I started out by looking at rings from jewelry stores online to get and idea of what they had. I knew exactly what kind of ring I wanted but I didn't know anything about jewelry. I learned a little bit about sizes, clarity, cut, and color from the jewelry section on about.com so I wouldn't be totally clueless when I went to buy a ring. After looking through several stores on-line to see their collection, I figured that Zales had what I wanted.in the second weekend of June, I was visiting my girlfriend, Holley, in Santa Cruz, CA (she was on vacation there) and before I left for 29 Palms, CA I went inside a Zales in Santa Clara, CA on June 12 and was shown several beautiful rings. I decided on the one I liked best and purchased it.
Later on, I was thinking about it and wondering if the ring was the best I could get. I noticed a big imperfection in the middle of the diamond and wanted either my money back or if I saw another good one, I would exchange it. I read that imperfections are in all diamonds and some you can see from the naked eye. This imperfection was pretty noticeable from the naked eye.By this time I was back in 29 Palms, CA and the nearest store is in Palm Desert, CA. So, the first weekend I had off on July 2, I drove over there. I went inside and Aton Wilson was the sales associate helping me. I told him I wanted a refund (since it was less than 30 days from the purchase, according to their policy) or an exchange if he showed me something I liked. He showed me a much better ring than the one I was returning. So, I'm looking at the International Gemological Information card about the diamond and trying to understand what it all meant. The cut was excellent, color was rated I and the clarity was SI (1). Plus it was apart of the Zales Signature Collection. The only thing was that it was in a yellow gold setting. Aton said he can turn it into white gold by dipping it in rhodium. He was gone no more than 15 minutes and showed me the finished product. It was very pretty and shiny and I said that I would buy it. The next day, I was looking at the ring and noticed it was blotchy on the band under the diamond, like it wasn't totally covered with the rhodium. That wasn't a big deal I thought, since I could just go back in there and they could dip it again.
I went on vacation on July 5 to Florida and brought the ring with me so it wouldn't get lost or stolen. Before I left Florida I went to a small jewelry store on July 19 where my girlfriend's mom, Ellie, used to work and wondered if I could get an even more perfect ring at a better price. I told them I was thinking about buying a ring for Holley and instantly, they were working with me to get the best ring for my money. It is a very beautiful ring and I wish I could of done business with them at first. At this point I had two rings, but it wasn't a big deal since when I get back to California, I could just get a refund.
I went to the Palm Desert store on July 22 and when they were checking it out, they tested it and said it was fake. They told me to see the manager the next day about it. I went in the next day and the manager tested it and she said it was fake. She also said that one of the prongs were broken at the tip. Then she said I would have to go to the Santa Clara store to do something about it because it was the original store from where I bought the first ring. I didn't even purchase it there and the manager told me that's what I should do! I happened to have me mom with me in another part of the mall and I told her that the manager of the store was blowing me off to another store. My mom got mad, went inside the store to talk to Cynthia, the manager, and then that's when she decided to help us. She said she send the ring off to corporate to see where the ring has been and that she would call in two weeks to tell us what is going on. Cynthia also said that I wouldn't be able to get a refund anyway even if they determined that the ring was sold to me fake because of their return policy. The 30 days goes from the first ring I bought on June 12, not when I exchanged the first one for the second ring on July 2. I bought the first ring on June 12, returned it on July 2 to get another one for $1200 more. I should be able to get a refund 30 days after July 2 assuming of course they said the ring was fake themselves.
My mom called her the next week to check the status of the investigation and tell her that the ring could of been switched when it was being dipped in the back room out of my sight. Cynthia said that it only takes five minutes to dip a ring. The ring I have now is from Richard Bryson Jewelers in Pensacola, FL. Richard started laughing when I told him he was gone for no more than 15 minutes to dip the ring. It takes anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes to dip a ring, he says. Cynthia then continues, "Well, he does live in the barracks!" Insinuating, that another Marine could of switched the diamond. I don't live in the barracks. I have a room that I keep some of my things there, but I am always at my mothers house. That ring never set foot in the barracks.
I am a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps stationed in 29 Palms, CA. Marines are always in this mall in Palm Desert and people are always in the market for screwing with Marines. From jewelry stores to car salesman, its all the same. I believe Aton Wilson sold me a fake diamond. I believe a switch was done when he went to the back room, had a similar setting with a fake diamond already set up but in white gold, and returned in less than 15 minutes. The setting is not rare. It is a basic 6 prong, 18K, solitaire setting, size 7. All their settings are sold as size 7, unless you have the resize it.
I called the customer service for the Zales Corporation on the advice of Richard Bryson. They opened up a case, took my statements, and said the district manager of the store would contact me in 24-48 hours. Something got confused and the district manager, Cindy, for Santa Clara, CA called me. I told her I need to speak with the district manager of the Palm Desert store. She said she would call find out who it was and forward his call to me. A could of days later I called Cindy and she said that the district manager for the Palm Desert area is Richard Fowler and that he said he said he contacted me or my mom already. He never did. Cindy game me his voicemail number so I could leave a message directly for him. No response. Two days later I called the corporate number again and told them I have not been contacted by Richard Fowler. The customer service rep I talked to the first time was the same as this time and she (Joyce) said that she would forward a message to him to call me. That was two days ago.
Jonathan
Yucca Valley, California
U.S.A.
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