Jewel Problem

rjh090384

hi

just a quick query, not sure if this is best section for it but please move it if needed.

needed my engagement ring downsized b4 i ordered my wedding ring so left it into a local jewellers last week (tuesday). the guy told me that he wasnt sure how much it was and he would ring me the next day to let me know and see if i wanted to go ahead. it is 18ct whtie gold and he didnt know whether the price included rhodium plating or not.

he didnt ring so i called on the wednesday and was told that it hadnt gone to wrokshop yet and they would let me know what price it woould be on monday.

they didnt call again, i called them and a different girl other than the guy i had benn dealing with told me it had been done!! and i cant rememeber the price she said and i asked if that included rhodium plating (which as far as i know is standard with all 18ct white gold resizing) she said she didnt know adn she would get back to me. she called back and said that it didnt include rhodium plating cause the workshop didnt think it needed done! she said if i wanted ti dont it would be £25. i siad i woudl look a tit first then decide. am going tomorrow.

i then got a phone call today (fro mthe orginial guy) telling me it was ready. so i gave off to him about not calling me and going ahead without permission etc. he said he had told me it was £18 and thats what he wrote on the docket and that he said he would call me if it was any change. he didnt write £18 or any price on the docket he gave me.

baisically i just want to know legally where i stand with this. if i had known it was that price i would have taken it somewhere else as i had a cheaper quote. do i have the right not to pay? also what if they have screwed it up? i wanted to warn them before they went ahead that one of the hallmarks is quite faded (its a 1930s ring) what if they have cut it out not relaising its there.

i am so worried please help.

suzy_g

Best thing to do is go into the shop and speak face to face with the person, how much was the other quote?
Tell them you was waiting for a quote from them,
you never know they may of done a good job.
and maybe they will do it the same price as your other quote to save all the hassle

rjh090384

the other quote was £20 including rhodium plating.
wheter they have done a good job or not the fact is they did it without my permission.

leftieM

I, too, would go in and see how the ring is before getting involved in a confrontation. You can explain that you had a cheaper quote and tell them that, as you weren't told what price it was before the work, you expect them to match this.
As for the hallmark - they'd be pretty rubbish if they didn't notice it. You can take further action if they have damaged this but I'd be surprised.
It's probably just an oversight that they didn't ring you. Don't get too worried until you know there is something to worry about! I'd imagine they thought that, as you'd left the ring in, you were happy for the work to go ahead.

rjh090384

i jsut went round. the hallmark is not there and they say they never saw it and i didnt specifically tell them about it they wont do anything where do stand now?
with regards to leftie, a lto of jewellers need to take rignt o workshop to check it can be done first of all so leaving it in is not necessarily a go ahead

butterflymum

It may be worth giving the NI Consumer Helpline a phone and ask for their thoughts/advice:

Consumerline

leftieM

rjh090384 wrote:

i jsut went round. the hallmark is not there and they say they never saw it and i didnt specifically tell them about it they wont do anything where do stand now?
with regards to leftie, a lto of jewellers need to take rignt o workshop to check it can be done first of all so leaving it in is not necessarily a go ahead

They've c0cked it up. You'll have to go after them. That's a hassle I'm sure you don't need right now.
As the last poster said, talk to consumerline, however my experience is that they expect you to try and sort disputes out directly with businesses before you can take it any further (eg to small claims court.)
Letters are very useful. You can say what you want without getting angry and you have a record of all that is said by both parties.
Good luck!

butterflymum

Agree, Consumerline like you to try yourself first but they can give some good advice as to how best to go about things and help with which consumer laws to quote if applicable. Also agree with last poster about putting matters in writing and trying to express yourself fully without letting anger/annoyance get in the way. Hope you get the matter resolved to your satisfaction.

rjh090384

it is not hassle i need and i havnet got my ring back cause i wasnt going to pay the £18 and accept that it was ok the way they had done it. i am trying to plan a wedding, i need my ring back to order my wedding ring which needs made and i am panicking. and i have been in teards all morning.
consumer line told me to write a letter give them a deadline to respond then if no response go to small claims but i do not need this i would rather get it sorted.
my solicitor friend is going to help me draft a letter but she needs to know what i want out of it?and i dont relaly know. i just want it never to have happened. i feel that my ring is ruined now because it cant be identified as an antique ring. it is worth £750 and i have a certificate of valuation. what does anyone else thing?

rjh090384

lets play spot the hallmark

rjh090384

ok what i have to do now (legal advice) is find out if the ring has been devalued as a result of the hallmark being lost...phoned lunns they say it hasnt but seriously i thiknk it has.
any advice?