The Gold Store

I needed my new silver, designer pendant's clasp sized larger to fit my designer silver box necklace. The pieces were both very valuable, as well as sentimental to me. The owner/"jeweler" said he'd be right back and took them, immediately, to the back room from where I heard hammering emanating and he returned with both of my pieces of jewelry damaged, as he had attempted to "resize" the chain's clasp, as well as the pendant's by taking a hammer to both of them!!! Needless to say, both pieces, were now bent, marred and the detail was smashed, not to mention they were far from being able to fit together, as I had requested. He told me, after the damage was done, that his close-up vision was poor, as his eyes had been damaged/burned by welding in the past. He stated that he was attempting to "accommodate" me for free. I explained that I had no idea, whatsoever, that he wasn't planning on charging me and that I'd, infinitely, prefer to pay someone who knew what he or she was doing and who had better eyesight! I stated that I wished I had known what he had planned to do to my jewelry, as smashing both pieces with a hammer was, completely, unacceptable! He offered to have his jeweler, who works for him, look at them, but the damage was done and I declined. The owner handed me back my, freshly, damaged jewelry in a sack and, as I was heading for the door, I believe, it was one of his female family members/employees who asked me if I had my claim ticket. I searched my pockets and produced it. She, then, told me that I had to give it to her and leave it with them, as they needed to keep it. I responded by stating that I'd prefer to retain it, as it was my sole evidence that I had brought my, previously, undamaged merchandise to them. I turned and headed for the door, once again, and to my, utter, astonishment, the owner told me that if I left with my claim ticket, he'd call the Police!!! I informed him that it wasn't my wish to cause a scene and that I'd sign a document, and/or his (merchant's copy), original claim ticket, testifying to the fact that I had picked up my merchandise, but that I didn't desire to relinquish my copy (customer's copy) of the claim ticket. Reluctantly, the owner acquiesced, and I left with my copy of the claim ticket, as well as my jewelry, which he had damaged and devalued. It was a most unpleasant, to say the least, experience, as the owner and his family/staff were, extremely, discourteous. Furthermore, it was an expensive "adventure," due to my jewelry being brutalized and damaged beyond reasonable repair. I've learned, subsequently, that my designer necklace's lifetime warranty is negated, due to the abuse it suffered at the "Gold Store's" hands, and there's no way of, successfully, bringing back the detail of the pendant. My observation of the "Gold Store" was that it was unprofessional and incompetent, at best, and the words "hack" and "rude," immediately, come to mind regarding this abominable experience. Caveat emptor!