Complaint Review: Benchmark Jewelers

Here is where it all begins. I purchase an engagement ring for my now wife in July of 2012. When I picked up the ring I asked Ron about one of the mountings. I said Ron this looks weird. He assured me there would be no problem that they mount it the best way to fit each stone. We have had the ring for 9 months.  For some reason the 1 karat diamond fell out of the mounting.  Had the ring looked at by a custom jewelry maker here in Abilene and he told us that there was nothing damaged on the ring that the mountings were too thin on top and it just fell out. 

According to our warranty we had to have it checked out every six months for the warranty to be valid.  Which we did around Christmas time.  We were told by Ron the store manager at the Northeast Mall location that, "as long as there is no physical damage to the ring we will replace the stone." We had all of our paperwork present when we dropped the mount off to him yet were not asked for it.  We left the store thinking that we were going to be just fine.  We waited over a week for a call back on the ring situation and we finally received a phone call from a Ray Eli.

He was extremely rude to my wife on the phone laughed at her several times and then hung up on her. So I called him back all of the information my wife had been asking for that he said he could not give her he then gave to me.  I was also laughed at and hung up on once by this same individual.  He told me he would have his superior Sal Rajan call me back within a few hours. I called their 1800 number and left a message on every single options multiple messages on some of the options and still to this day have never received a phone call back.

I never received a phone call back that day. So I called him back when I got home from work. I asked him why I didn't receive a phone call from anyone. He asked me where my warranty paperwork was.  We had moved in the mean time and can not find the paperwork.  He told us that he would not be willing to help us without that.  We asked him to check the store records for the inspection that we had performed.  He first told me that the store does not keep records on inspections so we were out of luck. He then told me that they keep a record in their inspection books so we asked  if he could get it from that location. 

He told me that they had no record. So I asked again why I had not received a phone call back letting me know what was going on. He then told me that Sal was out of the office to which I asked why he did not call me back to let me know that.  He began to get irate with me over the phone. I told him that all I was looking for was a phone call and someone to et me know what was going on.  He said I dont appreciate you talking to me this way. I assured him that all I wanted to know is what was going on. 

I had my speaker phone on this entire time while sitting in the living room with my wife and two children ages 8 and 4.  He then told me and this is a direct quote of Ray Eli, " I don't have to take this sh*t, this is all sh*t. Don't ever call me again you piece of s**t. F*ck You" And then hung up on me again.  The next morning I finally received a call from Sal Rajan.  He apologized for the way I was talked to and told me that action would be taken against this employee.  He then asked me to explain what was going on. I gave him the entire story. 

He told me that there was no log book of inspections, which contradicts what I was told by Ray Eli, that they had the option to record it in their system but that it was not a mandatory practice.  He then told me that he would see what he could do.  After several long holds he came back and said that he would sell me another diamond to replace the one lost for $6000.  I told him that was unacceptable so I was placed on another long hold.  I was then told that he would sell me a diamond for $3000 and that he would take the additional $400 I had originally paid for the warranty and that they would in house finance the purchase. 

I told him I would still like to speak to someone else since we had followed their companies protocol and were being stuck with paying to replace the diamond.  I then spoke with Bill the head of operations for Benchmark. He told me that this was their offer and that if I wanted to proceed to contact the store and continue the process.  He also told me that he was going to implement a new procedure to where they kept a record of inspections after my ordeal, so my ordeal is big enought to start an entire new process but not to benefit from it. I sat on it and finally decided that ok I would go with that plan.

So I contacted the store to begin the process and get the diamond replaced for my wife.  I contacted the store on May 7, and spoke with Christopher the assistant manager in the store.  He read the notes on my account and told me the exact plan that they had given to me earlier but I had to speak with Ron.  So I attempted to call Sal Rajan again to ask him what was going on and see what I needed to do to get this process started.  I left him two messages and never received a call bac. So I called again and Ray Eli picked up the phnone. 

Read me the exact offer and then when I asked him if he would have Sal Rajan call me back, which has yet to happen.  I also explained to him that I did not appreciate being treated the way I was the first time we spoke.  He denied cursing at me and then told me that his company had decided that they didn't want to help me anymore. So I called in the next day and spoke with Ron.  He said there was no notation on my account of this offer, which contradicts what Ray Eli, Sal Rajan, Bill and Christopher had all told me. And that he had no idea where Christopher had read that from. 

I asked for contact information for someone at their corporate office or an address where I could send a letter.  I was told they didnt have that information and could not give it to me.  Ron told me that he would be off today and that I would have to talk with Christopher about this now. He also told me that he would get me a contact number or an address. Ron also told me that he would contact corporate and get the exact deal they were offering so that we could proceed with the purchase. 

I spoke with Christopher this morning and he told me that they didnt have any contact information and that he would have to find out.  He then told me that yes they would sell me the diamond at $2600 but that they would not finance the diamond.  They had closed my account due to two delinquent payments and were turning me over to a collection agency.  How can this be when they withdraw the money for my payments each month. I have records on my acount where they have done so every month since the beginning of this original transaction.  So now I am stuck with them attacking my credit and not honoring what they have told me this entire time.