Helzberg Diamonds Helzberg's Damaged Heirloom Helzberg Engagement Ring Columbia Missouri

Last year, my Grandma gave me her engagement ring to use for my own engagement ring. She and my Grandpa got it from Helzberg's in 1952. It is a beautiful heirloom! Part of the guarantee she got in '52 was to take it to Helzberg's every six months to make sure the diamond is in place and the prongs are not damaged (I believe it is called the Helzberg's Diamond Guarantee). Fast forward to 2016 and we are still getting it checked every six months. As soon as I took it to the Helzberg's in Columbia, Missouri, things quickly went downhill. First of all, the store is incapable of making repairs on site, so instead, they send it to the bordering state of Illinois (that should have been the first red flag). Anyway, the bottom of the band was thin and needed repair to make it thicker, so I sent it to the repair and it came back different. The bottom of the head of the ring seemed a little thinner to me, but I didn't take a before and after picture, so I had no way of proving it. I kept wearing it, though and thought nothing of it. I even took it to a six-month checkup and they didn't say a word about it being an issue. Since I never take my ring off, I quickly forgot about it... until it started cutting my finger! The bottom portion of the head had worn so thin it was starting to cut me! I quickly took it back to Helzbergs to be checked. They didn't even see it at first so I had to show them. The man then broke the thin piece with his tweezer-type object. They convinced me to send it and get a repair estimate, of which they would pay half. In about a week, I recieved a call that the repair man said it would need a completely new head. Keep in mind this ring is vintage and has a special look to it. The replacement head looked nothing like my ring's head. Also, the associate on the phone said it would be at least $200 and forgot about they fact that they would pay half. Nonetheless, I was extremely upset to the point of tears. This is my Grandma's ring...an heirloom I trusted Helzberg's to check on every six months and keep safe for me. I demanded my ring sent back and refused any repair that required a new head--Thank God. I took it to Buchroeder's Diamonds in Columbia, Missouri and they informed me they could fix it (and for cheaper than Helzberg's, too!!). My advice to everyone is to stay away from Helzberg's. Don't purchase any type of jewelry from them. If you already have a ring and have to go in every six months like I do, do not get it repaired by any jeweler associated with Helzberg's. Go local and always get a second opinion. Helzberg's has demonstrated to me that they know absolutely nothing about fine jewelery and are simply out to rip off people. I like to think the Helzberg's my Grandma and Grandpa purchased from in 1952 was a nice, local company... but now they are a corporate rip-off, with no values and not a shred of customer appreciation. Stay away!