My mom swore a local jewelry store switch out her diamond, my dad total blew her off. After she died, a jeweler was arrested for stealing diamonds and putting in cheaper stones. I wear my mom's s ring and I can still here her say this is not my diamond. She had worn it for over 40 yrs, I am sure she knew her ring.
This happened to me at a local store when I needed my prongs replaced. The ring was a graduation present from my parents. The stone is definitely not the same one, the one in my ring now has a noticeable flaw. I have no way to prove that they swapped it so I couldn’t have anything done. It wasn’t Kay’s but the store has had a “good” reputation through the years so I thought they would be safe to deal with. I learned a hard lesson. I don’t enjoy wearing it now because all I can see is the flawed diamond. I would love to get my hands on the thief.
As a jewelry repairman for 30 years, I can tell you things are not what people think. Almost all the chain stores have quit using local repairmen and opted to use large regional repair shops, many located in Mexico. Quality means nothing, everything is price, price, price. If your spending REAL money, use a Mom and Pop / privately owned Jeweler that actually has their OWN craftsmen on site.
😢 Veramae is absolutely correct. Swanson's in Stratford Ontario swapped my 5 ct diamond for an inferior stone, ugly. I was not able to see the ring but my friend took the original Biddle, Banks & Bailey document with the original one flaw and then we took it to the gemologist who verified that my stone was swapped. $40,000😮 Gone. My husband had gifted the ring to me as a cushion against the future as he was dying. Sweet man. Guess that is why I have bile in my stomach every time I think of it. Swanson's Jewellers, Stratford Ontario. 😢
I got my ring resized at Gordon’s and they stole my diamond as well...We got a lawyer involved and they paid us two times the value of the ring for my mental and emotional distress
Wow. How did you find out they switched the stone? Could you tell by looking at it? I need to get my rings cleaned but I'm terrified of them being out of my sight.
@@interceptingfist5682 it is emotional distress. When you think of all the working hours, money and saving a fiance did to make that ring happen...yea it's real.
@@sunmont1461 I agree. That's OUR ring. It was given to us by someone who loves us. It's not the same ring when you have to replace anything on it. You want your original.
As an employee at a pawn shop, I recommend never EVER shop at places like Kay jewelers. Everything is WAYYYYY over priced. They are scammers in my eyes. Stick to your mom and pop shop jewelers.
But even the mom and pop stores are getting squeezed by competitors. People then sacrifice ethics and legality to stay afloat, not bec they want to, but bec they feel they have to for economic survival.
Kay Jewelers sold me a $230 diamond engagement ring for $4,000. I had it appraised and every place I took it they appraised it for $230, avoid them like the plague!!
Rings are like cars they deprecate in value once you leave the store. They can sell any ring for any price they want not what it’s worth. It’s sad but the truth
@@catherineschock4423 We are not talking about the kind of jewellery you are used to. We are talking jewellery made with precious metal and stones; things quoted on the exchange like gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, emeralds, rubies etc. Measured and calculable in carats, clarity, cut, weight etc. Insurable, timeless stuff.
@@roseannalopez8793 ....we as consumers are getting ripped off in ways big and small. Grocery store extra virgin olive oil is mostly doctored with other oils, truffles from China passed off as the expensive French ones, artwork, Persian rugs, designer handbags and luggage--the list of counterfeit items goes on and on. It's a massively out of control industry of fraud.
@@sharonrichards7656 Best thing to do is educate yourself. Buy a gold tester and a diamond tester and a jeweler's loupe on line then go shopping at a pawn shop. Pawn shops don't have as much invested so they should give you a decent deal and you can often negotiate with one. Bring your own test equipment with some knowledge to keep yourself from being ripped off. Also, those tiny diamonds they like to encrust rings with are almost worthless. the only diamonds worth anything are usually the big main stone or maybe a couple of decent size flanging stones. The little chips are like $20 each at most if yours is a Tiffany ring. At Kay's etc maybe $10 each. So a ring with 40 little diamonds that cost you $7000, $3000 of that is a ridiculous mark up for the labor involved in setting all those worthless little stones. This is why I always recommend solitaires. A ring with encrustations of small stones that sells retail for $7000 is actually worth around $2000 in the secondary market. But a $7000 retail value solitaire ring is worth closer to $3500-$4000 in the secondary market. Platinum shank if you can afford it because they are far more durable than gold, even 10kt gold. I used to make engagement rings for Tiffany & Co. so I know a little about this.
My husband bought my engagement ring from there yrs ago,I went to get it cleaned and when I got it back it looked different. I always had that thought in my head it was switched. In the future I lost it anyway. But I learned as I got older my gut never lies.
Be careful of the mechanics you use for car repairs too. About 6 years after I bought a new car...I hit a deer head-on. My airbags never went off. It turned out they had all been stolen. I guess there's a resale market for stolen airbags.
@@wandaapplebaum3048 You mean like Kaye or Zales? Seriously, too big names...if you can't trust the ones that are making tons of money and very public right in your face...how are you to trust the little guy just trying to get by?
Thankfully the diamond in my ring is natural and has a small inclusion inside that makes it impossible to mix up 😬. It may not be "flawless" but it's real and it's beautiful.
Jillian mine has inclusions in it and am convinced mines been swapped it was an antique diamond from 1880 i didnt notice till months later it now looks like its got a fine crack in the middle only noticed wen the sun hit the diamond and it doesnt sparkle like it did anymore...am gutted
My wife’s wedding ring has an inclusion too. You could never replicate it. People thought it was lesser than because of it but my wife loves that it’s one of a kind.
A relative of mine found a diamond for sale that had an inclusion in the shape of his girlfriend's initial so he bought it and told her it was a special monogrammed diamond nature made just for her. She showed that monogrammed diamond engagement ring off to all her friends and even her rich friend who had a hand full of Tiffany diamonds was jealous of a naturally monogrammed diamond. He got a huge discount on the price over the inclusion. Man made real diamonds are flawless but I wouldn't want them myself. I prefer something with at least a tiny inclusion to prove it is natural. Plus if you memorize your diamond's inclusion then you will always know if it has been swapped out.
i was an on site independant jeweler for Zales. long story short i took before and after pictures. only once did a customer claimed i changed her ring. showed her before after pictures then she realized it was her ring. ring came to be cleaned. i did not clean it in ultra sonic, i polished it. her reply "i never knew it had that many diamonds" she left a happy customer. other time i had a ring growing something underneath, yeah gross factor. those who switch diamonds make it hard for the honest ones. repairs i would check diamonds first to see that they are all real. twice fake came up. had store contact customer. always cover your butt. word of caution, even using a diamond tester on a real diamond can be manipulated to read fake. Goldsmith / Master Jeweler 55 yrs experience.
My stepmother had a butterfly wedding ring with lots of little diamonds making the wings. After a while she noticed the diamonds of one wing were grey and dull. She soaked in and still grey and dull so she thought maybe the jewelry store had sold her a ring with some tiny cz's instead of real diamonds. Long story short, she took it back and demanded they make it right. Jeweller put on his loop and low and behold it was a tomato seed!
Like every business there are some crooks, in 1978 my wife bought me a cluster ring that had 7 D Flawless 1/4 carat stones and I left it at a local store for cleaning. I had second thoughts and returned an hour later and the guy acted strange, I threw a fit and he produced the ring with all seven stones removed, saying he had to remove them for cleaning. I took the ring and had the stones replaced and rechecked by an honest store and never took my ring to any place again.
The 1970's? This has been going on longer than I thought. I wonder why people do this. Is there a shortage of real diamonds on the earth? I don't understand. Is man not mining precious stones anymore?
When my mom was married, about 60 years ago, she had her ring cleaned in downtown Pittsburgh and they swapped her diamond out for a fake when she went back to have it cleaned. She noticed her ring look different. They returned her diamond to her after she called the police. Then once, I had my ring cleaned at a jewelry store in Dormont, PA. They kept it for 3 months. I kept going back in for my ring and they would tell me it wasn't ready yet. Then, I thought something was not right. I went back into the store to talk to them again and there was my ring in the display case to be sold. I said, that is my ring and guy fought me about it and said no. I showed him the receipt that he gave me and they drew a picture of myy ring on the receipt. He knew I caught him. Dormont is a small town. So he didn't stay in business long after I told my story.
Jared stole my diamond and replaced it with a lesser diamond. I stopped in for a cleaning, and I didn't pay attention when They handed it back to me. I didn't notice for a couple of days. I was sick to my stomach. This was about two years ago
I swear this happened to me at Jared also. The diamond I bought looked nothing like the diamond I have now. When I took it in to be cleaned at my local jeweler they even mentioned that it was a lesser quality diamond for such an exquisite setting and why I chose a cheap diamond. I got offended at the time and never thought my diamond was switched, but in my gut I think I knew. Just sad I put my faith in Jared and didn’t want to believe it happened to me!
How long did the cleaning take? swapping out a diamond/s is a bit of a process and can’t be done that fast. I worked at a jewelry store with a jeweler on site for years.
I’ve brought very expensive jewelry to the jewelry store for one reason or other and told them I’ll be back to pick it up, their response every time. No you’ll wait here and watch us or you can take it somewhere else.
