When things go wrong...

[ElsieBear]

Hi
I wish I had found this website before I made my first purchase from ROCKS & CO. I have watched it for many years but hadn't bought anything. I have purchased many times from the other jewellery channels.
I thought about buying a Tanzanite and decided that I was going to do it - I wanted the best (so I thought) and went for a ONE Collection. They were so helpful trying to find me the perfect ring at a price that I could comfortably afford. Eventually I was emailed a selection of sixteen new designs. I ordered it, and it was delivered. I must say on first glance the tanzanite colour was stunning - but the diamonds so small you could hardly see them and some had a dark tinge too - Which is surprising as they bang on about the One Collection diamonds as being only the best! I looked at the underside of the ring - it showed a lack of finesse in quality as the setting of some of the diamonds were not visible, thereby not able to allow any light back through. I couldn't get my head round the cheapness of the back and decided that it had to go back. I needed to feel really proud of the whole ring...
I sent it back via special delivery (£10.55) they received it back Tue 4th Sep. no acknowledgement from them (unlike GEMS TV) to say they had received it back, no follow up email to give me a date of expected refund (unlike GEMS TV). I sent numerous emails and eventually had an email from them 5.20pm Thursday evening, saying refunds are 30 days, as per T&C although they aim to put it back into your account within 10 days. I have learnt a lesson. Don't spend big bucks with ROCKS and Co as it all becomes too stressful. I got swept along with the hype and Don's sales pitch. As they say, there is no fool like an old fool. I will let you know when the money is back in my account - don't say you haven't been warned!

 

[jacqualina]

Sorry to hear about your disappointment with the tanzanite ring. I have sent items back to Rocks&Co in the past and have had an almost immediate refund, but perhaps things have changed. On the other hand, I've had to wait a ridiculous amount of time for refunds from Gemstv, but again, things may have changed because I have been so disillusioned with them, I haven't bought a thing for over eight months.
Have you considered TJC for tanzanite? Their Iliana diamonds are usually very good and their tanzanite can be stunning, though I have noticed what seems like a steep price rise recently.

 

[Oops-a-daisy!]

I'm sorry too that your shopping experience turned out to be so stressful. I don't tend to buy jewellery these days from the channels, but I did buy a few pieces in July/early August that caught my eye.
They all were returned except for one bracelet. I have to say the quality was fine - not comparable to custom made from a jeweller - but good enough. Anyway, I wanted to let you know that it took 16 days to get a refund for one of my orders and 18 days for the second.

Hope you can find a Tanzanite ring soon that will really make you smile. I must admit I have been watching the ONE shows that Don has been presenting over the past few weeks. Some of the designs are really nice, with good weights of VS diamonds and 18k gold. However, it doesn't bode well if the quality of workmanship is not up to par, considering the prices they are going for.

 

[Greenie]

I have returned my last two orders from Rocks - one was a zultanite ring costing £2,600 and the other a sphalerite costing £800. Both items took the whole 30 days to be refunded, thus incurring interest on my credit card bill! I don't mind so much when it's a small amount but when they owe you nearly £4,000 it is a bit much. I won't be buying any more expensive items from them.

 

[ElsieBear]

When things go wrong

I have returned my last two orders from Rocks - one was a zultanite ring costing £2,600 and the other a sphalerite costing £800. Both items took the whole 30 days to be refunded, thus incurring interest on my credit card bill! I don't mind so much when it's a small amount but when they owe you nearly £4,000 it is a bit much. I won't be buying any more expensive items from them.

Thanks to you all for replying. However, Greenie I feel sick in the pit of my stomach reading yours...
My husband asked me why did I groan just now - I read your reply and he just raised his eyebrow! I think something should be done in law to make these companies refund money back quicker. As they can take seconds to remove it why they need 30 days is beyond me. Is that because the volume of returned goods is so great, they are overwhelmed? I had looked for this tanzanite ring on the other channels, as I said, but this experience - the money isn't back yet in our account - has definitely put me right off buying any further bling. Funny really, you get swept up in the excitement of having this gem stone or that, it gets worn for a week or two only to be put away, then you are on to the next thing. I've only bought fairly inexpensive items before, especially since I'm retired now, but this was to be my special item of quality... I know that there are many of you that have bought from jewellery channels and have been happy but I won't be going down that route again. I will update my refund status as soon as it comes back - watch this space!

