What would make you buy from Gemporia again?

[TheManWithNoName]

Funny story that happened to me just before Christmas made me lose faith in Gemporia.

I bought a beautiful pendant with a large Umballite garnet and chain at full price on the auction.

Adina stated that it’s RODIUM plated, so did Mr Winston? He added that “it would never tarnish”!!

I put it away as a Christmas present for my daughter… when I got it out, all in that plastic bag with the black little
square of anitarnish to wrap up for her… it was so strange… a part of the chain was badly tarnished.

It was super strange… appears that they Rodium plated only a Part of the chain????

I couldn’t give this partially manky necklace as a present obviously, sent it back and Gemporia kindly offered “to clean it for me for a charge”??? Or have a credit?.

To clean a RODIUM plated piece that shoud not tarnish ?

This was my last straw for me .

I have Diamonique Rodium plated from QVC from 10 years ago….nothing is tarnished, despite swimming in the sea and pools?

I don’t think I can shop with Gemporia again

I don't know how they continually get away with such claims. Rhodium Plating is a flash plating - and chains have moving links that will rub against each other. Its INEVITABLE that the coating will wear off - and then it exposes bare silver that WILL tarnish. So they simply cannot guarantee that.

What they really mean is "We don't think that this will never tarnish within your statutory minimum 6 month warranty - and even if it does, once those 6 months have passed, its your problem, not ours".

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, if Gemporia genuinely believed that their claims are factual and honest, they would offer a longer warranty period. To offer the statutory minimum of 6 months suggests that they don't have confidence in their products so they don't support them after that period has passed.

You can bet your life that they only offer 6 months because they have to buy law. I bet if the law said a minimum warranty period of three months, then Gemporia would only offer 3 months too.

Gemporia continually price compare against Monica Vinader - but Monica Vinader offer a 5 YEAR WARRANTY. They stand by their products and give you peace of mind. Gemporia do not do that.

 

[Womanwithnoname]

I don't know how they continually get away with such claims. Rhodium Plating is a flash plating - and chains have moving links that will rub against each other. Its INEVITABLE that the coating will wear off - and then it exposes bare silver that WILL tarnish. So they simply cannot guarantee that.

Completely agree
…in my case of this beautiful necklace I bought it for a present and it was in storage, never ever worn, it the original packaging?

I wish I took a photo of how the chain was tarnished…it was just a part of it…so bizarre, like they forgot to Rodium plate that segment

The most appalling was the way Gemporia treated my return?
I got a call back to be told that they “don’t accept this as a faulty item, happy to clean it up for me for a charge”?
When I tried to explain that the RODIUM plating is unlikely to tarnish and the item tarnished in one particularly place only, I was
presented with three options:
a) have it back as it is
b) pay for us to clean the “untarnishable RODIUM”
c) have a credit

I took “c”

 

[Womanwithnoname]

I am baffled at the whole endeavour?

In retrospect, I probably should have asked to speak to more senior member of team to at least
discuss the issue?

Sadly at that point in time I had very stressful time in life to have any energy to dispute this with Gemporia.

Needless to say that I am very reluctant to buy from them again

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Completely agree
…in my case of this beautiful necklace I bought it for a present and it was in storage, never ever worn, it the original packaging?

I wish I took a photo of how the chain was tarnished…it was just a part of it…so bizarre, like they forgot to Rodium plate that segment

The most appalling was the way Gemporia treated my return?
I got a call back to be told that they “don’t accept this as a faulty item, happy to clean it up for me for a charge”?
When I tried to explain that the RODIUM plating is unlikely to tarnish and the item tarnished in one particularly place only, I was
presented with three options:
a) have it back as it is
b) pay for us to clean the “untarnishable RODIUM”
c) have a credit

I took “c”

They would have had option "D" from me - which is, listen back to what your presenter says. This item does not match that description - so either give me a refund in full, or enjoy your referral to trading standards along with small claims court letter.

Oh, and yes, I've actually done this - and as soon as they got the small claims court letter, I had a cheque in the post from Gemporia the following day...........