I wanted to change design of the ring and move the diamond onto another ring of mine. I told my husband I am not leaving my diamond ring alone with these jeweller sharks. It was hilarious but I insisted on following the rings across the gold market and went up a dingy backdoor jewellery repair shop to monitor what was being done to my diamond.
Shem Believer, When we women will do anything to protect our wedding ring. That means we really really love our husbands. Our ring is priceless and we want it exactly how we got it.
@@amrita3000 Yes, I feel this way because when he bought me my first engagement ring, it was a small diamond. A few yrs later, he wanted to trade it up for a bigger diamond. I told him, im not willing to do that. That ring meant everything to me. I had received it, I didnt care about that! This was back in 1985. Well, I still have my ring, and also my upgrades. We have been married 38 yrs. We now have 4 grown daughters. I would like them to have my wedding rings. No, we are far from rich, but we do ok. Over the yrs he has bought me lots of jewelry. Anything he gets me, regardless of size, Im not changing nothing. Now, about you, when I said that to you, what I had meant was, there is nothing wrong with you wanting to change the style. Lots of women do that. When I said, you want it exactly how you got it was, about your diamond. The jewelers stole from you, and gave you a worthless diamond instead of your diamond. Thats what I had meant when I said you must really love your husband. That diamond was given to you in love, and you want it back exactly what you gave them. Im sorry I didnt make that clear. I would have followed and watched them too. I feel very blessed about my jewelry. Out of everything I own, my wedding rings are my prized posession. Because I do love that man so very much. You wanting to change it, I feel theres nothing wrong with that. You just want to make sure the diamond they give you is yours. Sorry if it sounded judgmental. I was making a statement about the jewelers, not you hunny.
For this very reason, I bought GIA certified center diamond and I check the serial number engraved on the side of my diamond using a loupe every time after I get my ring cleaned at any jewelers. You can request to do that at the jeweler who worked on your ring before you pick it up too.
This is crazy, I was just talking to my daughter 2 days ago about this. She wanted to know what to get me for Mother's Day, and I specifically told her to NEVER buy from Kay's. I've heard too many horror stories. They won't get a penny from my family.
@@anthonygarcia1846 She better not. Macys fine jewelry appraised for way less that I paid for them from a Macys store closing. I got 60% off and the value was still lower.
@@2080bop 😄😄 That's pretty funny! But no, my daughter is an adult, she stopped making me cards in grade school. We had just seen one of the many Kay's Mother's day commercials and that brought it up. Honest to God, I'd rather have the card!
I had a jeweler. Switch an emerald in my earrings... when I confronted him he admitted it but said no biggie! “You still have an emerald and we can’t find your original” What?
I worked for a high end jeweler and am certified by GIA to grade diamonds. Big chain stores will do anything to sell a lesser quality diamond for a high price, such as calling a heavily included diamond a “snowflake” diamond, when the truth is, it is a diamond that could, if hit at the right angle, break apart. Then there are “champagne” diamonds which can be actually be white diamonds way down on the color scale, and not true “brown” diamonds. It’s a buyer beware market out there. People would bring rings, and “Rolex” watches in frequently and we would sometimes have to tell the customer that, either their item was fake or it was of lesser quality than what they were told when they bought it. Mapping diamonds is a great practice, our repair slips actually had a “map” on them and we would map the diamond in front of the customer, and check it in front of the customer upon its return. In addition, our customers were always welcome to use our loupes, diamond testers and jeweler’s microscopes as well. Sadly, I think more diamond switching goes on more often than people know about. I loved teaching our customers about diamonds!
Big Chain stores don't do anything to sell a "lesser" quality diamond. Most people dill do anything to by a perfect diamond at a lesser quality diamond price. If people want a flawless diamond... Buy a lab created diamond.
@@curlyhairdudeify I’m not downing lab created diamonds, I’m endorsing them. Personally I would buy a lab created for myself if I wanted a clean diamond, especially in a large carat weight. A lot of Big Chain stores don’t educate the customer on the options out there…. including lab created ones. They try to sell what is in their cases, which isn’t always the best quality. Based on my experience I think lot of people don’t really know the options that are out there for them.
@@curlyhairdudeify Have you ever walked into a jewelry store? Naturally, they try to sell their lower-quality diamonds because they're cheaper for them to acquire, and they want to move that inventory. Seriously? Come on. This isn't up for debate.
My wedding rings were purchased at Zales. I take them to get cleaned and checked 2x per year (per the warranty) and I've had them resized several times. My diamond has a very tiny speck that I look for everytime I get it back and never had any issues.
@@Bayloy it should NOT make you "feel better." not a *normal,* mature adult response at all. why would you trust a random commenter who you don't even know??🙄 esp., one who seems to have NO sympathy for the victims [and you make it clear you are unconcerned, which is weird]. why would they go our of their way to be like that?, posting something so 'positive' about the company after watching this very report?? when not one word from them about how awful what happened to the others is [unless they come in edit what they wrote originally]. because NO normal, compassionate human being writes such a sunny testimony WITHOUT saying SOMETHING about the victims' suffering, as well - it's too out of balance. and a lot of channels are private re: content - but someone so 'friendly' in the comments anting to soothe the concern of others and claiming: "Thats where my rings are from. I was starting to worry but hearing this made me feel a bit better." oh, really? and on a channel only a few years old, that is *not* helping them seem honest at all. plus that avatar and channel name: "SmileyFace WithSunglasses" AND *Signet OWNS Zales and Jared along with KAY Jewelers,* the *same PARENT COMPANY that LIED about this couple AND stole from them and over they years,* thousands if not MILLIONS of other victims, too! so, for all you know the OP could be hired by Signet to populate the comment section with lies, the kind of thing other companies and organizations in trouble have been caught doing on social media btw, it's nothing new. so why not wake UP? also, that the OP didn't even suggest you get *your diamond(s) inspected anyway should give you even MORE pause. and even YOU could be hired by Signet [or be the same commenter] in order to make the OP seem genuine. but *either way,* no one should believe the veracity of OP. who is either one of the most self-centered people in the world or they're up to no good 'in here.'
@@DiandraStarShine Are you aware that it's not mine nor anyone elses responsibility to worry about strangers? Do you feel better on your ridiculous high horse Karen? I'm responsible for me any my kids. It's not my job to monitor if strangers are getting scammed or not. As far as trusting a "commentator" goes have you ever heard of reviews? LOL pipe down goofy. I love how you think my response was immature when you took it upon yourself, un prompted mind you, to pull some self righteous sjw bs LOL. So please explain to me who is immature here.
Today, I'm reminded that it isn't only jewellers swapping stones....bec I yet again have laptop issues and wonder how often people's devices have all their original internal components after servicing at a repair place. These guys can easily do a swap from their stockpile of harvested parts from the junked electronics they've collected over time.
there's a Jewelry Mart in Tustin, CA where you can have your rings resized and appraised and repiared while you wait on the spot... no way i will leave my jewlery anywhere.
@@cavgrey8 There was a movie scene I saw as a child and never forgot. A gangster type takes his diamond to a jeweler. The jeweler drops it behind the counter and picks it right up. The next scene shows the jeweler tied to a chair with a plastic bag over his head, while the gangster says, "We have just fifteen more seconds to save your life..."
@@KharkovkidDefinitely from a movie. That quick switch trick wouldn’t work in real life unless the jeweler already knew what the ring looked like and made a duplicate ahead of time.
That happened to us 35 years ago. Took my flawless diamond and put in a cz! Took them to court. They lost but all we got was the original price. Always beware and I never leave my diamond with anyone! Keep your insurance up to date!
Better yet, I clean my diamonds myself!! Mix dish soap, water and baking soda. Let it sit for a few minutes and use a soft tooth brush to clean gently. Great results. Who needs the stress!!
Years ago 60 minutes did a segment on diamond swapping/stealing. They marked diamonds then dropped them off for cleaning/sizing then after picking them up discovered the diamonds had been replaced with junk. When they confronted the store owners they were furious they had been found out and denied any wrongdoing. When I had to have my jewelry appraised for insurance purposes I found a jeweler that let me stay with him while he made the appraisal. I won’t leave my jewelry with anyone, most of the mom/pop jewelers will allow you to witness their work, if not, go somewhere else.
It's people who play with people's feelings. It's not just money but most of the time it's sentiments. I had the same experience. I gave the jweller my diamonds to make earrings which my dad bought when I was born..simply that damn jweller swapped them.. By looking at the size I knew it's not the same but he refuse to admit it. Couldn't do anything. Whenever I see that earrings my heart sinks thinking of my late dad. And I tell myself it's karma. Everyone pays in the end. It was done in Canada at Indian jwellery store.
Oh, I’m so sorry .... your story made me teary because you have to live with losing something precious from your dad - there’s nothing that can make up for that, but just remember how much your dad loved you to buy diamonds when you were born - so sweet - blessings to you 🥰
If they were that valuable, though, you need to always be on top of everything and not leaving your stuff with untrustworthy people... and honestly, everyone but you is untrustworthy.
I had my diamond switched with one that was twice the size. When I took my original receipt back to the store the police got involved. Apparently the repair person had been switching high grade diamonds for larger flawed low grade ones. Since I couldn't get my original diamond back the store let me pick from my same grade that I had except the larger size. The repairman went to prison.
