Zales Jewelers $6000 diamond lost due to faulty remount Jensen Beach Florida

While shopping in Zales in December 2000, there were signs all over describing their remounting event in January. I attended the remounting event, bringing my 1.3 ct round solitaire diamond ring, hoping to have it remounted.

The remount salesman highly suggested a $400 diamond setting, which only had 4 prongs. I liked the setting, but said I would prefer 6 prongs, to protect my diamond. I was told to shop in the mall for an hour, and when I returned, my ring would be ready.

Because the mounting I chose was quite large, and I worked out of my home, for the next three years I wore the ring approximately 10 times. Otherwise, it stayed in a jewelery box.

In April of 2004, I began work outside my home in a retail store, as a cashier. I wore my ring on my fifth day of employment and, while reaching for a customer's purchase, I looked down and saw my diamond was gone - not just the diamond, but the entire 6-prong mounting had broken off the ring. I immediately called Zales, and brought my ring-less-diamond in. The store manager was quite compassionate, and asked if I would leave the ring for her district manager to see. She also informed me that the remount "team" were Zales employees, not subcontracted out.

After a week, I received a call from "Susan," who said she saw the ring, showed it to a Zales "expert," and it was determined they did nothing wrong. Besides, their remounts are only guaranteed for one year which, she said, I should have been told when I purchased the remount. No, I was not told that. In addition, no where, on any paperwork that I have, including sales receipt, does it say it is warrantied for only one year.

Susan also told me it was her "expert's" opinion that I banged the diamond off. No, I definitely did not bang it. If I'd have banged it, this is something that definitely would have been noticed by me.

I have visited 3 jewelers in the past few months, all of whom said they can see the mounting was defective. The metal/solder is pourous, another stated the solder was around the "post," but there was lack of solder flow past this point, evidently not properly reaching the base of the 6-prong setting. Another went so far as to say the 1.3 ct diamond was too large for this type of mounting. He also indicated the mounting was such that it would make it difficult for a jeweler to properly see if the solder was a good solder.

Zales has refused to do anything to rectify their negligence, and I no longer have my 19-year-old diamond.

Kim
Port St. Lucie, Florida
U.S.A.