I am absolutely astonished at the moment, every year I have visited Goa, I have always had a piece of jewellery made, in a jewellery shop in Calangute. Every year when we return home I have always been pleased with the valuations I have received, they have always been way over what we have paid.
The two blokes that run the shop have become like friends to us, we have always had a meal and a drink with them, visited there homes and have been introduced to there family, and we are always treated with great respect by them.
Last year in my jewellery box, was an old bracelet made of 9ct gold, it weighed 100 grammes, as it was so heavy I very rarely wore it, So I decided to take it to Goa and have it made into something else. We used the same jeweller as usual. I decided to have made, a pair of earrings studded with diamonds, and a matching ring, a pendant that was is my name in Hindi, a pendant in the OM shape, and a fancy gold chain the chain was to weigh 70 grammes, last week I put the items in for valuations.
Just half an hour ago the valuer phoned me to tell me that the valuations had been made but he had some bad news, the chain was made out of silver, and it had been gold plated, the rest of the jewellery was up to standard except the chain.
I am totally amazed that after all these years of our custom, and our referrals to people we have met, about how good these jewellers were, they have received loads of customers from us, who have had a lot of jewellery made there. that they could have swindled us like this.
The chain has been acid tested, the only part of it that is gold, is the actual catch that does up the chain. When I get back to Goa my first stop will be this jewellers, ( I don't know if I am allowed to give the name) and I am really going to give them a mouthful, ( i am not very nice when I lose my temper) if they do not replace the chain with the exact amount of gold that I gave to them, I am going to sit in the cafe, that is on the main street of Calangute, and at the entrance to there shop, and stop every one who enters there shop, and tell them what they have done. I will have a full valuation certificate, that says exactly what the chain is made of.
I have a feeling that this has been done because last year, we were not sure about going back to Goa for another season, we had told them this, it wasn't until our last week there that we had decided to rebook our apartment. So I expect that they thought that once we got home there was very little that we could do about it. Well I am absolutely fuming, I have there email address, and telephone number, I don't know whether to warn them, that I will expect the chain to be made out of the gold that I gave them, or leave it until we get there and just walk into the shop, with the valuation.
My hubby says not to warn them because forewarned is forearmed, I think I will wait until I have calmed down before deciding whether to email or phone them.
Has anything like this happened to any one else onthe forum? I would be interested to find out, what action you took over the situation.
I am reaching boiling point
it has been mentioned to me, that goan friendships are only money deep, and that they are very patient. before anyone has a go at me for saying that, these are not my own thoughts. i personally have had no trouble like that. this was just a warning to me from someone i told we had made several goan friends.
that goan friendships are only money deep
A lot of truth in that. My Ex' went back into a jeweller shop to say hello a few years back after having spent £1000+ before, she was greeted with enthusiasm at first but after saying she was just looking, I could see the dissapointment. The next year they were very 'frosty' and not really interested. We knew exactly the situation.
I've come across the 'I will by dinner madam'... a cheap way to secure sales (few hundred RS to make 70000).
Since I have no need to buy anything this trip except fixed price authentic CDs and probably use buses and not eat much in shacks, it will be interesting to see how little I can spend.
I still have a few friends in Goa but considerably less than I made in the first 3 years of travelling there. The Goans must love westerners especially in this consumer orientated culture we live in these days.
I'm checking with admin re being able to post the name of the jewellers as we may have libel problems. In the meantime I'm sure tomitma won't mind if you ask by pm which jeweller it was.
My hubby says not to warn them because forewarned is forearmed, I think I will wait until I have calmed down before deciding whether to email or phone them.
Why don't you play a game. Go in and say NOTHING about your jewellery. Then ask to see some REALLY expensive pieces worth more than you have been ripped off, watch their enthusiasm and see how greedy (or nervous) they appear... hook them in. THEN hit them with your valuation and suggest, 'well how about I just take this for compensation'. There surely must be someone you can report them to (it's Goa maybe not) ... are they locals or out of state traders?
One thing is for sure, they won't like paying back any RS!
One thing is for sure, they won't like paying back any RS!
I know that I wont be getting any rps back, but I will be wanting something of the same value, I have the exact gramme weight, so I will wait until I get to Goa, and find out off another jeweller what the value of it is, at that time. I think that I will be doing what you have suggested Big neil, they are Kashmiri's and the Goa Tourist police, don't like them very much, last year we nearly got ripped off by an optition, (Kashmiri) we had paid the money up front for hubbies prescription glasses, but they could not get the prism's on the glasses right, they kept on stalling and stalling us, in the end I told them that I would go to the Panjim equivilent of our Trades description people, and the Tourist Police, Within 24 hours of a complaint they issue a warrant of some sort, he came to our apartment within 2 hours with the full amount of money that we had paid.
It will be pointless me barging into the shop demanding a replacement, they will just lock the shop and refuse me entry. it will have to be done craftily, but if that dosent work I think a couple of days of me sitting in the cafe out side there shop, telling everyone about what they have done will soon change there minds. Plus the threat of the Tourist police.
I wasn't going to mention the Kashmiri angle. Wasn't sure if it was OK. Actually the K's let my partner 'borrow' some jewellery to try on for an evening as we had intentions to buy, they knew where we stayed. Promptly showed this to Rocky who said it was s**t. Went back to the K's who were not really happy when we told them that we only wanted a turquoise ring set in silver ... £20. Rocky then got our business £800. Got valuations in UK ... the real deal. I tell you some of these shops in Candolim Beach Rd are dubious, I have worked in sales and can spot a conman a mile off.. these guys are not to be trusted.