The irony is, diamonds are worthless. They have perceived value because their trade is regulated by a cartel. They aren’t rare, it’s just a shiny rock. And guess what, it was the cartel that told us “diamonds are forever.”
Its not true that diamonds are worthless . I mean there are a lot of diamonds for sure... do u know that there are manufacturer of diamonds that takes back even damaged diamonds and repurpose them cos natural diamonds do have its value. Lab grown ones are the worthless stones .. and people are still paying loads of money for them... thats the irony man. Lab grown diamonds are literally counterfeits .. lmao
doesn't matter that diamonds are really common, the problem is theft of people's money. Cars are common too but doesn't mean you want your car swapped out for a much cheaper model.
I had an independent jeweler do this to me. I took my diamond cluster ring, that I had worn daily for 13 years, in for repair. When I picked it up, I immediately realized that the clear, colorless diamonds had been replaced with darker, included ones. The owner denied it, and I had no way of proving it. The ring went into my jewelry box and I have worn it little in the 24 years since this happened. I just feel sick to my stomach every time I see it.
They ARE NOT an “investment” and anyone who tells you that is either lying or ill informed. Unless it is 5 carats or above -- you are being misled in order to make a sale.
Our rings are silicon. We got married when we were poor, I asked my wife if she wanted a more expensive ring now that we're doing better. She said absolutely not, that's the ring I put on her finger on May 11th 2011 and that's more valuable than any diamond could ever be.
Years ago I went to a local trusted jewelry store to have I my gold chain repaired. When I picked it up I noticed the chain looked thinner and was tangling. I said something to the jeweler and he swore it was the one I brought in. I told him I would bring my boyfriend in a few days later when he came to town. He changed his tune right away and ent in the back and said he found mine. Hmmmm why does everyone have to be rooked?
That “clean your jewelry for free’ is a chance to swap stones and it happens and often. Find a jeweler, as in one person or shop and have a relationship with them. Even, still, buyer beware.
@J. Karpinski That’s awful. I am sorry you got ripped off - that never stop sucking. If they are still in business, you should out them on yelp, etc. I would. Shady jewelers are terrible for the artists who just would like to make aa living. Another tip is, if you have a diamond that’s been mapped out or appraised, or both - bring the paperwork - don’t give it to them, just let them know you know what you have. Also, that “out of you sight” thing....a reputable jeweler will work behind a interior window or right in front of you, at their bench, if you ask.
I was worried about that same thing! I bought a nice ring from the pawn shop. The lady asked, would you like me to clean it? I didn't trust her! But I let her clean it because usually in a pawn shop you don't expect them to have two rings that look exactly a like, so I did let her clean it. I hardly wear it, but after seeing this, I'm going to check my ring too!
In albuquerque they swap out my diamond. But it happened that my cousin was working there. She called me and I called police. My jewelry is insured and the diamonds are plotted. Which put that jewelry repair guy in jail where he sang.
This happened to me. I bought a Montana Sapphire ring and one month later, one of the prongs bent, so I sent it back to get fixed and when the ring came back, it was a completely different and lower grade sapphire. I called them and went to visit them and no one would cop to anything. Thankfully, I did get my money back, so someone knew something had happened.
Same for me. My rubelite tourmaline I bought was a shiny, glistening beauty. Had to have it resized and when I got it back the stone was dull with no life. The jeweler swore it was the same but I know it wasn't. No refund, no nothing. Never again will I leave a precious stone with this crook. Why would I purchase a lifeless stone in the first place? These people think we are all idiots!
I buy from Ben Bridge Jewelers. A bit more expensive but the saleslady showed us how to check the diamond. She said most have inclusions (a mark in the diamond) and when getting cleaned she has us check it again so we are assured it is the same diamond. She taught us alot so we go there all the time now.
This swapping is also done with expensive watches. Took my Mavodo diamond crystal face for new batteries and it’s diamond crystal was switched to a regular crystal making my $700. Watch worth about $50. Didn’t find out until I noticed a scratch on face of my watch. Diamond faced watches don’t get scratches. So much of this goes on all over with most consumers never figuring it out!
You have no idea what you are even talking about... A $700 dollar quartz battery watch with a "diamond" crystal face... Even Rolex uses white sapphire crystal faces....
I KNEW IT! I have a ring, my most cherished ring that needs a small diamond replaced in a channel. I've been always afraid they would switch out the large center stone if I took it for repair.
I took my wedding ring in because they told told me the prong holding the diamond in place and they needed to secure it. I painted my stone with nail polish so they wouldn’t swap it because I have been warned. After I picked it up I wore it to bed the very first night and the entire back of the gold band fell out of my ring. THEY STOLE THE GOLD OUT OF THE BACK AND DENIED IT! They got away with it!
before my grandmother died she sat me down and taught me about jewelry. Already a gem geek thanks to her, she taught me procedure. when I met a girl, i could take anything in the box and have it dismantled for materials. I could then design my own ring for her. This was tradition. When I took the jewelry to the jeweler, i was not to let that box or is contents leave my SIGHT. don’t let them split me up in different directions either. and NEVER, under any circumstances, leave without every single thing at the end of the day. “This box contains the love of your ancestors, and it’s all then endures of them. Cherish it.” it looks like it’s too late for me, but once i got close. I took the jewelry to Kay to see about having al the diamonds laser etched as they mentioned (some are hundreds of years old) and they asked me to leave it with them over night. and what i saw in the woman’s eyes had me closing the lid, turning around, and marching straight out back to my car.
I'm telling my son to check his fiancee ring get it checked out!....I have some very old diamonds I been wanting to put into... another piece but this changes my mind definitely ‼️🚩Thanks for the awareness I will alert others...
There is a reason I have had the same jeweler (small outfit in downtown LA jewelry district) for over a decade. Brilliant Persian-American man of high integrity and fairness (and one of the most highly rated on social media). This video pretty much sums up the reason.
I feel like this happened to me today. I just got my bridal set back feom zales after having it sized down. But now that I have it back I'm starting to notice some differences in it. My 14 k engraving is gone and it doesn't look gold anymore. I'm going to have it appraised and tested. This is so wrong and shouldn't happen to anyone. I will update with any information I find out about my bridal set.
I bought my wife a 1.5 carot blue diamond .... took it into King's diamond and they "lost", the stone ... and extreme blue/green center diamond ... the damned stone was lost while we waited for them to do a last minute buffing ... had to fight them tooth and nail to replace the stone with a plain looking "blue", diamond ... I'm betting this problem is widespread ...
This story is as old as diamond retailers. I worked for Macys of California in Security. The Fine Jewelry Dept rented space in the stire. During my 3 years there, several instances of switching stones were reported. Since it was an "outside vendor" the poor custimers had to get lawyers & sue the parent company. Pitiful. I'm not surprised. Thieves are everywhere. I know how to repair my own jewelry. Fortunately, I don't care for diamonds. Give me an emerald, ruby, opal , etc. anyrime.
Cleaning jewelry literally takes 1 minute. There is NO reason to drop it off. Especially a ring. If they don’t do it immediately right in front of you they’re trying to rip you off. I wash my own rings. I use dish soap, on a soft sponge, then I hold them w/tweezers in the steam stream from the boiling tea kettle. It come out fantastic. It sparkles like crazy in low light, and is sterilized from the steam.
I use an ultrasonic cleaner then a steam cleaner. The ultrasonic comes in handy for cleaning small machined parts in non-jewelery applications as well.
In 1978 I ordered a diamond engagement ring from Kay Jewelers. When it arrived it had a large carbon deposit in it. Large enough to be seen with the naked eye. I refused delivery and forced them to replace the stone.
Same thing happened to me... I had mine reset, came back to have a prong checked. The young girl said, you know your diamond is fractured, right? I said “ no”. Another lady there interrupts, and stated, “oh she knows”. Was ticked. I went home, got my paperwork, went to Trenton Jewelry, the old man there looked at my paperwork, looked at the diamond in my ring and told me that the original stone was 1&14 k, and the replaced stone was just barely a 1k... he also did confirm it was fractured, and the inclusion did not match. I went right back to Kay’s, and a man was there, he had my stone replaced, gave me paperwork... he said that he was not admitting fault, but that he didn’t want me to be talking about my “suspicious-ions”at my next bridal shower or Tupperware party.
I worked with a woman who’s husband was a licensed gemologist. She had him clean and polish my engagement ring. I had it for years and of course knew what the cut and table of the stone looked like with the naked eye. When returned, it did not look the same. He swapped it out and then sold my husband a ruby ring for a Christmas gift for me. When HE got the ring, he noticed the ruby did not look like the one he selected for me. It was full of dark spots which the guy said were there when my husband selected it. We couldn’t prove anything. The guy died 6 months later. We think he sold the good diamond to cover medical bills. NEVER let a friend talk you into getting work done by anyone you’re not sure of. I called a good friend who has all of her jewelry done by a reliable jeweler. Getting someone you trust to handle your jewelry is important.
In 1972 I lost a small diamond in my engagement ring, we sent it for replacement at People’s where we bought it. When it came back, it had been replaced with a lesser diamond. We were young and even though I mentioned it before we even left the store, we didn’t demand action. I don’t think it was a mistake, I think the jeweller was making his own cost-saving measures! Pretty bad when you can’t trust a reputable jewelry store chain.
happens more often than people want to think about. every time you bring your jewels to get serviced, you need to have them reappraised.. sickening but we are living in a scamdemic
Yes, just from reading the comments you realize how many have been scammed by this ploy! I feel so bad for the people that only found out decades later.