They know when they're in the wrong. They just hope that people will go away. Sadly, most people do because it isn't worth the time and energy - so they get away with things. When someone does stand up to them, they cave in.

These big companies (not just Gemporia) think they can walk all over people because they have the 'power' and finances of a big company behind them - and they think that us 'little people' can't/won't stand up to them.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Sadly at that point in time I had very stressful time in life to have any energy to dispute this with Gemporia.

Sorry to hear that. Sadly, this is why they (businesses in general) rarely get challenged - because they know that people simply don't have the time and energy. If we want to challenge something, we have to do it in our own time outside of lifes challenges, chores and working hours. People simply don't have the spare time or energy to waste on things like this.

When businesses need to challenge or defend anything, its done in their business time and the staff are being paid to do it - so it's no skin off their nose at all.

 

[Womanwithnoname]

Sorry to hear that. Sadly, this is why they (businesses in general) rarely get challenged - because they know that people simply don't have the time and energy. If we want to challenge something, we have to do it in our own time outside of lifes challenges, chores and working hours. People simply don't have the spare time or energy to waste on things like this.

When businesses need to challenge or defend anything, its done in their business time and the staff are being paid to do it - so it's no skin off their nose at all.

Thank you for you kind reply
My usual self would absolutely challenge this Gemporia behaviour, but due to what was happening I simply could not ”spare a frown” at the time.
In the past I have had a couple similarly strange experiences with them, each time I did ask for the option “D” and their “Friendly” customer services managers … “ TEAM LEADERS” ( as I was corrected by the “friendly” customer services nincompoops) eventually sorted it out. But it took me having to call them back over several days having to explain the problem over and over again before it was sorted.

I am sure I could have got a full refund on that necklace if I had the time/energy at the time, but that was THE MOMENT that made me realise that I no longer want to spend my energy or hard earned money with Gemporia .

I have acquired some beautiful pieces from them in the past and grateful to own rare beautiful gemstones and bespoke cut designs. I have also learned a huge deal about the gemstones watching Gemporia and THIS FORUM, amazingly knowledgeable people here .

All the shenanigans with my shopping experience and general state of affairs with the main channel has turned me off buying again
for now.

BUT I do watch the shows eager to hear about the gems I don’t know, see what they are, explore the internet and come here to read, ask and learn from people who know their gems!

Gemporia has gone down, but retained one special quality - they do offer rare gems and ….hours of free lectures
( I now know that type A Jade, it comes in 1000000 shades of snot, but named in accordance to Dave‘s special torch and vision)

I love reading this forum for the smiles and laughter reading it gives me too when the day is hard!
Thank you forumers
xxx

 

[leslie61]

I am baffled at the whole endeavour?

In retrospect, I probably should have asked to speak to more senior member of team to at least
discuss the issue?

Sadly at that point in time I had very stressful time in life to have any energy to dispute this with Gemporia.

Needless to say that I am very reluctant to buy from them again

They're a disgrace

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Credit where credit is due at Gemporia - there is one guy at Gemporia that was ALWAYS brilliant whenever you were lucky enough to get him answering your call. A chap called Ken. He was always very polite, very helpful, and if he wasn't sure about something, he'd go out of his way to find out - not fob you off like some of the others do. I really hope he's still there and wasn't one of those that suffered from the redundancies.

 

[historymystery]

What happened to their Aryonna silver settings? Good quality, creatively set stones and a good gram weight. Silver is more lustrous than gold and quite a lot of people actually prefer it.

I haven't bought for ages, but even on screen you can tell how flimsy some of the silver bits are, without bothering to check the weights on the 'Details' part of the screen. They used to offer really heavyweight silver jewellery set with a single stone such as black agate, lapis lazuli, citrine or moonstone - I bought pendants from them weighing over 7 grams (and a couple weighing much more) set with a large stone. Remember the Tookalon range, anyone? Now they were heavy items! None of the silver pendants I bought cost me more than £20, in fact usually a lot less, as I bought in the sales, which were good sales then. They're hallmarked and the silver hasn't tarnished, in spite of being worn so much over the years. They were nice items and good designs you'd be proud to give as gifts, but you'd be embarrassed to give what they're offering now. OK, we know times change and so do prices, but they are asking top dollar now for flimsy tat.