Rule: DO NOT BUY ANYTHING OF GREAT EXPENSE OF NON-LOCALS. Sorry if that seems extreme but I think you will have better protection.
I have only bought a few small items of jewellery in Goa but I have come to the conclusion that I am SO ripe to be ripped off because I don't really know anything about gems, gold, silver etc., and they know everything (and all the tricks). I am happy with the few items I have purchased and I am not really bothered if they are worth loads more than I paid for them as they look nice when I wear them. However I have decided now I really don't need any more stuff. The only way to avoid being ripped off is "don't buy" - not easy when you see something in the window that you like. ............If you see some mad woman muttering to herself outside a jewellers and saying "no, don't go in, don't do it - you know you don't need any more jewellery" ......that woman will be ME
I'm so sorry to hear about your very unfortunate experience.
It's hard to believe that someone who you've done business with and even made friends with over a number of years could be so dishonest as to rip you off in this way.
I've just checked gold price on one 'gold for scrap' website and 9ct is £4.54 per gram.
So, they've ripped you off to the tune of almost £320, in addition to the amount you actually paid for the chain to be made.
I can understand how angry you feel about this, I hope that you can get it resolved before you actually go back as I'm sure that it will weigh heavily on your mind until you do.
Good luck, keep us informed.
He told me that on his return to Goa the following year he approached the seller a "K" It turned out that the jewellery makers in candolim who made the chain for him where the ones who peretrated the switch.
IMHO you should give them the opportunity to rectify the problem before you take any drastic action re slurring their name.
It could be that they are unaware of what is going on.
GM06
Ian
The Jeweller has a smelting shop next to the shop that he sells the jewellery in, he proudly brags, that every thing is made on the premises, we have often sat and had a cup of tea, whilst chatting to the boys who are making the jewellery, he will get a chance to rectify it, but I will be armed with all the information that I need, and the action that will need to be taken if he does nothing about it.
This is not a mistake it has been done deliberetly, he was hoping that we would not be going back this year. We didn't make our mind up to return until after the jewellery had been made. If it wasen't for the smelting shop next door, I would like to think that it was a mistake. but it dosen't look like it.
Good luck.
One thing that occurred to me:
I've seen some posts on here where some people have ordered 18ct but have been given 14ct.
If that item is stamped 14ct, then it can be argued that a mistake may have been made.
Maybe the jeweller will say that somehow silver got substituted for your gold and it was then plated.
Is your chain stamped at all?
If it is stamped 375 (i.e. 9ct), then I would be thinking more that he's deliberatley tried to rip you off rather than has made a genuine mistake.
Would a proper jeweller know the difference between gold-plated silver and 9ct gold? I don't know the answer to that.
Would a proper jeweller know the difference between gold-plated silver and 9ct gold?
A very valid point, if its stamped as a particular carat and you have papers to prove it.
Can you PM me with the name of the jewellers as its one to avoid
GM06 Iian
The chain has been acid tested to prove that it is not gold. you can't tell just by looking at it, as it looks like gold, but I have a allergy to silver, that is what made me suspicious, I started getting blisters on my neck every time I wore it,
I bet there are literally hundreds of stories of us poor saps being conned.The long contrick is the most subtle of all as they will literally play the game for as long as it takes.
I am always polite and friendly but make sure I keep a distance from the locals.I know this can sometimes make you seem a little aloof but better that than have the twin disaster of losing money and the hurt of being conned by someone you thought was your friend.
It is indeed a sad world we live in.
Good luck next year in achieving some sort of recompense but I urge you to approach the situation with caution.
Regards
Papa
Tomitma, Sorry to hear about your problem with the jeweller, we had a similar thing with a jeweller in Candolim, where he switched diamonds for poorer ones. All I can say is that when we went back, they did not want to know. My wife has talked to a number of potential customers, and told them of the way that they do business, but I think that they are so big that they do not care. Personally I think that you should tell everyone the name of the jeweller in question. If enough people went in to tell them they know about the switch, then they may be more amenable to making things right for you. At the very least this may prevent someone else being ripped off.
Tomita has made a serious allegation. HT has to protect itself against libel. We can not allow the name to be posted on the forum unfortunately.
In response to Prettypollycat there is no doubt at all that a professional jeweller would be able to tell gold plate from solid gold, whether or not it was stamped or hallmarked.
The other thing you must all be aware of when buying stones, i.e. Diamonds, increasingly some unscrupulous jewellers are selling moissanites in the guise of diamonds. Moissanite are an extremely good diamond equivalent, they even show on a diamond tester and the only way to tell the difference is to have a tester which tests for both diamonds and moissanites, obviously they do not have the same value as the diamond equivalent. If a stone is completely clear, or it's a 'too good to be true deal' - it is exactly that too good to be true. If in doubt make sure you have someone you know and trust check the authenticity of any stone prior to your purchase (someone completely independent of the jeweller)
Gold has a global value, regardless of where you are, and although it is nice to get a valuation once home which is much higher than that paid, you must consider that if you decided to sell the item it would not sell for the valuation, but for scrap price or slightly over.
Very interesting point about moissanite and diamonds, I've read that moissanite can fool some of the thermal probes used for testing.
Quite a worrying thought, really.
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