This happened to me at a Kay jewelers in 1998. Make sure you GET AN APPRAISAL and it matches the description on your receipt. I was one of the lucky ones. They replaced all 4 of the half carat stones with a quality level 2 times higher than what I originally had purchased.
This is why I don’t wanna change a ring size unless they wanna do it in front of me. I did it once in Tokyo,Japan and the guy did it in front of me because I told him if you can not do it in front of me, I will not let you do it. My mother’s job was sale of wholesale diamonds, so she always told me if you gonna bring your ring to retail store to do something you have to know what you have and the proved document of the ring.. The jeweler fixed the ring size and my 2 carats of diamond wasn’t secure enough so he secured from the mount. He also said he rarely see this beautiful diamond.They can do these simple things in front of you. Don’t trust anybody especially in America. Kay jewelers,watch out !! It’s hard ,but We have to find a jewelers who does in front of you. From now on if they can’t do it in front of you, if I were you I wouldn’t do it.
Til this day, at this very moment it angers me, it makes me furious, to know that those thieves swapped my diamonds and emarald. In a way it was my fault(cause my mom said don't resize it) but I insisted in resizing the ring. We confronted them but they denied it. All I want is to karma kick their butt.
We didn't know the 5 stones in my mother's band had been switched until her death & had to have appraised for the estate. Her 5 nearly perfect stones appraised at $699.00....the jewler had switched 2 decades earlier when he reset them.😪
When I want to resize my ring, I take a photo of my still dirty ring (dust, everyday wear etc) and ask the jeweler not to clean it. I get back my resized ring with my stone in it.
You have to clean the ring before you can solder and size the ring. Find a jeweler you can trust. There are many jewelers that are honest. Ask family and friends if they can recommend someone they have done business with that is honest.
I have a diamond ring. I also have independent insurance attached to my homeowner's insurance policy. I did lose one of the smaller stones, and my insurance covered it no questions asked. Well worth the price of the insurance.
This happened to my sister. She brought her diamond in to a jewelry store to have it resized. When she went to pick it up, it wasn't even the same ring. She told them if her ring wasn't there the next morning, there would be hell to pay. The next day, her ring was there and she brought it somewhere to make sure it was a real diamond.
Wow. We just found a ring of my father-in-law's that has one large diamond in it. We were thinking of having it reset into something my husband would like to wear, but now, I'm afraid of letting anyone touch it. Thanks, Kay jewelers, for hiring thieves and frauds.
Insist on diamonds with GIA certification, or just buy a CZ. Jewelry is NOT an investment. Only those in the biz know how to make money either buying or selling.
hmm, i just had my 1 carat vintage diamond solitare set in a Neil Lane at Jared a month ago. I know a lot about damonds, but now I am wondering if I should take another look at my diamond again.
Get a diamond tester. They sell them on Amazon. But, they could have switched it for a lesser quality stone. Take it somewhere and have them take a look at it.
I wouldn’t call an engagement ring an investment. You might have a spectacular ring appraisal but the reality of the liquid-able cash value of most diamond engagement rings is a fraction of what they are appraised for. Don’t believe it, take your ring somewhere to try and sell it to see what someone would pay for it. Jewelers make a lot of money off men trying to please their honey. There’s retail value then there’s resell value then there’s actual cash value.
As someone who used to work in a jewelry store I learned that most of these stores do not use in-house jewelers, meaning they send your stuff off to another location, often it's a local jeweler. So your pieces are being sent to someone you don't know and will never meet. I would never shop at a chain jewelry store again in my life. Look up local jewelers who have a good standing in the community and positive reviews online. Also, please have your more expensive or sentimental pieces appraised and insured so that if something like this DOES happen, you won't have to fight a legal battle to get your investment back.
My mom swore a local jewelry store switch out her diamond, my dad total blew her off. After she died, a jeweler was arrested for stealing diamonds and putting in cheaper stones. I wear my mom's s ring and I can still here her say this is not my diamond. She had worn it for over 40 yrs, I am sure she knew her ring.
Wow.
I brought a ring in for cleaning one time, it was just a blue topaz ring, but I swear that stone was different. Sorry that happened to her.
Wow
This happened to me at a local store when I needed my prongs replaced. The ring was a graduation present from my parents. The stone is definitely not the same one, the one in my ring now has a noticeable flaw. I have no way to prove that they swapped it so I couldn’t have anything done. It wasn’t Kay’s but the store has had a “good” reputation through the years so I thought they would be safe to deal with. I learned a hard lesson. I don’t enjoy wearing it now because all I can see is the flawed diamond. I would love to get my hands on the thief.
Same thing with my mom
As a jewelry repairman for 30 years, I can tell you things are not what people think. Almost all the chain stores have quit using local repairmen and opted to use large regional repair shops, many located in Mexico. Quality means nothing, everything is price, price, price. If your spending REAL money, use a Mom and Pop / privately owned Jeweler that actually has their OWN craftsmen on site.
They are all scams. Perfect diamonds can be made easily so the prices is false.
NO. If you have to take a diamond ring in, follow it around. Don't take you eyes off it.
And yes, look for the number.
I just received a family piece. I need to take it to a jeweler and I will absolutely follow your advice.
Thank you 🙏
😢 Veramae is absolutely correct. Swanson's in Stratford Ontario swapped my 5 ct diamond for an inferior stone, ugly. I was not able to see the ring but my friend took the original Biddle, Banks & Bailey document with the original one flaw and then we took it to the gemologist who verified that my stone was swapped. $40,000😮 Gone. My husband had gifted the ring to me as a cushion against the future as he was dying. Sweet man. Guess that is why I have bile in my stomach every time I think of it. Swanson's Jewellers, Stratford Ontario. 😢
I got my ring resized at Gordon’s and they stole my diamond as well...We got a lawyer involved and they paid us two times the value of the ring for my mental and emotional distress
Wow. How did you find out they switched the stone? Could you tell by looking at it? I need to get my rings cleaned but I'm terrified of them being out of my sight.
"mental and emotional distress" LMAO just say you wanted money from them for trying to screw you over.
@@interceptingfist5682 it is emotional distress. When you think of all the working hours, money and saving a fiance did to make that ring happen...yea it's real.
You go girl
@@sunmont1461 I agree. That's OUR ring. It was given to us by someone who loves us. It's not the same ring when you have to replace anything on it. You want your original.
“Every theft begins with Kay.” 🎵
Lmfao!!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I always liked Kay ..lol that is funny..
i was already pretty sure most kisses began with Miller Light.
“Kay jewelry will clean it for you”, by clean it for you they mean clean the value out of it by swapping it with a glass. lol
They did it to me!!
@@edielynch7819 OMG,,,
I was close to getting my ring cleaned too and said NOPE!
Heck, they do it free of charge too!
Wow .... speakless.
As an employee at a pawn shop, I recommend never EVER shop at places like Kay jewelers. Everything is WAYYYYY over priced. They are scammers in my eyes. Stick to your mom and pop shop jewelers.
Yesssssss
@@michellejackson1096 it’s a shame how many people over pay for jewelry.
@@user-in8xx1xu5b Yessss Sirrrrrrrrrr I try pawn shop to buy jewelry new thing and they don't but fake gold & diamond.
Yup they are paying for the name
But even the mom and pop stores are getting squeezed by competitors. People then sacrifice ethics and legality to stay afloat, not bec they want to, but bec they feel they have to for economic survival.
Kay Jewelers sold me a $230 diamond engagement ring for $4,000.
I had it appraised and every place I took it they appraised it for $230, avoid them like the plague!!
☹ So what did you do? I think you should take it back and kick up a fuss.
Rings are like cars they deprecate in value once you leave the store. They can sell any ring for any price they want not what it’s worth. It’s sad but the truth
@@catherineschock4423 Since you feel like that, I have this ring you can buy for $10,000..
I’ll even give you the Crackerjack box with it.
@@catherineschock4423 We are not talking about the kind of jewellery you are used to. We are talking jewellery made with precious metal and stones; things quoted on the exchange like gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, emeralds, rubies etc. Measured and calculable in carats, clarity, cut, weight etc. Insurable, timeless stuff.
@@catherineschock4423 And by the way, you don't understand what depreciation is applied to in accounting.
When I worked in a pawn shop, I had to tell people their stones were moissanite so many times. They always said the rings were from Kay.
I bet they take the stones out of ppl rings who have pawned them too all this is making me sick swapping ppls diamonds
@@roseannalopez8793 ....we as consumers are getting ripped off in ways big and small. Grocery store extra virgin olive oil is mostly doctored with other oils, truffles from China passed off as the expensive French ones, artwork, Persian rugs, designer handbags and luggage--the list of counterfeit items goes on and on. It's a massively out of control industry of fraud.
@@msr1116 totally agree with that, ave got a lack of trust wen buying anything were all just getting ripped off with everything
White topaz is another stone ppl use to save money.
I guess that settles it NO kay diamonds will be bought by me.
Never buy anything from Kay Jewelers! Boycott other Signet owned jewelry stores. Hit them in their wallet!
