Ernest Jones engagement ring issues

[EchoKittle]

Hi, I am new here but I am stuck as to what I can do about my engagement ring.

My fiancee purchased the ring from a local Ernest Jones branch in November 2012, he gave the ring to me a few days within the 30 Day refunds/exchange policy. I loved the ring and there was nothing apparent wrong with it so I kept it. However, a month later I noticed that the solitaire diamond was moving inside the setting - almost rattling. This was a very expensive ring and I was terrified that the diamond would fall out, so we took it straight back for a repair. One of the prongs (it is a 4-prong setting) had apparently weakened, so it was fixed and returned to us. I thought nothing more of it until a few days later when I noticed the diamond was still moving. We took it back again, where the shop assistant tried to tell me that it was "supposed to move" because it wasn't glued in! I looked it up on the web and found out that any movement of a stone indicates a weak, unreliable setting, which can lead to the diamond falling out. I also discovered the terrible reputation that EJ has with other couples who have purchased faulty (very expensive) jewellery from them. However I took the ring back to be fixed a second time with the warning that if it happened again, I would be taking further action.

 

We have just taken the ring back for the 3rd time for the exact same problem, insisting on a refund rather than another repair. The sales assistant admitted that she thought the ring itself was faulty, but said she could only offer us an exchange for another ring. Due to reading about a great many other customers having the same problem, along with my own experience, I felt that I did not want to be tied in financially to the company for the next 2 years (the ring was purchased on finance). The sales assistants told us that they would get back to us about the refund situation within the next few days.

 

Today we received a call from Ernest Jones telling us that they were going to have to assess the ring for customer damage, since the palladium band is badly warped/deformed which to them indicates that "excessive force has been used on the ring". Not only is this ridiculous as I am extremely careful with my ring and would be hard pressed to manage to warp it, but I have only owned it for 5 months, in which time i have had to have it repaired twice. These engagement rings are supposed to last a lifetime; if it is possible for me to badly damage the ring from gentle everyday use, then the ring does not fit its purpose and is not worth the inordinate amount of money it cost. Besides, the warping of the band was most likely caused by the 2 previous repairs that had to be done on it.

 

I don't know what to do now; if they send the ring off for assessment, I have the feeling that they could do anything to the ring to try and prove that it was my own fault. I do not want to be stuck with a faulty unreliable ring which my fiancee will have to pay off for 2 years and I do not want an exchange of a different EJ ring which could have the exact same problem. Has anyone else had any success with dealing with a problem like this? Should I contact Trading Standards or Citizens Advice before the ring is sent away or should I allow them to assess the ring and go from there?

[raydetinu]

suggest you get it independently assesed by an agreed specialist, and get them to agree to its findings and if the ring is faulty, they refund your money and pay for the assessment.

likewise if the report says it has been damaged you will have to pay the repair and the cost of the assessment.

[renegadeimp]

Please do NOT call them. Especially on a number that costs YOU. You want to get everything in writing, no compromises.

 

Also to Ernest Young above. Please contact the site admin as you are not allowed to post as a company rep until verified.

[citizenB]

Message from CAG to Ernst Jones Rep.

 

I have sent you a private message, however, I suspect you are not receiving.

 

 

Hi,

 

Have you been asked to contact admin to acquire Rep Status? If not, would you please do so. We would also prefer that you provide a dedicated free telephone number or email address where the consumer can obtain swift advice on their issues.

 

Please contact .. admin@consumeractiongroup.co.uk (no spaces)

 

Until you have made contact, I am going to have to remove your post.

 

regards,

 

citizenB

Site team/ Admin Support

 

[citizenB]

I agree that you should contact Trading Standards for some advice - you may very likely want to have your own independent assessment done.

 

Was the finance taken through Ernst Jones. If not, how did you actually pay them? Cash / Cheque / Credit/Debit card ?

[ericsbrother]

loose stone and weakened prong=wrong size stone for setting and too much working to get the claws to hold the stone.

band distortion? was the ring sized to fit you or was it the correct size when purchased. Tell us your ring size and I will tell you what is likely to have happened.

A lot of these types of rings are made in Italy and they are resized from a standard and depending on the type of sizing machine and how much the difference is you can get distortion in the shank in the shoulders/near to the head of the setting. Some of EJ's rings are set and finished in the UK but not all so if the above applies it wouldnt surprise me as the quality control of many Italian setting shops isnt as good as you would like for such an expensive purchase.

If they wont sort you out you need to have it inspected by a jewellers that does its own setting, there are quite a few in Hatton Garden, Birmingham and many other towns, you just need to ask around a few independents and you will get a name.