 

[rubia]

I haven't bought for ages, but even on screen you can tell how flimsy some of the silver bits are, without bothering to check the weights on the 'Details' part of the screen. They used to offer really heavyweight silver jewellery set with a single stone such as black agate, lapis lazuli, citrine or moonstone - I bought pendants from them weighing over 7 grams (and a couple weighing much more) set with a large stone. Remember the Tookalon range, anyone? Now they were heavy items! None of the silver pendants I bought cost me more than £20, in fact usually a lot less, as I bought in the sales, which were good sales then. They're hallmarked and the silver hasn't tarnished, in spite of being worn so much over the years. They were nice items and good designs you'd be proud to give as gifts, but you'd be embarrassed to give what they're offering now. OK, we know times change and so do prices, but they are asking top dollar now for flimsy tat.

Absolutely agree

 

[historymystery]

It baffles me how they get their GIA accreditations.

Cheralene Lavery only ever talked about the "light is dancing out of this" and "Tanzanite is 10,000 times rarer than a Diamond" - that was as far as her 'knowledge' stretched.

Jess Foley, on Saturday, was selling a very cloudy, cabochon cut, translucent Aquamarine with a slight Cats Eye effect, which she described as "top quality, irridescent grade". Well, there are so many things wrong with that sentence. First of all, if it was 'top quality', it would not have been translucent, it would not display a cats eye, and it would not be cabochon cut. A stone needs to be VERY heavily included to achieve a cats eye effect. Inclusions and 'top grade' are totally incompatible. Secondly, iridescence is a rainbow-effect coming from the stone. Aquamarine does not show iridescence. What she actually meant was adularescence. Thirdly, there is no such thing as 'irridescent grade'. Iridescence (and adularescence) are phenomena / effects. Grading is assessed on clarity and colour.

If they don't know what they're talking about, they'd be best not saying anything at all - or do as Lynn Jinks does, and repeat 'this is completely natural' and 'you only pay one P&P in any one day' repeatedly for every single item just to pass the time.

There are so many presenters that are just WAY out of their depth on Gems TV - long gone are the days of the knowledgeable presenters such as Scott Worsfold, Rae Carpenter, Lara De-Leuw, Matt Macnamara, etc.

Remember when they took on Peter Simon and he only lasted a month because the silly old fool was way out of his depth on Gems TV? He'd fit right in on the current Gems TV! He'd actually look competent alongside Lyndsey Carr and Jess! Not only with the gold tone...... Not only with the Jadeite........ Not only with the dyed Agate.......... not only with the filled Rubies...............

Oh gawd, don't get Pete back on....he'd only bring those bl%%dy awful 'countryside scene' paintings with him that he's been flogging since 1802, and at the same time trying to tell us we could flog them to the National Gallery for a fortune in the future (who needs a Pre-Raphaelite painting when you could have one of Pete's painting-by-numbers pictures?). And don't forget to get them insured, folks, will you?

 

[TheManWithNoName]

It would be unfair to expect any retailer to still charge the prices that they were charging a few years ago. Things have happened that have pushed prices up - such as Brexit, Covid, inflation, etc.

So it would be perfectly fair, as an example, to pay for more for a 5 gram silver ring than 3 or 4 years ago. I have no issue at all for paying more for the SAME weights as they offered previously.

What I do object to is them, essentially, "saving twice". They've pushed their prices UP - but weights have come DOWN. That is not on at all.

Either keep your prices the same but for less weight - or push the prices up for the same weight.

Cutting weights while pushing up prices just screams "rip off" rather than "inflation".

They can't keep trying to blame everything on 'external issues' - like Steve Bennett did last March when he announced his 'comeback'.

Just before Christmas, Gemporia were charging the same price for HALF A GRAM chains as Cooksongold were for ONE FULL GRAM chains. If Cooksongold are still making a profit on their gold at their prices, then Gemporia sure as hell are when they're charging the same prices for half as much gold.