Kay jewelers is the biggest rip off ever
I never have, nor will I ever!!
Beldens is no better! Don’t know if they are still in business, but their set-up is similar to Kay.
@@sharonrichards7656 Best thing to do is educate yourself. Buy a gold tester and a diamond tester and a jeweler's loupe on line then go shopping at a pawn shop. Pawn shops don't have as much invested so they should give you a decent deal and you can often negotiate with one. Bring your own test equipment with some knowledge to keep yourself from being ripped off. Also, those tiny diamonds they like to encrust rings with are almost worthless. the only diamonds worth anything are usually the big main stone or maybe a couple of decent size flanging stones. The little chips are like $20 each at most if yours is a Tiffany ring. At Kay's etc maybe $10 each. So a ring with 40 little diamonds that cost you $7000, $3000 of that is a ridiculous mark up for the labor involved in setting all those worthless little stones. This is why I always recommend solitaires. A ring with encrustations of small stones that sells retail for $7000 is actually worth around $2000 in the secondary market. But a $7000 retail value solitaire ring is worth closer to $3500-$4000 in the secondary market. Platinum shank if you can afford it because they are far more durable than gold, even 10kt gold. I used to make engagement rings for Tiffany & Co. so I know a little about this.
My husband bought my engagement ring from there yrs ago,I went to get it cleaned and when I got it back it looked different. I always had that thought in my head it was switched. In the future I lost it anyway. But I learned as I got older my gut never lies.
Why aren't they out of business? I can't stand their commercials.
Too many under the same umbrella; Kay Jarad, and a few other's.....
Because people keep buying useless stuff. Get a plain band for a wedding ring and skip the engagement ring.
I have no doubt jewelry stores do that...more often than we think.
My grandmother spoke about this in the seventies. I’ve never trusted to leave my ring anywhere
Test your jewelry with a Geiger counter you might be surprised.
Be careful of the mechanics you use for car repairs too.
About 6 years after I bought a new car...I hit a deer head-on.
My airbags never went off. It turned out they had all been stolen.
I guess there's a resale market for stolen airbags.
@@danni1993 That's just weird!
Jewelers are some of the biggest thieves.
I've known forever not to take a diamond ring to a jeweler for anything that can't be done in my presence.
What do you do when you need it sized?
Find a jeweler with a good reputation before giving your jewelry to anyone.
@@wandaapplebaum3048 You mean like Kaye or Zales? Seriously, too big names...if you can't trust the ones that are making tons of money and very public right in your face...how are you to trust the little guy just trying to get by?
Do you guys think Kevin's is a good spot ?
@@LifesPeachy321you do not use a mall jeweler
Thankfully the diamond in my ring is natural and has a small inclusion inside that makes it impossible to mix up 😬. It may not be "flawless" but it's real and it's beautiful.
..and it is yours !
Jillian mine has inclusions in it and am convinced mines been swapped it was an antique diamond from 1880 i didnt notice till months later it now looks like its got a fine crack in the middle only noticed wen the sun hit the diamond and it doesnt sparkle like it did anymore...am gutted
My wife’s wedding ring has an inclusion too. You could never replicate it. People thought it was lesser than because of it but my wife loves that it’s one of a kind.
A relative of mine found a diamond for sale that had an inclusion in the shape of his girlfriend's initial so he bought it and told her it was a special monogrammed diamond nature made just for her. She showed that monogrammed diamond engagement ring off to all her friends and even her rich friend who had a hand full of Tiffany diamonds was jealous of a naturally monogrammed diamond. He got a huge discount on the price over the inclusion. Man made real diamonds are flawless but I wouldn't want them myself. I prefer something with at least a tiny inclusion to prove it is natural. Plus if you memorize your diamond's inclusion then you will always know if it has been swapped out.
Funny you mention that. My wife has a ring with an S2 rating and nobody has ever had a less than complimentary comment.
i was an on site independant jeweler for Zales. long story short i took before and after pictures. only once did a customer claimed i changed her ring. showed her before after pictures then she realized it was her ring. ring came to be cleaned. i did not clean it in ultra sonic, i polished it. her reply "i never knew it had that many diamonds" she left a happy customer. other time i had a ring growing something underneath, yeah gross factor. those who switch diamonds make it hard for the honest ones. repairs i would check diamonds first to see that they are all real. twice fake came up. had store contact customer. always cover your butt. word of caution, even using a diamond tester on a real diamond can be manipulated to read fake. Goldsmith / Master Jeweler 55 yrs experience.
My stepmother had a butterfly wedding ring with lots of little diamonds making the wings. After a while she noticed the diamonds of one wing were grey and dull. She soaked in and still grey and dull so she thought maybe the jewelry store had sold her a ring with some tiny cz's instead of real diamonds. Long story short, she took it back and demanded they make it right. Jeweller put on his loop and low and behold it was a tomato seed!
@@debbied7035 LOL
@@debbied7035 Hahaha!!!!!!
@@debbied7035😂😂
Like every business there are some crooks, in 1978 my wife bought me a cluster ring that had 7 D Flawless 1/4 carat stones and I left it at a local store for cleaning. I had second thoughts and returned an hour later and the guy acted strange, I threw a fit and he produced the ring with all seven stones removed, saying he had to remove them for cleaning. I took the ring and had the stones replaced and rechecked by an honest store and never took my ring to any place again.
So many crooks. Scary!
Wow!!
The 1970's? This has been going on longer than I thought. I wonder why people do this. Is there a shortage of real diamonds on the earth? I don't understand. Is man not mining precious stones anymore?
Wowwwwwwww... this is wild!! Good on you for trusting your intuition!
OMG!!
First mistake. Never buy jewelry at a mall. That why most major city’s have Jewelry District.
When my mom was married, about 60 years ago, she had her ring cleaned in downtown Pittsburgh and they swapped her diamond out for a fake when she went back to have it cleaned. She noticed her ring look different. They returned her diamond to her after she called the police. Then once, I had my ring cleaned at a jewelry store in Dormont, PA. They kept it for 3 months. I kept going back in for my ring and they would tell me it wasn't ready yet. Then, I thought something was not right. I went back into the store to talk to them again and there was my ring in the display case to be sold. I said, that is my ring and guy fought me about it and said no. I showed him the receipt that he gave me and they drew a picture of myy ring on the receipt. He knew I caught him. Dormont is a small town. So he didn't stay in business long after I told my story.
You and your mom should've pressed charges and maybe even sue for wasting your time
This might be something Rick Earle would be interested in inverstigating - thievery jewelry stores in general.
Thank you for informing the people about these fraudulent companies.
Jared stole my diamond and replaced it with a lesser diamond. I stopped in for a cleaning, and I didn't pay attention when They handed it back to me. I didn't notice for a couple of days. I was sick to my stomach. This was about two years ago
I swear this happened to me at Jared also. The diamond I bought looked nothing like the diamond I have now. When I took it in to be cleaned at my local jeweler they even mentioned that it was a lesser quality diamond for such an exquisite setting and why I chose a cheap diamond. I got offended at the time and never thought my diamond was switched, but in my gut I think I knew. Just sad I put my faith in Jared and didn’t want to believe it happened to me!
I bought what was sold to me as a PLATINUM NECKLACE from a local, yet "reputable" jewerly store. I found out later it was just
White gold. Deception.
Wow...I'd be livid! Sorry you experienced that.
How long did the cleaning take? swapping out a diamond/s is a bit of a process and can’t be done that fast. I worked at a jewelry store with a jeweler on site for years.
@@wendyalban How long did it take for your store to swap diamonds?
I’ve brought very expensive jewelry to the jewelry store for one reason or other and told them I’ll be back to pick it up, their response every time. No you’ll wait here and watch us or you can take it somewhere else.
That's how it's done👍
I like that jeweler.
I wanted to change design of the ring and move the diamond onto another ring of mine. I told my husband I am not leaving my diamond ring alone with these jeweller sharks. It was hilarious but I insisted on following the rings across the gold market and went up a dingy backdoor jewellery repair shop to monitor what was being done to my diamond.
Shem Believer, When we women will do anything to protect our wedding ring. That means we really really love our husbands. Our ring is priceless and we want it exactly how we got it.
Shem; Good for you!!
@@cherisemelf4758 caring for a diamond means you REALLY REALLY REALLY love your husband??
Good!
@@amrita3000 Yes, I feel this way because when he bought me my first engagement ring, it was a small diamond. A few yrs later, he wanted to trade it up for a bigger diamond. I told him, im not willing to do that. That ring meant everything to me. I had received it, I didnt care about that! This was back in 1985. Well, I still have my ring, and also my upgrades. We have been married 38 yrs. We now have 4 grown daughters. I would like them to have my wedding rings. No, we are far from rich, but we do ok. Over the yrs he has bought me lots of jewelry. Anything he gets me, regardless of size, Im not changing nothing. Now, about you, when I said that to you, what I had meant was, there is nothing wrong with you wanting to change the style. Lots of women do that. When I said, you want it exactly how you got it was, about your diamond. The jewelers stole from you, and gave you a worthless diamond instead of your diamond. Thats what I had meant when I said you must really love your husband. That diamond was given to you in love, and you want it back exactly what you gave them. Im sorry I didnt make that clear. I would have followed and watched them too. I feel very blessed about my jewelry. Out of everything I own, my wedding rings are my prized posession. Because I do love that man so very much. You wanting to change it, I feel theres nothing wrong with that. You just want to make sure the diamond they give you is yours. Sorry if it sounded judgmental. I was making a statement about the jewelers, not you hunny.
