Jimenez Jewelry Manufacturing Jason Jimenez, Nicole Jimenez Warning! Dishonest, Deceitful, Unethical, Rip-off! San Antonio Texas

Warning!  Dishonest, Deceitful, Unethical, Rip-off!  These descriptions and warnings, I do not write lightly, but with a heavy heart.

I write them about someone I considered to have been a friend and colleague.  Jason Jimenez owner of Jimenez Manufacturing Jewelers 118 Broadway Suite 217, San Antonio, TX.  Listings on Facebook, Instagram, and other social networks.

December 19th, 2016, I became disabled from my job as a Design and Service Center Manager and jeweler, for a major retail jewelry company, chain of retail stores.  I was in Phoenix, AZ.  Jason was also a Manager of a Design and Service Center, in San Antonio up until 2014.  During company Manager meetings, held in Florida, Jason and I roomed together.  We became friends.   We would help each other with various situations and things, that would arise, with our jobs. 

After becoming disabled, in December 2016, I moved across the country to Charleston, SC for my medical treatments.  During this move, In February 2017, I drove through San Antonio, Texas, on my way east, and met up with Jason there.  I told him what was happening with my health.  Jason offered to help me out!  If I needed to manufacture a design or help to obtain jewelry to sell.  He said he would do it for me at cost and not make any money.  I thanked him and thought that was generous of him, to offer. 

Meanwhile, we talked throughout the months, following.  I offered help with different business advice and tried to help him grow, his struggling business.  Since I had owned my own stores and trade shops. I had experienced many things he was dealing with.  I figured any dealings we had, I would take less so he would make some money, too. 

Around July, August 2017, my friend in Louisville, KY wanted to get his girlfriend some diamond stud earrings, 1/2ct. and he had $700.00 to spend.  I called Jason and we came up with diamond earrings that would be .25cts each or heavier totaling 1/2cts or more.  G-H color (GIA), and SI1- SI2 clarity (GIA), and very good cut and proportions, no lower in quality.  I even mentioned this every time we spoke.  He guaranteed me, they would be.  We agreed to have them set in four (4) prong, 14kt white gold heavyweight basket mountings, with La Pousette security backs.  My friend needed them fast, so they were drop shipped to him directly.   I was not able to inspect them.  This gave Jason the opportunity to cheat us since I would not be inspecting them.

When my friend received them, he contacted me and was very disappointed!  He said they were small looking.  He did not think they were worth the $700.00.  With my suggestion, I asked him to go and look at others in the mall.  He did and still came back very disappointed!  I was dumbfounded!  I told him to return them to me and I would give him his money back.  He was within the time frame, under Federal law and Texas law and I did not want my friend disappointed. This was my reputation on the line.

I am listing my qualifications so, one can understand my expertise and training.  I have four (4) Gemological Titles; “Gemologist”, Registered Jeweler”, “Certified Gemologist”, and “Certified Gemologist Appraiser”.  I earned these titles under the Gemological Institute of America and The American Gem Society.  My jewelry skills are master jewelers, level.  I am a third-generation jeweler. (Disabled now).

I received them and inspected them and was very disappointed myself!  This is not what we agreed upon.  They were way overpriced for what they were.  They were priced over retail, for better quality and correct weight, 1/2ct, earrings.  My fault, I guess!  I did not double check Jason on pricing.  At this point, I had not seen the diamonds pricing sheets, for some time, now.  Plus, I was under a great deal of stress with my health and life changes.  I trusted him because we were friends!  I watched, as he and his wife seemed to have changed their lives and were very close to their religion, and being Christians! At least that’s what they present to everyone on social, media.

Problems with the earrings:

1)      As I mentioned, overpriced! Priced for better quality then they were, by several grades!

2)      Poor workmanship; the earring had double seats cut, (Seats are where the prongs are cut for the diamond’s girdle to sit), having two cuts in the prongs weakens them.  This is either, bad workmanship or he used old earring mountings, either way, this is deceitful, unethical, and poor workmanship! (Used sold as new).

3)      The diamonds were loose.

4)      Prongs were standing up on the diamond, they should have been pushed all the way down on the diamond. This causes mountings to snag on everything, and the diamonds to come out of the mounting, become lost.

5)      Diamonds were not set level in the mountings (Crooked in the settings).

6)      The diamond’s weights were off; they were .22cts to .23cts, instead of .25cts. (This changes the prices by several hundred).

7)      The color grades were off; they were I-J color, not G-H, (Changing the price, too).

8)      The clarity grades were off; eye visible imperfections, which is above the SI2 grades we agreed on. (Changing the price, as well).

9)      The cut grade was “Fair” not “Good”. (This, effects the price the most).

