My husband purchased a 1-carat diamond engagement ring set in platinum in 2007. In late March/early April 2010 I took the ring into our local Kay Jewelers store to have it repaired. When it was returned two weeks later, we discovered it was no longer platinum, but white gold. Both the store and company seem to have no records of previous metal type. When we first contacted the store from which we bought the ring, they told us that it was just marked down wrong on the receipts and records. The assistant manager claimed she had personal notes about our order, and insisted it WAS supposed to be platinum. She told us this several times. After talking with headquarters however, she changed her story and claimed she had never spoken to us before, and had no personal records of any kind.

A manager with the company did discover a difference in information on the documents. Some said the ring was set in yellow gold while others said white gold. After further inspection, we found out that the I.G.I. Certification code on our diamond did not match the code on our certification papers that were given to us at time of purchase. We were given the wrong diamond, but it is poorer quality and worth less than the one we chose at the store in 2007. Because we have the wrong certification papers, we have no proof the diamond in our ring is actually ours and would not be covered if lost or damaged. The date on the I.G.I certification paper states that paperwork was re-issued after we purchased our ring, so the store clearly knew there was a mistake made, yet we were never informed. The ring has also been inspected twice a year, every year, since we purchased the ring, and not once was the mistake detected. (Or at least, we were never informed.)

After calling for days and leaving endless voicemail messages, I got in touch with a woman who acts as though she could care less about our problem. First they offer us $500 for the difference in diamond price, plus another $100 for all the trouble we've been through. (Meanwhile, it took me almost two weeks just to get a supervisor to call me back. I called them and left messages at least once a day, everyday.) Then the highest supervisor there said their final offer was to either give us a new diamond, or give us a partial refund (And then the other half would be given to us in another piece of jewelry from their store). Please tell me why I would want anything else from them?? We bought the current ring by trading in a smaller diamond, so they claim they can't give us a full refund.

This isn't the product we picked out and paid for. We want a full refund, because there is no way for them to get us the exact diamond we picked out, not even taking into consideration the problem with the platinum/white gold band. The supervisors were extremely rude and belittling, even going as far as saying that if I didn't even know the IGI code on the diamond was wrong, how were they supposed to know? (The code can only be seen with a high powered microscope.)

This problem is the result of several BIG mistakes. We feel that the company has deceived us, and are trying to cover up their multiple mistakes with lie after lie. As long as I have this ring, I'm stuck going back to Kay's for inspections, cleanings, and repairs. I DO NOT TRUST THEM!

I'm at a loss of what to do. It's not like I'm trying to get a new ring out of this. I want the diamond and band we picked out and paid for 3 years ago. I can't look at it now without getting upset. I contacted the Better Business Bureau and our state's Attorney General, but I'm afraid nothing will ever come of this. I also wrote a certified, restricted delivery letter to the CEO, but who knows whether he'll actually read it or care.