Signet Jewelers fires back on ‘diamond swapping’ controversy

Signet Jewelers Ltd., whose store banners include Kay Jewelers and Zales, issued a strong rebuttal against charges that its stores swapped customers’ gems for lesser-quality stones while they were in for service.



The controversy started with an article by BuzzFeed about a Maryland woman who said her engagement ring — purchased at a Kay Jewelers store — had its diamond swapped out for a lower-quality manmade stone while in for service. The story quickly went viral on social media.



“We strongly object to recent allegations on social media, republished and grossly amplified, that our team members systematically mishandle customers’ jewelry repairs or engage in ‘diamond swapping,’" Signet stated, "Incidents of misconduct, which are exceedingly rare, are dealt with swiftly and appropriately."



Signet said its in-store teams review with customers the characteristics of an item when it is dropped it off and again when it is picked up following service or repair “to ensure their confidence in the safe return of their original piece said it has.” The company noted that its customer service team has not received an unusual number of complaints related to these procedures.



“In our design and service centers, we manage more than 4,000,000 service and repair transactions each year, and over 99% are completed without negative customer feedback,” the retailer said. “Of those generating negative customer feedback, many are related to either repairs taking longer than expected due to our high standards, or shipping delays, which we work diligently to address in cooperation with our shipping partners.”



Signet operates approximately 3,600 stores primarily under the name brands of Kay Jewelers, Zales, Jared The Galleria Of Jewelry, H.Samuel, Ernest Jones, Peoples and Piercing Pagoda.