 

[historymystery]

Thank you for you kind reply
My usual self would absolutely challenge this Gemporia behaviour, but due to what was happening I simply could not ”spare a frown” at the time.
In the past I have had a couple similarly strange experiences with them, each time I did ask for the option “D” and their “Friendly” customer services managers … “ TEAM LEADERS” ( as I was corrected by the “friendly” customer services nincompoops) eventually sorted it out. But it took me having to call them back over several days having to explain the problem over and over again before it was sorted.

I am sure I could have got a full refund on that necklace if I had the time/energy at the time, but that was THE MOMENT that made me realise that I no longer want to spend my energy or hard earned money with Gemporia .

I have acquired some beautiful pieces from them in the past and grateful to own rare beautiful gemstones and bespoke cut designs. I have also learned a huge deal about the gemstones watching Gemporia and THIS FORUM, amazingly knowledgeable people here .

All the shenanigans with my shopping experience and general state of affairs with the main channel has turned me off buying again
for now.

BUT I do watch the shows eager to hear about the gems I don’t know, see what they are, explore the internet and come here to read, ask and learn from people who know their gems!

Gemporia has gone down, but retained one special quality - they do offer rare gems and ….hours of free lectures
( I now know that type A Jade, it comes in 1000000 shades of snot, but named in accordance to Dave‘s special torch and vision)

I love reading this forum for the smiles and laughter reading it gives me too when the day is hard!
Thank you forumers
xxx

Do hope things are better now for you.

You are doing exactly what I now do when I tune in to Gems about once a week - listen to (some of) the spiel from the presenters and look at the stones, then do some research for myself, using the internet or reading what the very knowledgeable folk post on here. And I also enjoy the humour you find on here - unfortunately humour is in short supply at Gems, it's all the bloomin' hard sell and shrieking harpies (although what a loss to the world of comedy is Jade Troth?).

 

[AndyW]

...Remember the Tookalon range, anyone? Now they were heavy items! None of the silver pendants I bought cost me more than £20, in fact usually a lot less, as I bought in the sales, which were good sales then. They're hallmarked and the silver hasn't tarnished, in spite of being worn so much over the years. They were nice items and good designs you'd be proud to give as gifts, ...

Bang on. Great range. Some lovely pieces were perfect gifts. I bought quite a few pieces of neckwear for best mate's two young daughters to wear when they grew up, to go out on the town with their mates. Not flimsy & bezel set (mostly). Those were the days.

 

[historymystery]

Bang on. Great range. Some lovely pieces were perfect gifts. I bought quite a few pieces of neckwear for best mate's two young daughters to wear when they grew up, to go out on the town with their mates. Not flimsy & bezel set (mostly). Those were the days.

I treasure the ones I bought and have worn them so much over the years. They are designs that don't date, not gimmicky. You can't even begin to compare the real quality of those days with what's on there now.

 

[Ostrichkeeper]

Ellis is actually acting all annoyed and there’s lots of head shaking at the very low prices. Any pearls you see you must buy says she. She can’t get over seeing the pearls she’s selling ffs! Those long, piano key shaped pearls aren’t rare at all Ellis.They are easy to find.She’s making a big deal out of them not being nucleated. In reality it doesn’t even matter.I hate that they try to make out that something makes the item more valuable but it’s bulls***.

 

[LV73]

As it says on the tin......

Gemporia have lost a lot of our trust and / or custom it seems. What would make you switch back to Gemporia?

These are the crucial things that would win me back:

1. Make viewing enjoyable again. I don't want to be waffled to for half an hour. I don't want to look at numerous dubious price comparisons. I don't want to be patronised. I don't want singing to. I don't want to be told I should trust a presenter via a 'Game of Trust' auction after that very same presenter had an ASA adjudication against them that showed they're not trustworthy. I don't want to be told to multi-buy everything. I don't want "educating" - especially from Lindsey Carr! I don't want to be shown how to use the app every 5 minutes. I don't want to be told "how to play" - spending £3000 on a Lorique ring is not a "game". Go back to the enjoyable, informative, but more 'relaxed' ways of selling.

