we can easily sell the setting for twice the money"...I asked for a refund and left. I felt so uncomfortable walking out of their because people just stared at me from top to bottom.

My point here is this:
- they charged almost 2x the cost of getting the same setting somewhere else
- they take full payment instead of partial deposit
- no wax model
- lousy drawing that doesn''t reflect the outcome
- they want to keep my diamond while they are building the setting
- POOR customer relationship

I''m so troubled by their customer relationship skill that I don''t know how they stay in business. They should treat each customer with the same level of respect.

Anyway, I went to Moda Fina and not only did they charge me half the price, they can get the wax model done for me AND more importantly, they have great customer relationship skill.

 

[vintagelover229]

I''m so sorry for your experince! But I''m really glad you sharted it so that way someone else can avoid it in the furture! You were right to feel uncomfortable with a custom pieces w/o either a wax mold or a CAD drawing. Look on the bright side! You saved $$$$ going some place else and you feel more comfortable with the process!

 

[kimophan]

Have you seen the movie "Pretty Woman"? They made me feel so bad and intimidated when I walked out of there. I hope one day I win the lottery or become a millionaire so that i can walk back in their store and just give them an attitude, just like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. I am not a millionaire but I did walked into their store with the $75,000 diamond that I wanted them to set for me.

For those in Phoenix, go to Moda Fina. They give you great customer experience and you feel like a millionaire. They are almost next door to Molina. I wonder how many unhappy customers who walked out of Molina and into Moda Fina!

 

[dutchflowers]

I am sorry that you are upset. The custom process can be very frustrating. But, maybe I am missing something - what did they do that was out of line?? They provided a drawing (which wasn''t up to your standards) and you were given a full refund. Sounds reasonable to me.

Best of luck. Glad to hear you found another company to make your ring. It will be a beauty.

 

[bebe]

kimophan, I''ve been in Molina''s. I had a strange experience in there too a few yrs. ago. I was looking at a stone and kept asking to see the cert. They continued to hesitate and just kept saying it was a great stone. I spent a long time examining the stone, but at the time I just didn''t know what I was looking at. I left with no stone of course. But I felt the entire time they were hiding something and were not fully disclosing info on the stone. My salesperson was an older woman, nice, but very cold. Maybe she thought I couldn''t afford it. (little did she know!!) They had some gorgeous pieces and I could have stayed in there all day!
But I left thinking I''d never go back.

 

[Dee*Jay]

I have been in there a few times and never had a very good experience. They are keen on pulling out that spiral bound notebook of designs they've done, but when I ask for something specific they get very vague. And they are also reluctant to show me things from the cases (as if I could bolt with something in my hand based on all the security they have there ???). No, Molina is not my favorite of the Phoenix jewelers at all.

 

[kimophan]

Molina did give me my full refund but the way in which they treated me before they gave me the refund was very condescending, cold and rude. With the price they were charging, it was a reasonable expectation to have at least a drawing that shows how the setting will look like if not a wax model. They didn''t explain the process to me and I was afraid to ask them questions because each time I asked them something, they were very defensive. Both times that I was there, I was the only customer so I don''t understand why they have so many sales people there, at least 5 that I can count. I don''t know how they stay in business if they don''t have customers walking in or if customers do walk in, they have a bad experience; perhaps they only need one or two multi-million dollar transaction a month.