Complaint Review: Alvin's Jewelers - Richmond Town Square

I left two family heirlooms to be repaired at the aforementioned location, a pearl necklace, and a design bracelet, among other pieces of jewelry of lesser importance.

The repairs consisted in replacing the bracelet clasp, and in a solder on the clasp on the pearl neacklace.

The 18-carat gold bracelet was sent back to me with a 14-carat gold clasp, which dephases and devalues this family heirloom which is 100 years old and that women have transmitted to one another in my family for generations.

I had to wait one month and a half for the repairs to be completed, and worried the whole time as I could not get any updates, and only very evasive answers on the phone. I finally managed to have someone check on the necklace when I threatened to have the corporate office involved.

I had expressly requested to receive the scrap gold from the bracelet and from the other 5 pieces I had left there for repair, all needing replacement clasps. I received only one clasp back. The gold does not belong to the jewelers as they make you pay for the price of the replacement gold clasps, plus for the work involved. At $20 dollars a piece, which is the price they charge for each gold clasp WITHOUT the work, they have made $100 on my back. Never have I seen before a jeweler who did not return the scrap gold to their customers, nor jewelers who had to mention on the order forms that the customer requests to have the scrap gold back. This proves that this is a customary policy of theirs --a policy grounded in dishonesty, no doubt.

Fabienne
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
U.S.A.