[sunshinyday]

I’m hoping someone out there can help me with this situation. I Purchased a gold bracelet at a well-known consignment store in Sarasota. It was listed as 14 karat gold and they gave me an appraisal from someone who has a NGJA membership number stating it’s 14 karat gold and the value. I excepted this information is factual and accurate. The consignment store donates their profits to support of the arts, and the price tag says “as is”, and the receipt states “no refunds no exchanges”.

When I got home and I showed the bracelet to my significant other, he noticed that it is stamped 18 karat gold over 925 sterling silver, which means it’s basically a sterling silver bracelet with gold electroplate. So even though they gave me a an appraisal certificate, it’s basically fraudulent because how could an educated gemologist miss the stamp?

I’m just wondering if I have any rights because their policy is so clear that there’s no refunds, I’m thinking this is fraud, since they misrepresented the actual gold content of the bracelet, based on their appraiser’s information. This was a significant purchase, over a thousand dollars, and the bracelet is probably worth less than $100 at a pawn shop.

I will be heading back there tomorrow to ask for a refund, but I am sure that they will not be too happy to return the money. I can file a police report for theft or for fraud, I guess, and try to do the same to the appraiser who wrote the appraisal, if I can locate him, but I’m just not sure what to do. I’m not even sure if I dispute the purchase through my credit card if I have a leg to stand on when it says no refund. I’ve never had anything like this happen.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

[markjames68]

File a police report and then contact your credit card issuer if they don’t refund you. “No refunds” doesn’t cover misrepresentation or fraud.

[aax]

Call Artimis Ayala's office.

[bbronston]

I think it is reasonable to expect them to take it back and refund your money IF they don't take the position that the bracelet you are returning is not the same bracelet you purchased. Hopefully, the design is unique and memorable enough that the chances of your being able to find a same-looking bracelet are essentially zero.

[sunshinyday]

OP here,

Thanks All. At first they wanted me to get an appraisal from someone else. In the end, I was able to get a refund, but only after telling them I needed to get a police report. After that they changed their mind.

I Will be more careful in the future!

[bbronston]

Glad to see it was the right outcome.

[markjames68]

Originally Posted by sunshinyday

OP here,

Thanks All. At first they wanted me to get an appraisal from someone else. In the end, I was able to get a refund, but only after telling them I needed to get a police report. After that they changed their mind.

I Will be more careful in the future!

Excellent outcome. The fact that it was over $1000 also meant it would likely be a felony.