Several years ago I purchased a necklace for my then girlfriend, now wife, costing around $699 on sale from $999. I forget the name of the setting but it had two rows of diamonds positioned vertically in an outward curved shape. From the side it looked like a C.
Anyway, we took it in every year as instructed to have it examined and cleaned. These were the stipulations in the warranty. If we followed them and anything ever happened to it, like a stone falling out, they would fix it for free.
Well, a stone finally did fall out. We took it in and they said no problem, they would have it fixed. When they called and said it was ready to be picked up we went within a day or so and the repair job was HORRIBLE. I could have done better had I had the stone and some super glue. They told us they had sent it downstairs to a kiosk in the mall called The Watch Doctor because their jeweler had been really backed up. I told them I thought this was completely unacceptable to send a piece of jewelry like this to a person that replaces batteries in watches and buffs out scratches.
They said the only other option was to send it back to the manufacturer because their jeweler would have done the same thing and that it would take several months, so we agreed.
Roughly 4 months later I called since I had not been called to say it was ready for pickup. I was told they would have to check on it and that someone would call me back. Three days later a lady who I had never dealt with before called and said it had been picked up by my girlfriend. I thought ok maybe she was at the mall and forgot to tell me that she stopped by and picked it up. Much to my dismay she informed me that she had not been back to that mall since we dropped the necklace off. I called the store back and told them that they must be mistaken and that neither of us had picked up the piece. They said they had a signed receipt showing that my girlfriend had in fact picked it up. I told them I would be right there to see this!
When I arrived they attempted to show me a receipt that looked like a kindergartner had scribbled with one of those electric pens that we all sign things with these days. I said NO WAY! I had the receipt with me from where she signed when we dropped off the necklace to be repaired authorizing them to fix it and the signature on it was 100% legible. Their only explanation was that she must have been holding the pen differently the second time - to which I said BULLS*T! I was getting very mad at this point and they said there was nothing else they were prepared to do for us since they had "proof" that she had picked it up.
I thought certainly I will be able to get hold of a district manager and they will make this right. When i finally got him to call me back he had already talked to the store staff and was siding with them, not the customer. I went so far to call the president of the company and although he never called me back his secretary did and said they were done with this issue and for me to drop it.
So basically after being a loyal customer for many years, my parents, my brother and I had all purchased Omega watches at this store as well as other not so expensive pieces, they told me to get lost. So I did, GLADLY!
The one good thing about all of this, I had started shopping for an engagement ring. Obviously I was never going to spend another penny in any of their stores. So I found Diamonds Direct here in Charlotte, NC. Not only did my money go much farther, the class of employee at Diamonds Direct is light years higher.
I truly hope someone from Reed's reads this someday and sees that they not only have earned them selves a load of bad press from me because every time I hear anyone discussing jewelry I make a point to tell them to not even darken the door of Reed's, but to go to Diamonds Direct!
Also, if they had just made amends for the lost necklace they may have earned my business back.instead I took all my business to Diamonds Direct, and between the engagement ring, and wedding bands spent over $20,000.00 and could not be happier!
Reed's Jewelers at Carolina Place Mall in Pineville, NC - you should be ASHAMED of yourselves and your shady business practices. I hope you never sell another thing - CROOKS!!!
Jewelry shoppers beware!!!
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