2. Sell things for what they are. Don't tell me a wishy-washy Jadeite carving of an undistinguishable thingymabob in gold tone is a 'heirloom' piece. Don't price compare a dyed £20 Opal to a natural £120,000 rare natural black opal. If you're flogging a £150 1ct Tourmaline and heavily included accent diamonds 9ct gold ring, then price match it against another £150 1ct Tourmaline and heavily included accent diamonds 9ct gold ring at H Samuel - not against an 8ct Tourmaline with VSI grade Diamonds set in platinum from a designer brand.

3. Price accordingly. A dyed Agate pendant in gold tone is cheap costume jewellery. It is worth about £20 - not £99.99p. Sell it as costume jewellery. Don't patronise us by telling us its an heirloom piece. A filled Emerald in Gold is NOT worth the same as a natural or oiled Emerald in gold. A dyed Lapis pendant is not worth the same as an untreated Lapis pendant. Stop taking us for mugs!

4. Win back our trust. If your products really are as high a quality as you try to make us believe using, quotes like "it's an heirloom piece", "It can be passed down from generation to generation", "get it valued" or "I can't give you investment advice but...........", then why do you only offer the statutory minimum of 6 months warranty? If you stood by your products, you'd offer a 2 or 3 year warranty at least - particularly on more expensive items such as Lorique or Tomas Rae items. If you're going to claim something is going to last for years, then BACK IT UP WITH A REASONABLE WARRANTY!

5. Be honest and transparent. Stop the ludicrous claims. Stop 'pushing' treatments off on-screen descriptions so that they can't be seen. Stop selling GREEN Tourmaline as Indicolite! Stop selling PINK sapphires as Padparadscha Sapphires.

What was the ASA judgement against Ellis for? And how did you find out?

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Ellis is actually acting all annoyed and there’s lots of head shaking at the very low prices. Any pearls you see you must buy says she. She can’t get over seeing the pearls she’s selling ffs! Those long, piano key shaped pearls aren’t rare at all Ellis.They are easy to find.She’s making a big deal out of them not being nucleated. In reality it doesn’t even matter.I hate that they try to make out that something makes the item more valuable but it’s bulls***.

Cultured Pearls and Nucleated Pearls are both formed through human intervention - and both formed by inserting an 'irritant' into the shell.

The only real difference is that Nucleated Pearls can have a large bead inserted inside rather than just a small irritant - so a 12mm Nucleated Pearl could have an 11mm bead inside it.

Her description was irrelevant in this pitch though because the pearls were elongated rather than round. You can hardly put a round bead inside something that is long and narrow in shape.

It was just unnecessary spiel used to 'pad out' the time, and to 'glamourise' the pearls simply thorough bombarding viewers with irrelevant and pointless information.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

What was the ASA judgement against Ellis for? And how did you find out?

I found out because it was me that reported it - so the ASA kept me updated on their investigation. The final ruling also gets posted on the ASA website too:

Gemporia Ltd

www.asa.org.uk

But, basically, Ellis flogged a Tanzanite ring in a so-called auction for £79.99p. She claimed that "We’re going to take it under a hundred pounds its brand new, something’s gone wrong there, no wonder everybody’s gone for this" - implying to viewers that the price of £79.99p was a mistake, it should have sold for more, and people should rush to 'pick up the phone and buy'.

But at THE EXACT SAME TIME she was doing that pitch, the ring was for sale on their website AT FULL PRICE, for just £57.99p

 

[rubia]

I found out because it was me that reported it - so the ASA kept me updated on their investigation. The final ruling also gets posted on the ASA website too:

Gemporia Ltd

www.asa.org.uk

But, basically, Ellis flogged a Tanzanite ring in a so-called auction for £79.99p. She claimed that "We’re going to take it under a hundred pounds its brand new, something’s gone wrong there, no wonder everybody’s gone for this" - implying to viewers that the price of £79.99p was a mistake, it should have sold for more, and people should rush to 'pick up the phone and buy'.

But at THE EXACT SAME TIME she was doing that pitch, the ring was for sale on their website AT FULL PRICE, for just £57.99p

Oh my word, thats SHOCKING but to be honest I'm not surprised anymore by their underhanded ways or their dishonest presenters..