For this very reason, I bought GIA certified center diamond and I check the serial number engraved on the side of my diamond using a loupe every time after I get my ring cleaned at any jewelers. You can request to do that at the jeweler who worked on your ring before you pick it up too.
Have u ever found that it was switched?
This is crazy, I was just talking to my daughter 2 days ago about this. She wanted to know what to get me for Mother's Day, and I specifically told her to NEVER buy from Kay's. I've heard too many horror stories. They won't get a penny from my family.
It isn't just Kay's. They're ALL doing it. Mine happened at SHAW Jewelers.
Go to Macy's.
@@anthonygarcia1846 She better not. Macys fine jewelry appraised for way less that I paid for them from a Macys store closing. I got 60% off and the value was still lower.
Her daughter probably was thinking about making her a card. Mom- Just dont buy me a diamond ring from kay jewelers
@@2080bop 😄😄
That's pretty funny! But no, my daughter is an adult, she stopped making me cards in grade school. We had just seen one of the many Kay's Mother's day commercials and that brought it up. Honest to God, I'd rather have the card!
I had a jeweler. Switch an emerald in my earrings... when I confronted him he admitted it but said no biggie! “You still have an emerald and we can’t find your original” What?
The audacity!
funny they will get a fine but nobody will go to jail for a long time they got lawyers in the meantime it is no better than street theft
White America
I smell commies!
@@freddygutierrez6764 yeah, that must be it. White people. 🤣
@@freddygutierrez6764don't start hating on Europeans.
I worked for a high end jeweler and am certified by GIA to grade diamonds. Big chain stores will do anything to sell a lesser quality diamond for a high price, such as calling a heavily included diamond a “snowflake” diamond, when the truth is, it is a diamond that could, if hit at the right angle, break apart. Then there are “champagne” diamonds which can be actually be white diamonds way down on the color scale, and not true “brown” diamonds. It’s a buyer beware market out there. People would bring rings, and “Rolex” watches in frequently and we would sometimes have to tell the customer that, either their item was fake or it was of lesser quality than what they were told when they bought it. Mapping diamonds is a great practice, our repair slips actually had a “map” on them and we would map the diamond in front of the customer, and check it in front of the customer upon its return. In addition, our customers were always welcome to use our loupes, diamond testers and jeweler’s microscopes as well. Sadly, I think more diamond switching goes on more often than people know about. I loved teaching our customers about diamonds!
Big Chain stores don't do anything to sell a "lesser" quality diamond.
Most people dill do anything to by a perfect diamond at a lesser quality diamond price.
If people want a flawless diamond... Buy a lab created diamond.
@@curlyhairdudeify I’m not downing lab created diamonds, I’m endorsing them. Personally I would buy a lab created for myself if I wanted a clean diamond, especially in a large carat weight. A lot of Big Chain stores don’t educate the customer on the options out there…. including lab created ones. They try to sell what is in their cases, which isn’t always the best quality. Based on my experience I think lot of people don’t really know the options that are out there for them.
@@curlyhairdudeify Have you ever walked into a jewelry store? Naturally, they try to sell their lower-quality diamonds because they're cheaper for them to acquire, and they want to move that inventory. Seriously? Come on. This isn't up for debate.
I enjoy working with and learning from people who love what they do.
I'm also a GG but haven't worked in the industry in years.
My wedding rings were purchased at Zales. I take them to get cleaned and checked 2x per year (per the warranty) and I've had them resized several times. My diamond has a very tiny speck that I look for everytime I get it back and never had any issues.
Thats where my rings are from. I was starting to worry but hearing this made me feel a bit better.
omg me too but i always have good experiences with them. I was scared when i started reading your message lol.
@@Bayloy it should NOT make you "feel better." not a *normal,* mature adult response at all. why would you trust a random commenter who you don't even know??🙄 esp., one who seems to have NO sympathy for the victims [and you make it clear you are unconcerned, which is weird]. why would they go our of their way to be like that?, posting something so 'positive' about the company after watching this very report?? when not one word from them about how awful what happened to the others is [unless they come in edit what they wrote originally].
because NO normal, compassionate human being writes such a sunny testimony WITHOUT saying SOMETHING about the victims' suffering, as well - it's too out of balance.
and a lot of channels are private re: content - but someone so 'friendly' in the comments anting to soothe the concern of others and claiming:
"Thats where my rings are from. I was starting to worry but hearing this made me feel a bit better." oh, really?
and on a channel only a few years old, that is *not* helping them seem honest at all. plus that avatar and channel name:
"SmileyFace WithSunglasses"
AND *Signet OWNS Zales and Jared along with KAY Jewelers,* the *same PARENT COMPANY that LIED about this couple AND stole from them and over they years,* thousands if not MILLIONS of other victims, too!
so, for all you know the OP could be hired by Signet to populate the comment section with lies, the kind of thing other companies and organizations in trouble have been caught doing on social media btw, it's nothing new. so why not wake UP? also, that the OP didn't even suggest you get *your diamond(s) inspected anyway should give you even MORE pause. and even YOU could be hired by Signet [or be the same commenter] in order to make the OP seem genuine. but *either way,* no one should believe the veracity of OP. who is either one of the most self-centered people in the world or they're up to no good 'in here.'
@@DiandraStarShine Are you aware that it's not mine nor anyone elses responsibility to worry about strangers? Do you feel better on your ridiculous high horse Karen? I'm responsible for me any my kids. It's not my job to monitor if strangers are getting scammed or not. As far as trusting a "commentator" goes have you ever heard of reviews? LOL pipe down goofy. I love how you think my response was immature when you took it upon yourself, un prompted mind you, to pull some self righteous sjw bs LOL. So please explain to me who is immature here.
@@Bayloy o
Today, I'm reminded that it isn't only jewellers swapping stones....bec I yet again have laptop issues and wonder how often people's devices have all their original internal components after servicing at a repair place. These guys can easily do a swap from their stockpile of harvested parts from the junked electronics they've collected over time.
there's a Jewelry Mart in Tustin, CA where you can have your rings resized and appraised and repiared while you wait on the spot... no way i will leave my jewlery anywhere.
Unless you are standing over their shoulder watching....a switch can occur at any point. It’s that easy if you are a bench jeweler.
That just means they are really fast criminals.
@@cavgrey8 There was a movie scene I saw as a child and never forgot. A gangster type takes his diamond to a jeweler. The jeweler drops it behind the counter and picks it right up. The next scene shows the jeweler tied to a chair with a plastic bag over his head, while the gangster says, "We have just fifteen more seconds to save your life..."
@@KharkovkidDefinitely from a movie. That quick switch trick wouldn’t work in real life unless the jeweler already knew what the ring looked like and made a duplicate ahead of time.
That happened to us 35 years ago. Took my flawless diamond and put in a cz! Took them to court. They lost but all we got was the original price. Always beware and I never leave my diamond with anyone! Keep your insurance up to date!
And that insurance is not cheap either.
Better yet, I clean my diamonds myself!! Mix dish soap, water and baking soda. Let it sit for a few minutes and use a soft tooth brush to clean gently. Great results. Who needs the stress!!
Years ago 60 minutes did a segment on diamond swapping/stealing. They marked diamonds then dropped them off for cleaning/sizing then after picking them up discovered the diamonds had been replaced with junk. When they confronted the store owners they were furious they had been found out and denied any wrongdoing. When I had to have my jewelry appraised for insurance purposes I found a jeweler that let me stay with him while he made the appraisal. I won’t leave my jewelry with anyone, most of the mom/pop jewelers will allow you to witness their work, if not, go somewhere else.
with my wifes approval, we got a moisanite for about $1200.... looks great... no conflict... no ridiculous prices... no pride lost or gained
$1200 IS a ridiculous price for that!
It's people who play with people's feelings. It's not just money but most of the time it's sentiments. I had the same experience. I gave the jweller my diamonds to make earrings which my dad bought when I was born..simply that damn jweller swapped them.. By looking at the size I knew it's not the same but he refuse to admit it. Couldn't do anything. Whenever I see that earrings my heart sinks thinking of my late dad. And I tell myself it's karma. Everyone pays in the end. It was done in Canada at Indian jwellery store.
Oh, I’m so sorry .... your story made me teary because you have to live with losing something precious from your dad - there’s nothing that can make up for that, but just remember how much your dad loved you to buy diamonds when you were born - so sweet - blessings to you 🥰
If they were that valuable, though, you need to always be on top of everything and not leaving your stuff with untrustworthy people... and honestly, everyone but you is untrustworthy.
@thedivinefeminine1821 You are absolutely right about that. Specially with everyone, but you is untrustworthy.
I had my diamond switched with one that was twice the size. When I took my original receipt back to the store the police got involved. Apparently the repair person had been switching high grade diamonds for larger flawed low grade ones. Since I couldn't get my original diamond back the store let me pick from my same grade that I had except the larger size. The repairman went to prison.
The irony is, diamonds are worthless. They have perceived value because their trade is regulated by a cartel. They aren’t rare, it’s just a shiny rock. And guess what, it was the cartel that told us “diamonds are forever.”