 

[ElsieBear]

I'm sorry too that your shopping experience turned out to be so stressful. I don't tend to buy jewellery these days from the channels, but I did buy a few pieces in July/early August that caught my eye.
They all were returned except for one bracelet. I have to say the quality was fine - not comparable to custom made from a jeweller - but good enough. Anyway, I wanted to let you know that it took 16 days to get a refund for one of my orders and 18 days for the second.

Hope you can find a Tanzanite ring soon that will really make you smile. I must admit I have been watching the ONE shows that Don has been presenting over the past few weeks. Some of the designs are really nice, with good weights of VS diamonds and 18k gold. However, it doesn't bode well if the quality of workmanship is not up to par, considering the prices they are going for.

First things first - my husband has just checked our account and low and behold the refund has been put back in. I feel SO relieved, so relieved... But it hasn't changed my resolve, I won't be buying again. We recently went shopping and I looked in few jewellers windows at the tanzanite they had. We pressed the button for the door to open, we're welcomed with a coffee - you know the sort of place. The standard of the rings were breathtaking, exemplary. But as you also know they come at a cost. Prices ranged for a two carat Tanzanite with .75ct VS diamonds, 18ct yellow gold from £4.750 to a 3.36ct Tanzanite, yellow gold, two trilliant diamonds VS .42ct in total set in platinum - I SO wanted that ring. It cost £4,995 which I thought compared to the other was quite reasonable. I had fallen in love with it. But my husband didn't seem to pick up on the vibe. I even mentioned that it fitted! Never mind, a 'girl' can dream.

Just reading through your post and you mention the good diamond weights with The One Collection, but as I've said the ones in my ring were so small, they were like dust. I ought to mention that I bought this ring straight from an email picture, it hadn't been shown on tv - So I wasn't able to get a 'good look' at it.

I'm going to have a coffee now and calm down. The sun is shining, washing is on and my husband is relaxed too...bye from a happy ElsieBear!

 

[Oops-a-daisy!]

Hi Elsiebear.

I'm so happy to hear that you've now been refunded and are able to breathe a sigh of relief. I'd be anxious too if I were waiting for a large sum to appear back into my account and can understand why you wouldn't want to repeat the experience. The Tanzanite ring sounds lovely in the Jewellers and it's a shame your husband didn't take the hint. :grin: It's funny how husbands always hear you though whenever you say, 'do you fancy an early night?' :wink: :blush:

Of course, you pay a premium shopping at a fancy High Street Jewellers, but the price does seem high to me and especially so, considering this stone needs some care and attention. I'd be afraid to wear it if I'd paid that much. Still, it sounds like you had fun, even though you didn't end up buying anything - this time!

Good Luck in finding your dream ring and may it be a pleasurable experience, as bling shopping should be. :nod:

 

[Diamond Diva]

Hi Elisebear

I haven't bought much from Rocks and what I have has always been a disappointment so I do sympathise with you but luckily I haven't had any refund problems.

If you really want a decent quality Tanzanite I don't think you can go wrong buying from TJC, I've bought a lot from them over the last four or five years mostly their higher end pieces. The quality of Tanzanite in their Iliana range is AAA with G-H SI diamonds and their Rhapsody range AAAA with F-G VS diamonds and it makes a difference whether you buy a blueish purple or purplish blue stone which is down to personal taste. They also have pieces that are certified as well as loose stones should you want to design your own ring.

A couple of years ago I bought a large oval AAA Iliana ring which has an amazing colour surrounded by great diamonds which was valued at six times what I'd paid for it, having said that prices have gone up quite a lot recently!

You can shop on their website or speak to their personal shoppers who will be happy to send you details, sometimes it's difficult to see the items clearly in a picture so they've even taken specific items from the vault, photographed them and emailed those to me !

I can only speak from my own experience's but the Iliana piece's I've returned have been because the style didn't suit me, there's never been an issue with the quality, the refunds have always been very prompt, they send an email saying the item has been received and few days later another one saying the money has been refunded to my account.