I called Jason and told him we were returning the earrings.  That my friend and I were not happy with them.  Jason said he did not take returns!  I told Jason that these were bought sight unseen, by a friend of mine.  To bring him business and help him grow his business.  That there would be no way to bring him business, if a person would have to put up his money, on a product he had not seen.  The risk of losing their money, to someone they did not know!  I also reminded him I had not worked since December 19th, 2016, this was August 2017.  I hadn’t received long-term disability.  That I was living off my savings. I had only charged my friend for postage.  That my friend deserved his money back.  I would not cheat anyone, so I gave the monies back to my friend. I refunded his $700.00. So now I’m out $700.00.

Texas law (Below), requires Jason to take the return and refund the money.  He refused and said he did not have the money, and that he had kids that he had to take care of.  Meanwhile, I watch on Facebook as they continued to buy animals for their farm and occurred more and more expenses for the upkeep and feeding them.

Suggested solutions to help Jason and me out:

• Jason said, he had someone who wanted the earrings, for Christmas.  When his friend wanted the earrings, we would sell mine to him and recover my money.  
• I suggested Jason contact the diamond cutter and supplier, that he was dealing with.  I suggested he ask the supplier to help him out with the return.  To take the diamonds back as a credit towards future orders.  (I had done this in the past with other suppliers and they did it for me).  Jason did not attempt this, and I was still stuck.  I wanted to work this out with Jason and gave him the benefit of doubt.  Boy, was I so wrong!!!

I waited and called Jason several times trying to get information on his friend, wanting the earrings, or if diamond cutter was willing to helping.  Nothing!  When It was two weeks before Christmas.  I had expected Jason to have called me by then, about the earrings.  We had previously talked, that if his friend didn’t come through, we would have to sell them online, for Christmas.  That, that would be the best time for us to sell them.  No help!  (The problem here is I would have to sell them for what they really were, grade and weight wise, which is a huge loss.  Jason knew this.)

Two weeks before Christmas his wife posted online, new diamond stud earrings, Jason had just finished setting.  She wanted to show off his work, sell them, and promote their business.  They were just like the ones he sold me!  I was hurt and shocked!  I realized Jason was just putting me off and stringing me along.  He was ripping me off!   He was not going to do the honest, ethical, or Christian thing here!

I decided I had to put the earrings up for sale, online, or I would lose everything.  I would never get my money back, but maybe some of it.  They were up for two weeks.  The first week no offers.  The second week was after Christmas.  The only offer to buy, was at a huge loss, from $700.00.  I priced earrings correctly and put the correct Grades and Weights on them in the listing.   Which, priced them in line for what the market was selling comparable earrings, for.

I wrote Jason, after Christmas.  This is the time of year he would have the most monies from the business.  I asked him to split the loss with me and pay me $ 300.00.  I also, said, I would take the amount in old gold or scrap metal, which he would have the most of at this time and it would not hurt his cash flow.  Still trying to help!  He sold the earrings he made, at Christmas, to his friend and did not help me in any way.  Jason has not responded to my request. He Defrauded and Ripped Me Off!

Texas Law: “If the salesperson did not provide a cancellation form (sales receipt), you may still cancel your contract.  Because the seller violated the law by not providing the form, you have extra time.” “After you cancel, the seller has ten business days to refund your money”.  “If the seller fails to notify you of his or her intention to repossess the goods within twenty days after cancellation, you may not be forced to return the goods at a later date.”  (Meaning; I keep the earrings and you still have to reimburse the monies).

Federal Law: Retailers are required to accept returns only if the sold good is defective or if the seller breaks the sales contract. Federal law provides a “cooling-off rule ” giving buyers three days to cancel purchases of $25 or more.  Buyer can cancel for a full refund extends until midnight of the third business day after the sale.  The rule applies to sales at the buyer’s home or workplace, at facilities rented by the seller on a temporary basis, or at locations otherwise away from the seller’s normal retail location.

Use of interstate commerce for purpose of fraud or deceit It shall be unlawful for any person in the offer or sale of any securities (Assets, merchandise, product, or bonds/paper) (including security-based swaps) or any security-based swap agreement (as defined in section 78c(a)(78) [1] of this title) by the use of any means or instruments of transportation or communication in interstate commerce or by use of the mails, directly or indirectly—

(1) to employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud, or

(2)  to obtain money or property by means of any untrue statement of a material fact or any omission to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or

(3) to engage in any transaction, practice, or course of business which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon the purchaser. *Misrepresenting quality, value, or defective workmanship.

*I’m Sharing this to protect others, it’s all I can do.  I cannot afford legal action across state lines for myself, I just don’t have the monies.  Jason is a likable guy, but don’t be fooled! (Remember the Fable: “The Frog and The Scorpion”)!  A Quote: “A Zebra can’t change his stripes, he is who he is, no matter how hard he tries or what he tells the world!