Hopefully with technological advancements, lab diamonds can get so cheap that enough people will switch to them and break the cartel.
De Beers 👏🏿🤣
Its not true that diamonds are worthless . I mean there are a lot of diamonds for sure... do u know that there are manufacturer of diamonds that takes back even damaged diamonds and repurpose them cos natural diamonds do have its value. Lab grown ones are the worthless stones .. and people are still paying loads of money for them... thats the irony man. Lab grown diamonds are literally counterfeits .. lmao
doesn't matter that diamonds are really common, the problem is theft of people's money. Cars are common too but doesn't mean you want your car swapped out for a much cheaper model.
It's the gold that has value
I had an independent jeweler do this to me. I took my diamond cluster ring, that I had worn daily for 13 years, in for repair. When I picked it up, I immediately realized that the clear, colorless diamonds had been replaced with darker, included ones. The owner denied it, and I had no way of proving it. The ring went into my jewelry box and I have worn it little in the 24 years since this happened. I just feel sick to my stomach every time I see it.
OMG so we don’t have a recourse?
They ARE NOT an “investment” and anyone who tells you that is either lying or ill informed. Unless it is 5 carats or above -- you are being misled in order to make a sale.
Our rings are silicon. We got married when we were poor, I asked my wife if she wanted a more expensive ring now that we're doing better. She said absolutely not, that's the ring I put on her finger on May 11th 2011 and that's more valuable than any diamond could ever be.
Solution: Stay there while it's repaired or cleaned. Don't leave anyone alone with your gemstones.
This isn't always possible - it can take several days for jewelry to be repaired.
Its hard to keep an eye on them every second...They are like Houdinis.
They don’t have all their tools laying in front, they almost always take the ring in back.
In 40 years, I've never encountered a jeweler that made repairs in the front if the store. It was always done in the back, away from view.
@sarsarsvintagejewelry not the Jewish Jewelers in the City. They will stand there while you watch.
Years ago I went to a local trusted jewelry store to have I my gold chain repaired. When I picked it up I noticed the chain looked thinner and was tangling. I said something to the jeweler and he swore it was the one I brought in. I told him I would bring my boyfriend in a few days later when he came to town. He changed his tune right away and ent in the back and said he found mine. Hmmmm why does everyone have to be rooked?
I hope you wrote a bad review on them. Might save someone else from getting ripped off.
That “clean your jewelry for free’ is a chance to swap stones and it happens and often. Find a jeweler, as in one person or shop and have a relationship with them. Even, still, buyer beware.
@J. Karpinski That’s awful. I am sorry you got ripped off - that never stop sucking. If they are still in business, you should out them on yelp, etc. I would.
Shady jewelers are terrible for the artists who just would like to make aa living.
Another tip is, if you have a diamond that’s been mapped out or appraised, or both - bring the paperwork - don’t give it to them, just let them know you know what you have.
Also, that “out of you sight” thing....a reputable jeweler will work behind a interior window or right in front of you, at their bench, if you ask.
I was worried about that same thing! I bought a nice ring from the pawn shop. The lady asked, would you like me to clean it? I didn't trust her! But I let her clean it because usually in a pawn shop you don't expect them to have two rings that look exactly a like, so I did let her clean it. I hardly wear it, but after seeing this, I'm going to check my ring too!
The rings also look great when you clean them yourself. That way you definitely don't have to worry about the old switcheroo.
The sales staff that clean your rings, do not have the tools or the skill that it would take to swap stones...
@@standdown4929 Do you think that they have replica rings to give you after you purchase the real ring though 🤔?
In albuquerque they swap out my diamond. But it happened that my cousin was working there. She called me and I called police. My jewelry is insured and the diamonds are plotted. Which put that jewelry repair guy in jail where he sang.
Wow - good for you - I would have called the police, too !
How beautiful
They do this more than you think sell the stolen diamonds
sue them out of business
This happened to me. I bought a Montana Sapphire ring and one month later, one of the prongs bent, so I sent it back to get fixed and when the ring came back, it was a completely different and lower grade sapphire. I called them and went to visit them and no one would cop to anything. Thankfully, I did get my money back, so someone knew something had happened.
Same for me. My rubelite tourmaline I bought was a shiny, glistening beauty. Had to have it resized and when I got it back the stone was dull with no life. The jeweler swore it was the same but I know it wasn't. No refund, no nothing. Never again will I leave a precious stone with this crook. Why would I purchase a lifeless stone in the first place? These people think we are all idiots!
If that happened to me, I would stand in the store & call the police to report a theft - at the very least, it might keep them from doing it again
@@cricketcricket9749 take them to court! And have them pay the lawyers fee too! 😠
@@cristinam3234right? 😂 I'm petty asf, no way they're getting away that easily. I'll make every day unbearable for them lol
I buy from Ben Bridge Jewelers. A bit more expensive but the saleslady showed us how to check the diamond. She said most have inclusions (a mark in the diamond) and when getting cleaned she has us check it again so we are assured it is the same diamond. She taught us alot so we go there all the time now.
This swapping is also done with expensive watches. Took my Mavodo diamond crystal face for new batteries and it’s diamond crystal was switched to a regular crystal making my $700. Watch worth about $50. Didn’t find out until I noticed a scratch on face of my watch. Diamond faced watches don’t get scratches. So much of this goes on all over with most consumers never figuring it out!
What happened? Did u confront them? Call the police?
You mean sapphire crystal and swapped to a mineral glass crystal...
You have no idea what you are even talking about... A $700 dollar quartz battery watch with a "diamond" crystal face... Even Rolex uses white sapphire crystal faces....
$700 is a cheap watch
Perhaps all the victims should file a united lawsuit against the company. This is the first time I heard this story!
This is why I clean my own jewelry can’t trust any of these jewelry stores. I purchased a professional Jewelry cleaning machine money well spent.
What kind of professional machine did you purchase if you don’t mind me asking
Yes why clean? All you need is a cleaning fluid
I was going to get my ring sized at Kay but when they said they had to send it out for two weeks, I smelled something fishy! SMH!
I KNEW IT! I have a ring, my most cherished ring that needs a small diamond replaced in a channel. I've been always afraid they would switch out the large center stone if I took it for repair.
I took my wedding ring in because they told told me the prong holding the diamond in place and they needed to secure it. I painted my stone with nail polish so they wouldn’t swap it because I have been warned. After I picked it up I wore it to bed the very first night and the entire back of the gold band fell out of my ring. THEY STOLE THE GOLD OUT OF THE BACK AND DENIED IT! They got away with it!
Shop independent Jewelers with good credibility. Stay out of Corporate. They couldn’t care less
Yep and a lot of them don’t offer insurance
@@mbanson23 every single one does. Not the worthless extended warranty money grab, but insurance.
Go to a new channel for help if you need to!
This is a prime example of the need to send corpirate board members to prison for fraud.
That is despicable to swap diamonds! Highway robbery!! Make a sketch of the diamond inclusions, who knew!
Diamonds are not an investment. Full stop.
before my grandmother died she sat me down and taught me about jewelry. Already a gem geek thanks to her, she taught me procedure. when I met a girl, i could take anything in the box and have it dismantled for materials. I could then design my own ring for her. This was tradition. When I took the jewelry to the jeweler, i was not to let that box or is contents leave my SIGHT. don’t let them split me up in different directions either. and NEVER, under any circumstances, leave without every single thing at the end of the day. “This box contains the love of your ancestors, and it’s all then endures of them. Cherish it.”
it looks like it’s too late for me, but once i got close. I took the jewelry to Kay to see about having al the diamonds laser etched as they mentioned (some are hundreds of years old) and they asked me to leave it with them over night. and what i saw in the woman’s eyes had me closing the lid, turning around, and marching straight out back to my car.
I’m surprised you even considered taking that stuff to Kay after what your grandma taught you!
@@Sashazur🙄🤦🏻♀️seriously
I bought a diamond ring years ago the first thing they wanted to do was take it downstairs and clean it , I said no thanks 😊
They probably switched the diamond before you bought it! Why wait until after?
I'm telling my son to check his fiancee ring get it checked out!....I have some very old diamonds I been wanting to put into... another piece but this changes my mind definitely ‼️🚩Thanks for the awareness I will alert others...
Ask to see it with a jeweler's loop when dropping off and picking up
@@ccMomOfJaysno. DONT leave your valuables unattended! It's not safe and you'll be crying later. Watch them do EVERYTHING.
There is a reason I have had the same jeweler (small outfit in downtown LA jewelry district) for over a decade. Brilliant Persian-American man of high integrity and fairness (and one of the most highly rated on social media). This video pretty much sums up the reason.
I feel like this happened to me today. I just got my bridal set back feom zales after having it sized down. But now that I have it back I'm starting to notice some differences in it. My 14 k engraving is gone and it doesn't look gold anymore. I'm going to have it appraised and tested. This is so wrong and shouldn't happen to anyone. I will update with any information I find out about my bridal set.
Best wishes tho
What a nightmare! sorry to hear that.
Good luck!! I hope it’s good news.
I have 2 diamonds I want remounted and haven’t for yrs because this is what I’m afraid of happening.
The spot where the marking was was probably taken out to be resized! I have heard of that happening!!
How did you get on?
