Gutted at jewellery rip-off!!

[julie w]

We came back from Icmeler on 14th September and as usual visited our favourite jewellers. For the last 7 years we have always had items of jewellery made and all have been excellent, we classed this jeweller as our friend. This time we had taken a lovely ring that my dad had asked us to have made up into a new ring for my mum, it was for their Golden Wedding in October. The ring I took was a very heavy wedding band in 22 carat red gold. I asked this man to melt it and picked out a new design, thinking how pleased my mum would be. I trusted him, I must have mug stamped on my head! On a couple of occasions we went to pick it up and it wasn't ready, so we had to go back for it on our last night. We were rushing to get back for the airport transfer and I suppose I didn't look as closely as I should have, although I did think it felt a lot lighter, then decided I was being stupid. When we arrived home I wasn't happy as it didn't look right. Yesterday I took it to a local jeweller for a valuation, I won't get the verdict for a week or so but on first inspection it looks like 9 carat yellow gold, and not a lot of it. I am so angry!! The worst of it is I now have to tell my dad that his anniversary surprise is ruined and we have been well and truly ripped off. Oh and he charged me £50 for doing it! Any ideas of what , if anything, I can do?

[reesy1959]

Thats terrible if that is the case.

Do you have any contact details for this guy? If you do, I would definitely be on the phone or email him and let him know that you are looking further into it and wont let it rest.

[Fanny]

aw Julie, such a shame for you and yours

did you get a certificate with the ring stating the weight, carat etc?
most of the jewellers if not all of them are registered I think? perhaps the registration body can do something for you?

Like Mary said, I'd be on the phone or better still emailing them if I were you

hope the news you get on the ring isn't as bad as you fear

[julie w]

No Fanny I didn't get a registration certificate, we were in such a hurry to get back for the transfer that I never thought of that. Also would I have been entitled to one because I didn't actually buy the ring from him? I have his e-mail address so as soon as I have confirmation from the jewellers here I will be in touch. I am so mad!

[starchild01]

Good luck with this one Julie. It makes me so angry when people try to rip you off...especially as you know the person and they are supposed to be a friend. I feel for your Dad...also your Mum as she will be absolutely gutted when she finds out. Bless you, I do hope that you get it sorted.

[Fanny]

No Fanny I didn't get a registration certificate, we were in such a hurry to get back for the transfer that I never thought of that. Also would I have been entitled to one because I didn't actually buy the ring from him? I have his e-mail address so as soon as I have confirmation from the jewellers here I will be in touch. I am so mad!

think you're probably right Julie about the certificate
don't know how much help it would be, but there's an email address you can use to complain about being ripped off [if that's what your UK jeweller comes back and confirms]
I think it launched this year and it's mentioned on the forum somewhere
also, there's some sort of jewellers/goldsmith federation in Turkey - perhaps they could help

if it's any comfort, someone else thought they'd been stung over jewellery last year I think and they posted on here
the good news was that they were mistaken and I really hope that turns out to be the case for you

hope you get something sorted hun

[scanny64]

So sorry to hear of your rip off Julie, Friends of ours had the same thing happen to them last year.. we and them have or should i say, had used this man for years.. my friend for the past 10 years plus!! They also classed him as a good friend he even stayed at there home in England, many times. a necklace was bought which he paid £900 for,when he got back to the hotel everyone was saying it did look £900 worth so he took it to another jeweler, how valued it at £400 to £500.. the jeweler was confronted and was told not to ever contact them again.. there no longer friend.. the jeweler offered the money back as well as the necklace..even came to the hotel while we where sat around the pool asking to talk about it.. but our friend said he would keep it but want's nothing to do with him ever again.. he lost a lot of custom as most of us used this man..i hope you get some help with this matter.. this man has moved shops a few times he's now on the block of shop under icmeler office D*L jeweler

[Jemini]

Such a shame for you hun.If it does turn out to be a rip off i say NAME AND SHAME him.Please let us know how you go on. Happy hols.Jem xxxx

[ken the pen]

ree with jemini name and shame if it is proven you were ripped off.

[Katiehutchinson_1991]

sorry to hear about your bad news
hope it turns out alright in the end
xxxxx

[Fanny]

to be fair, it'd be best to have confirmation from the UK before naming and shaming don't you think?

[julie w]

Yes, that's what I'm planning on doing, should have confirmation in a weeks time. Can't think of a good reason why it weighs a lot less though and has gone from red to yellow. Unless he is a magician!

[salford_steve]

That is disgusting. If you can't get hold of him bide you time till you next go back, and be straight in there demanding an explanation. I was ripped off this year, not as bad as yours but I am bideing my time till next June.

It's people like this that maked you doubt wether or not all these people want is your money thinking you are going to go home and forget about it.

Steve

[Fanny]

well said Steve, like Julie's said it's a matter of trust isn't it? and once that's gone, greed sets in [jeweller's not Julie's of course]

have to say that we've been gravely disappointed this year - £££s or rather TL and a quick buck seem more important than 8 years' loyalty
not over jewellery for a special occasion thank goodness and my heart truly goes out to you and yours Julie

[julie w]

Ring update!
Firstly can I thank everyone for their support on this, I haven't been able to post or reply to pm's (Fanny and Jemini) as my computer has been broken. I have now got the ring back from the jewellers and it has been valued and closely scrutinised. I'm sorry to say that I was right, it is not even the same ring that I took to be melted and re-designed. It is about half the weight of my ring and this one is 18carat, whereas the one I took was 22 carat. I have been advised by a Turkish friend that the jeweller I took it to in Icmeler does not do any of the alterations (although for the last 7 years he has told us that he does everything himself) but instead uses a man nearby. I haven't been able to find out who this man is as yet, and I am wondering if the jeweller knows what is going on. For this reason I am not going to name and shame just yet, I will e-mail him and ask him to get my ring back. I will give him chance to sort it out, and if he doesn't he will feel my wrath! It was for my mum as it is my mum and dad's 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday, so I am very angry that her special surprise has been ruined. (She doesn't know what has happened yet.) Watch this space!

[polly]

Sorry to hear your fears were confirmed Julie.
This is an awful thing to happen, I hope when you
contact the jeweller in question he is able to give
you some answers.
Congratulations to your mum and dad on their Golden Wedding.

Polly

[ken the pen]

get stuck into him if he cant find the ring surely he knows the man who did the alteration was no good and on the fiddle, hope you get ring back, keep all of us informed of the result. def name and shame to protect others on iol that may use the firm.

[jayj]

I dont understand if these jewellers shops are packed with gold, why they have to steel gold from customers, are they selling all gold or jewellery on comitioned based from a supplier. Turkey used to be the best place to buy jewllery but i think the trust has gone now with a lot of people.

[JT]

The gold displayed in the shop windows is not owned by the shop but taken in bulk from Istanbul and sold on a sell or return basis

[Rami Off Work]

I dont have any comments to make about this incident or similar ones mentioned as they are simply disgusting. The mentality for trading in tourism is obviously not changing but YOU CAN HELP!.PM each other with the names of these establishments (establishment of what one could say). Let each other know and make aware of these scammers. Do not mention names on the forum directly however,exchange messages using PM facility the most you can so not only potential customers become aware but also many of the jewellers in icmeler who read these forums (and yes the do) will also be aware that it maybe their name which is getting passed around for bad publicity as well.

Thank you

Rami