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Ben Bridge Jeweler
Although, normally over the years...Great, last time absolutely horrific. by Nancy Hathaway, 6/24/2004 I doubt this would ever get published...but I would like you to know how unhappy I am. just about 3 years ago...I gave my diamond to my daughters future husband, to take to Ben Bridge in Brea, Ca. A place I happily shopped and paid cash many times over the years that I lived there. They took my diamond, told me what a great quality it was, (bought 38 years ago). sent it out to have the diamond taken out...asked for the ring back to have a different stone put in it, as it was very sentimental to me. When I got it back, I had to fight the tears, the prongs around the diamond we're not pulled up to let the diamond out....it was chopped, as if you were chopping toenails! just clipped right off. destroying the beauty of the old setting... I asked the manager why they did that, she said because they had to. I told her that's not true, it could have been done without damage to my ring. She promised me, she would have it fixed...sent it out, they told her it could not be fixed. My heart was broken, my daughter was with me, and I tried very hard not to cry in front of her. I went home and cried like a baby. I know it sounds silly (as your representative told me "get over it"!) she did not realize the extent of what had happened to us in our personal life, losing everything because of horrific car accident my husband was in. leaving him totally disabled in a wheelchair, fighting with the workers comp. company for over 5 years, and in the process, losing.....stocks, bonds, home, vehicles...etc...right down to the bare necessities. All I had left were the things that meant the most to me, pictures and a few pieces of jewelry left. Many which were purchased at the Brea, Ben Bridge store. I always valued their store, and sent many people there. Now here I was hurt, angry, disappointed. No where to turn, but back to the store. Talked to the manager again, and was told, okay we'll replace the setting and you'll still have your band...I psyched myself for that alteration. My son-in-law by now, had an emerald put into it. When I got the ring back again, I saw that it wasn't like the original setting. Now I was being told that they couldn't fix it, so they replaced it. Well, it looked nothing like my setting and looking at it made me cry. I had lost the beauty of the first thing my husband ever gave to me. Now my daughter saw how hurt I was. She felt very angry and discouraged. the manager then offered to let me look in the book and find one like mine, I had pictures of mine, because I loved it so much, I was always taking pictures of it or sketching pictures of it. I found one similar and said I'll try this one....when it came back....they had gotten rid of my band, and gave me a whole different ring. Now I had a ring, with absolutely no meaning to it what so ever. just a ring. I had just found out at the time that I had cancer, so the ring was put on the back burner. I couldn't bring myself to wear it, and while I was ill my husband had the emerald taken out by a jeweler....he told my husband the emerald had a chip..Now I had never worn the ring, so therefore, I couldn't possibly have done it. My husband had that jeweler put in a zirconia, to see if that would make the difference. He brought it home to me and I told him thank you, but it just wasn't the same, and never would be. The whole ring was totally different than mine. My ring was lost forever. My daughter finally decided to take matters into her own hands, and started making calls....through the months she got no where with Ben Bridge. While taking me out one day during chemo, we stopped at a jeweler in the Fig Garden, Fresno, CA.....he was very empathetic to my cancer situation, which was pretty obvious with a bald head. His mom had passed away from breast cancer. I ended up asking him what he would do about my situation with Ben Bridge. He informed me that he knew Mr. Brigdge personally and that he was a very nice man, who would want to know the story of what happened, and he would want to correct it. I said well, a couple of years has gone by now, but my heart still breaks when I look down at my naked hand. He told me not to give up, to get in touch with the head people of Mr. Bridges company. I took that advice, believing that he was a good and honest man. The person I talked to, was rude....unsympathetic...and cold. Offered me a piece of jewelry of any kind to replace it. I felt as though I was being bought...or bribed to shut up. Already losing all I had over my life time, then going through a horrific cancer treatment, losing both breasts...being told they weren't sure they got it all, I felt like I just couldn't fight about a ring. I tried to explain to the person that my heart wasn't in it...her answer was "you need to get over it"...it's not the end of the world, and proceeds to tell me her hard luck story of losing her mother. Well, I lost my mother too....when I was younger. What did that have to do with what was going on with my ring. She got frustrated, as did I...Working in sales, and managing stores all of my adult life from the age of 19 years old...then owning my own business, I knew how to treat a customer, and what I would do to rectify any problem to satisfy my customers. I told her, I thought she was cold, and rude, all the time talking softly, because I did NOT have the energy to do otherwise. She then told me to think about what I wanted from Ben Bridge Jewelers that would make me happy about the situation. Then she told me to call her when I figured that out. a couple of months went by and I still hadn't called, but my treatments were done, I was starting to feel a bit better... I could now think clearly. I wanted desperately to walk the 60 mile 3 day walk in October of this year. When I called, I told the person I talked to, that I all I wanted was for Ben Bridge to sponsor me for that walk. She told me what a very unselfish thing to do...and she personally was going to send me a check for $100 to donate toward my walk. You see, you have to come up with $2,000 of donations to walk. Well, I didn't have the energy to run around trying to get the donations....and I still don't have a lot of energy...but I've been practicing walking and getting better each day. She told me she would bring this up to Mr. Bridge personally, and she was sure, he would think this was a very unselfish act, and would probably do it. My hopes went up, and I felt for the first time, like the ring was destroyed for a good cause. It's been over 4 months, the walk is closer...and I have not heard ONE word from Mr. Ben Bridge, or his employee, who was supposedly the vice president, or president. So needless to say, here I am writing to you, I don't expect anything from Mr. Bridge anymore...or his company. I feel what I asked was minimal...and not for myself. I am very disappointed in Mr. Bridge... here is a list of things my husband and I purchased from as far back as 1980's. LOVE KNOTT---NECKLACE WITH DIAMOND LOVE KNOTT--BRACELET WITH DIAMOND LOVE KNOTT--EARRINGS WITH DIAMONDS CHARM NECKLACE, GOLD GOLD CHARMS HAD A COPY OF ANTIQUE RING MADE OUT OF SOLID GOLD WITH DIAMOND FOR DAUGHTERS GRADUATION BIRTHSTONE RING FOR ANOTHER DAUGHTER FOR 16 B'DAY BABY RINGS FOR FIRST TWO GRANDAUGHTERS BABY BRACELETS EMERALD EARRINGS RUBY RING/ANTIQUE LOOKING A BEAUTIFUL WATCH FOR MY HUSBAND MANY REPAIRS FEW ODDS AND ENDS FOR GIFTS FOR OTHER PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS. I felt I deserved a little more than "get over it" from a high up employee of Mr. Bridge. Obviously I was wrong, and I'm truly sorry he doesn't think I'm worth sponsoring for the cancer walk. I didn't want a piece of jewelry, but I would have accepted one that was exciting enough to raffle for the sponsorship. Nothing being done at all at this point, and never hearing from anyone, is as if I was just a little person that didn't matter, disappoints me terribly. Sincerely, Nancy I have just noticed the below survey, you don't say wether #1 is excellent or poor, I'm assuming it's excellent, and #10 would be poor..... |
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