Also, Jared Jewelers and Kay Jewelers have the same parent company, Signet.
These women are foolish if they keep taking their rings to Kay. Get them cleaned elsewhere.
I bought my wife a 1.5 carot blue diamond .... took it into King's diamond and they "lost", the stone ... and extreme blue/green center diamond ... the damned stone was lost while we waited for them to do a last minute buffing ... had to fight them tooth and nail to replace the stone with a plain looking "blue", diamond ... I'm betting this problem is widespread ...
This story is as old as diamond retailers. I worked for Macys of California in Security. The Fine Jewelry Dept rented space in the stire. During my 3 years there, several instances of switching stones were reported. Since it was an "outside vendor" the poor custimers had to get lawyers & sue the parent company. Pitiful. I'm not surprised. Thieves are everywhere. I know how to repair my own jewelry. Fortunately, I don't care for diamonds. Give me an emerald, ruby, opal , etc. anyrime.
Cleaning jewelry literally takes 1 minute. There is NO reason to drop it off. Especially a ring. If they don’t do it immediately right in front of you they’re trying to rip you off.
I wash my own rings. I use dish soap, on a soft sponge, then I hold them w/tweezers in the steam stream from the boiling tea kettle. It come out fantastic. It sparkles like crazy in low light, and is sterilized from the steam.
I use an ultrasonic cleaner then a steam cleaner. The ultrasonic comes in handy for cleaning small machined parts in non-jewelery applications as well.
They steal gold repair items by saying we have to match the gold..... look out!!!!
In 1978 I ordered a diamond engagement ring from Kay Jewelers. When it arrived it had a large carbon deposit in it. Large enough to be seen with the naked eye. I refused delivery and forced them to replace the stone.
No more big box chain stores!!!! I had the same thing happen and the store took down my review on their website. Messed up.
Same thing happened to me... I had mine reset, came back to have a prong checked. The young girl said, you know your diamond is fractured, right? I said “ no”. Another lady there interrupts, and stated, “oh she knows”. Was ticked. I went home, got my paperwork, went to Trenton Jewelry, the old man there looked at my paperwork, looked at the diamond in my ring and told me that the original stone was 1&14 k, and the replaced stone was just barely a 1k... he also did confirm it was fractured, and the inclusion did not match. I went right back to Kay’s, and a man was there, he had my stone replaced, gave me paperwork... he said that he was not admitting fault, but that he didn’t want me to be talking about my “suspicious-ions”at my next bridal shower or Tupperware party.
How do these thieves sleep at night?
@@eagleeye2300 on a bed of diamonds 😂.
We had that happen here in the Greater Kansas City area at Kay's as well.
I worked with a woman who’s husband was a licensed gemologist. She had him clean and polish my engagement ring. I had it for years and of course knew what the cut and table of the stone looked like with the naked eye. When returned, it did not look the same. He swapped it out and then sold my husband a ruby ring for a Christmas gift for me. When HE got the ring, he noticed the ruby did not look like the one he selected for me. It was full of dark spots which the guy said were there when my husband selected it. We couldn’t prove anything. The guy died 6 months later. We think he sold the good diamond to cover medical bills. NEVER let a friend talk you into getting work done by anyone you’re not sure of. I called a good friend who has all of her jewelry done by a reliable jeweler. Getting someone you trust to handle your jewelry is important.
You mean, "clean you out" of your diamonds is what Kay's considering cleaning your diamonds. Glad they were caught.
How about not buying a Diamond ring in the first place and making a better financial purchase?
In 1972 I lost a small diamond in my engagement ring, we sent it for replacement at People’s where we bought it. When it came back, it had been replaced with a lesser diamond. We were young and even though I mentioned it before we even left the store, we didn’t demand action. I don’t think it was a mistake, I think the jeweller was making his own cost-saving measures! Pretty bad when you can’t trust a reputable jewelry store chain.
happens more often than people want to think about. every time you bring your jewels to get serviced, you need to have them reappraised.. sickening but we are living in a scamdemic
Yes, just from reading the comments you realize how many have been scammed by this ploy! I feel so bad for the people that only found out decades later.
Very common. I have them do a diagram of my diamond and its flaws. It has to be signed by them and I.
This happened to me at a Kay jewelers in 1998. Make sure you GET AN APPRAISAL and it matches the description on your receipt. I was one of the lucky ones. They replaced all 4 of the half carat stones with a quality level 2 times higher than what I originally had purchased.
You lucked out 👍
Fortunately, yes I was.
I feel horrible for those who weren’t as lucky.
This is why I don’t wanna change a ring size unless they wanna do it in front of me. I did it once in Tokyo,Japan and the guy did it in front of me because I told him if you can not do it in front of me, I will not let you do it. My mother’s job was sale of wholesale diamonds, so she always told me if you gonna bring your ring to retail store to do something you have to know what you have and the proved document of the ring.. The jeweler fixed the ring size and my 2 carats of diamond wasn’t secure enough so he secured from the mount. He also said he rarely see this beautiful diamond.They can do these simple things in front of you. Don’t trust anybody especially in America. Kay jewelers,watch out !! It’s hard ,but We have to find a jewelers who does in front of you. From now on if they can’t do it in front of you, if I were you I wouldn’t do it.
Thanks for putting this out there!
I wouldn't be able to hold my temper if they tried that with me. 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
Til this day, at this very moment it angers me, it makes me furious, to know that those thieves swapped my diamonds and emarald. In a way it was my fault(cause my mom said don't resize it) but I insisted in resizing the ring. We confronted them but they denied it. All I want is to karma kick their butt.
Plain gold wedding band works for me. It's not the ring, it's the meaning.
My mother had a friend who the same thing happened to - 60+ years ago. Thieves are everywhere.
We didn't know the 5 stones in my mother's band had been switched until her death & had to have appraised for the estate. Her 5 nearly perfect stones appraised at $699.00....the jewler had switched 2 decades earlier when he reset them.😪
When I want to resize my ring, I take a photo of my still dirty ring (dust, everyday wear etc) and ask the jeweler not to clean it. I get back my resized ring with my stone in it.
You have to clean the ring before you can solder and size the ring. Find a jeweler you can trust. There are many jewelers that are honest. Ask family and friends if they can recommend someone they have done business with that is honest.
smart lady
Lol thats stupid and any jeweler who is ok with soldering a dirty ring that can risk burning your stone is a bad jeweler.
Most people don't realize average diamonds are almost worthless the real value is in the gold, platinum, etc.
I’ve never understood why they are so valuable. They are very plentiful!
Zales did this to me 18 years ago this is a long running scam.
I have a diamond ring. I also have independent insurance attached to my homeowner's insurance policy. I did lose one of the smaller stones, and my insurance covered it no questions asked. Well worth the price of the insurance.
I prefer small, privately owned jewelry stores. They give better service, and I have never had a problem with them.
This happened to my sister. She brought her diamond in to a jewelry store to have it resized. When she went to pick it up, it wasn't even the same ring. She told them if her ring wasn't there the next morning, there would be hell to pay. The next day, her ring was there and she brought it somewhere to make sure it was a real diamond.
To avoid all this: 1. I never wear diamonds or any of the like. 2. Never leave the gems at any store. Can’t be too trusty.
Wow. We just found a ring of my father-in-law's that has one large diamond in it. We were thinking of having it reset into something my husband would like to wear, but now, I'm afraid of letting anyone touch it. Thanks, Kay jewelers, for hiring thieves and frauds.
That’s a good lesson when you have a real diamond you don’t need to let them clean...
Insist on diamonds with GIA certification, or just buy a CZ. Jewelry is NOT an investment. Only those in the biz know how to make money either buying or selling.
hmm, i just had my 1 carat vintage diamond solitare set in a Neil Lane at Jared a month ago. I know a lot about damonds, but now I am wondering if I should take another look at my diamond again.
“I know a lot about damonds.” Just don’t know how to spell it. 😂
@@UNoBugMe1 Why do people feel obligated to comment on typos - everyone makes them sometimes - don’t be unkind
Get a diamond tester. They sell them on Amazon. But, they could have switched it for a lesser quality stone. Take it somewhere and have them take a look at it.
@@Melody-285 sory
@@UNoBugMe1 Haha - that was kind of cute, actually - sory 😊
They should be shut down!
I think it happens more often then we think. Happened to me. Another Jewelry chain inside a large mall.
I wouldn’t call an engagement ring an investment. You might have a spectacular ring appraisal but the reality of the liquid-able cash value of most diamond engagement rings is a fraction of what they are appraised for. Don’t believe it, take your ring somewhere to try and sell it to see what someone would pay for it. Jewelers make a lot of money off men trying to please their honey. There’s retail value then there’s resell value then there’s actual cash value.
As someone who used to work in a jewelry store I learned that most of these stores do not use in-house jewelers, meaning they send your stuff off to another location, often it's a local jeweler. So your pieces are being sent to someone you don't know and will never meet. I would never shop at a chain jewelry store again in my life. Look up local jewelers who have a good standing in the community and positive reviews online. Also, please have your more expensive or sentimental pieces appraised and insured so that if something like this DOES happen, you won't have to fight a legal battle to get your investment back.
It takes a second for them to swap because it happen to me in front of my eyes. they turn their back and the switch was done with an inferior diamond.