Complaint Review: Zales - Troy Michigan

My fiance purchased my engagement ring from the Troy, Michigan Zales on December 20, 2005. I was absolutely in love with my ring, and couldn't wait to show it off.

Under advice of the Zales staff, we waited to have my ring sized until mid-January (to avoid the post-Christmas rush), and once it was returned after sizing, I noticed my prongs were noticebly bent. I returned the ring again to have my prongs evened out, because I had concerns my diamond may not be secure. My ring was sent out, and I recieved a phone call a couple days prior to my "promise date" saying it had arrived.

I returned to Zales, a 40 minute drive from my campus, to pick up my ring, only to find that they accidently called me. My ring was in fact not ready, and to wait for their call. Understandibly, I was a little upset having wasted gas and time, but I returned home and waited.

A few days after my "promise date" had passed, I called back to see if it had arrived, and they told me it had. I went and picked up my ring, noticing the prongs were better, but still a little crooked (the setting veered slightly off to one side). I mentioned it to the sales associate, and she said that often happens if the diamond is cut "weird". Kind of a strange analogy, but I figured I would have it sent back at a later time, as I did not want to go another two weeks without my ring. I also noticed a dark spot on my diamond, but was told it was shadow from the prongs.

On my 6 month inspection, July 2006, I brought my ring to the Westland, MI location (which is where we have since moved), and the associate at that location informed me my diamond was not tight, and I needed to send it back for retipping on my prongs. I sent it back, and when it returned, the prongs were still crooked. I figured as long as it's secure, I'll wait and have them straighten everything out when we purchase our wedding band, since sodering would have to occur anyway. The dark spot still bothered me, but I contined on as normal.

At Christmas 2006, my father looked at my ring, and noticed the dark spot, and said he thought I may have a chip, and to take it in immediately to have it checked.

My December inspection I brought it in and asked about the spot. The associate told me that it was coal pieces. I then questioned why we had not been told that at the time of purchase, and he asked, very rudely, "What do you expect? I mean he only spent $300 on your ring". I was thrown off, and asked him to expain. He said the ring was a 1/5k, and I informed him we purchased a 1/4k. He looked over the warranty, and told us to call the Troy location.

I then realize that possibly when they called the "wrong customer" last winter, they may have accidently switched my ring with someone elses. I do my research and take the ring to several jewelery stores to have a rough appraisal done (since an actual appraisal would violate my Zales contract), and again and again we were told it appeared to be 1/5k, not 1/4k.

We go to the Troy Zales within the week, and speak with the manager (who sold my fiance the ring). I begin the conversation very calmly by saying that I think there may have been a mistake, and at inspection I was told my diamond was a different karat than what we had purchased, and maybe a mixup occured. He said "if you think I am going to give you some $1,500 ring, you can turn around and walk out the door". We explained we did not come with intentions to scam them, we were just concerned.

He then glanced quickly at the ring, and said he thought it was probably a 1/4k, then questioned why on the bill of sale it said 1/4k YG, when my was clearly white. We told him we did not know, and he said "let's just see", looked it up on the computer, and realized that it was a typo, and we had infact bought the 1/4K WG.

We also addressed the "coal" and he responded "Diamonds are like cars. You can choose between a Volvo and a Rolls Royce. You chose a Volvo. There are going to be quality differences."

We told him we were very dissatisfied with our treatment with the company (my fiance had previously bought me a diamond bracelet from Zales and it broke the first time I wore it, then after it was "fixed" it broke again) and we were going to look elsewhere for our wedding bands. He said that was fine, and it didn't matter to him.

He finally agreed to order us some loose 1/4k diamonds to look at since we were doubtful, after trying to talk us into buying a brand new ring, and they would be in within a few days.

I called Customer Service, and filed a complaint with the representative, and was told a regional manager would be in touch soon. I am still waiting to hear from this manager, a month later.

Two weeks later we called and asked if the diamonds had arrived, and we recieved a call within a day or two saying they were in.

We came in and looked. They were not loose, but were two other 1/4k's in settings. While they appeared larger, they were poor quality. Very cloudy, no fire. Even the manager told us they were poorer quality than mine.

We agreed, since he told us my diamond was probably just cut deeper than the others, to stay with mine, but under the aggreement it would be reset in a new setting, and to have the carbon spotting hidden under a prong. It was our aggreement to have it be sent back to the Westland location, since the Troy location is nearly an hour away.

It is now my promise date, today, and after not hearing from Zales, I call the Westland store. They had no idea what I was talking about. Apparently somehow the diamond got switched around, yet again, and is at the Troy location. I don't know why we were never called from the Troy location, nor why it is there regardless, so I called and asked them to have it sent to the location where it was supposed to have arrived at in the first place.

Again, I was met with rude service, called Customer Service again, and am now waiting to see what transpires. At this point I really just want my money back and to go elsewhere. This event today with sending my ring to the wrong place, and me having to catch it was truly the last straw. I have lost any little faith I had left with this company, and now want nothing to do with them.

I am not sure if Zales will even offer a refund, since we were not aware of the major problems until literally a year after purchase, but I do not want to deal with them any longer. They basically said our money was not good enough for them, they accused us of trying to scam them, and then lost my ring (maybe twice for all we know).

In a time that should be the most exciting for a bride-to-be, this has been nothing but a nightmare.

Keara

Westland, Michigan
U.S.A.

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