GemsTV - Coated Diamonds

[Meeshoo]

It is my opinion that GemsTV should imform their customers that they were missold diamonds, I want them to act because it is unfair on each and every customer.

It is not a witch hunt this is trying to get GemsTV to do the right thing, something for some strange reason you don't want.

Graham - why are you attacking me for having a different viewpoint than you, saying I don't want them to contact people? Have you asked me that? That's a huge assumption. Actually I DO think they should contact people but I'm in no more of a position than you are to tell them what to do. If they choose not to then that's their business.

I personally don't care what you do but nobody on here has been complaining! I could understand your fury and frustration if that were the case. I'm sure you'll carry on regardless but you seem to be championing a cause that even if they do what you want, you wouldn't know!!!

 

[Miss Kitty]

Although I've been treated fairly and refunded with no quibble for the items I bought it only happened because of the pressure applied on this forum. I do agree that GEMS should have proactively written to everyone who purchased jewellery that was misrepresented because of the treatments non-disclosure, and I'm not talking just about coated diamonds. It would have been a very simple task to obtain the information from their database and I would hope they will still do this.

I agree with Sue.

Some people paid a great deal of money for those pink diamonds when they first came out. They may well be wearing them every day as eternity/engagement rings. Normal diamonds can take a great deal of punishment, including being dipped in household cleaning solutions. I doubt if the coated ones will behave in the same way.

They should write to everyone, especially as

"Many customers have actually decided to keep their coated diamonds once they have learnt what the coating process entails, the benefits it brings and how common the practice actually is."​

 

[MissMagpie]

I have absolutely nothing against Gems TV - I have had some beautiful pieces, and continue to be an enthusiastic purchaser. I also agree that ALL the channels should be more transparent about their gemstone treatments.

BUT something smells especially fishy about this. In offering refunds and changing the descriptions, Gems have essentially admitted that they were wrong with their sale of the pink coated diamonds. Although the prices have been reduced now, when they were originally on sale these "pink diamonds" were VERY expensive - about twice the price, as I recall, of the other (non-coated) colours. Sure, one might expect to pay a premium for pink irradiated diamonds as pink is a high-fashion colour right now, but you wouldn't expect to pay more for an inferior product.

Customers who don't follow ST.com can't realistically be expected to work out for themselves that the pink diamond descriptions have been changed - not everyone watches as obsessively as we do, and not everyone looks at the website. If viewers did notice the word 'coated' in the descriptions, they might just assume it was a different item (especially as the prices are a lot lower now).

I'm impressed that Gems are trying to be transparent now, including changing descriptions from 'paraiba' to 'Mozambique' tourmaline. But if they want to be really transparent, they SHOULD contact all the customers who have bought pink coated diamonds, rather than waiting for customers to contact them.

They give the impression that they are banking on many or most customers NOT contacting them, so they won't have to offer so many refunds. And I'm sure this issue has cost them a fortune - but that's not the customers' fault.

 

[rocksandcofan]

Are you now employed by GemsTV????

It is a fair point isn't it? ie that it shouldnt just be gemsTV singled out for condemnation.

Why not have a word with some of the others such as TJC, Rocksandco et al and see what that are prepared to say on the same matter.

 

[PrincessRacer]

I agree with MissM. We know about this due to the information on this forum. My mum has purchased mahoosive amounts from Gems over the years, and but for me mentioning to her what I have seen on here, she would be none the wiser. It would be a foolish to assume that the majority of affected Gems customers read ST (sorry Graham!) and have therefore been able to take advantage of Gems offer of further investigation and refunds.

How many people like my Mum who don't come on here are wondering around in blissful ignorance? We all stomped our feet and generally spat the dummy to kingdom come to find out the truth once the initial rumour surfaced and get some action, so don't the people who don't read ST deserve for us to kick up a stink on their behalf too to ensure that they, as well as us, receive the information they deserve????

oooo I've come over all Citizen Smith...Power To The People and all that!!!

 

[debsie]

Coming into this late, so forgive me if I'm saying something that has been said before.

I have spent a small fortune with GTV over the years and wasted many an hour watching the channels. How many times have we heard them say 'our experts'? whether that means the gem hunters, the cutters, the setters etc. And lets face it they should be experts in their field. My point is this, how come their experts didn't spot that the diamonds were coated? My local jeweller does just that using the diamond testing machine - if the readings are lower than expected, it could well mean the diamond is coated. OK, so thats not especially scientific and there would obviously need to be a lot further testing, but if a tested diamond doesn't reach the 'yes I'm 100% diamond' mark surely its enough to suggest something could be adrift. (He's tested one of my pink diamond rings, and the reading was not as high as it would be for an uncoated diamond - showing something suspicious) I shouldn't but I now wonder if they actually test any of the stones they buy, or if they take someones word that its a 'genuine' stone. I wonder about the quality of other diamonds - are they lasered? With regard to the Ceylon Pad's are any other sapphires treated in ways we don't know? With the now disclosed treatments of Majestic Rubies, are other rubies also affected? What about Majestic Emeralds? So many questions, and for me personally, still no answers.

Despite e-mails sent to GTV, I've heard nothing - either in the form of a letter, e-mail or phone call, and have to admit to being thoroughly peeved and extremely disappointed about that.

Will I buy again? Have to wait and see is the most truthful answer, as I have had some lovely things from them, good quality, good value and good service, but at the moment my buying from them is on hold until they can restore my faith in their methods of testing stones - I don't want to go through another situation like this with something different.

This must have damaged their reputation a huge amount, which is a pity, as they can be brilliant at their best, so lets hope they can turn it around as it'd be very sad to see them vanish completely.

 

[vegasplayer]

may I say that this website is doing a huge service to those people who have bought pink diamonds from Gems TV over the years

there is undoubtedly an issue here with mis-selling of goods, and there would be (i have a sister in the jewellery trade) a considerable price difference in terms of valuation value and purchase price between naturally pink diamonds and coated alternatives.

whether or not people are complaining here, a company that acknowledges that it has made a mistake should be proactive in its approach, should contact all customers concerned and give them the choice. look at what has happened with toyota. IF that situation had been left and they had waited for more people to come back about the brake and accelorator problems, how many more people would have died unnecessarily.

I will repeat with respect that everyone will have their opinion - but no opinion is definitive. I, for one salute this website for being on the side of the consumer and assisting in the moral compass when it comes to how these channels operate.