Never Buy from Spence Diamonds

caseyshipley

I'd just like everyone to know they should stay away from Spence Diamonds.  They have no clue what customer service is.  And because of that I am now getting married without a wedding band.  After the Toronto store took over 24 hrs to track down why my ring that had not yet arrived, there version of the store is they were having problems creating my size 4 ring but no where in the past 3 weeks did they feel the need to notify me and discuss the problem. And to top it off they can't even give me a loaner. So is it bad luck if the priest doesn't have a ring to bless?

mcrotondo

I don't think it is bad luck.  What I might do instead of a loaner ring is maybe use one of your grandma's rings or his grandma's ring (something that ca be passed down to you).  That might be really nice and special.It will all work out, don't worry.

Witchys_Woman

A friend of mine got her ring from Spence in Calgary and had nothing but good things to say. So perhaps not all Spences are created equal.

ring_pop

Echoing Witchys, my best friend also got her e-ring and wedding ring from Spence and they were very happy with their service. Sorry you had a bad experience though.

sarah-bella

we got my dh's ring at the toronto location, and although we found them to be pushy we got our ring with a couple of weeks to spare.   so sorry you are having a bad time with them. i would go to wallmart or somewhere and pick up a cheapo ring just for show at the wedding.  like the ring i picked up for when i travel and don't want to risk bringing real jewellery.

Jess&Jahanzeb

Wow - I can't believe you had such a bad experience.  I got my engagement ring from their Mississauga store and just loved the experience.  Also, I was so excited to show my friends it when we picked it out they gave the the fake one to show them before my ring came in.  I'm shocked they can't lend you the one they have on display.  Maybe contact Rick (our sales guy) at their Mississauga store and talk to him about the loaner?However - I really love the suggestion about wearing one of the Grandmother's rings if it will be passed down to you.  If the Priest can't bless your actual wedding band, having him bless a family ring is the next best thing.  Also, if you are worried about not having your actual band blessed, I'm sure you could have him/her do it when you get the ring.I'm so sorry you have to deal with this.  You just never want anythign to go wrong with the rings or the dress!  I hope it works out Casey!

stlamart

I second your warning. I have had an extremely disheartening experience with Spence Diamonds in Vancouver, and now that I have searched online I have found that many other people have had similar experiences. The problem seems to be that the Spence stores just tell their customers that they are not going to do anything to fix the problem, and then when you go up the chain of command you hear the same message, leaving you absolutely no recourse (short of posting frustrated messages on forums!)

My partner purchased an engagement ring in December 2010 and was initially very excited about the ring and the service she received. On January 15^th, we brought the ring in for sizing and were told it would take approximately 4 business days. The following week, we received a call stating that it would be a further 4 business days due to 'an imbalance' that needed correcting. When we picked it up, we noticed a flaw that was not there before. It appeared as though a part of the gold had been melted out of shape and now covered a portion of the small profile diamond. We returned it to the store for repair, and again waited 4 business days. The ring came back unchanged. Apparently the language on the work order was not clear enough for the shop to interpret it correctly. So, the ring was sent back a third time, with very clear language, and this time we were told it would take another 4-7 business days. I asked the customer service personnel if they could expedite this process because my fiancees mother was coming from out of town and we hoped to show her the ring. Instead, 12 days passed and finally we were told it was ready. When we went to pick it up on Feb 16^th, the problem still remained. After a 45 minute ordeal with the front desk personnel, we were finally referred to a diamond consultant. He told us that when they 'corrected' the band on sizing it the first time, the gold had not had a chance to set properly, resulting in the flaw. He also noted that there were tool marks, which can clearly be seen on the band. He told us he would take the matter up with the vice president the following day, and call us then to follow up. The call never came. I dropped by the store that evening, where he said he “got busy and forgot”. He also told me the vice president was actually in Calgary until Saturday, and that he would phone us then. Saturday came and still no call. We called them and were told he was in a meeting for 10-15 minutes. We called back in 15 minutes, and were then told that he was actually not in today! After this, we were put through to the store manager, and she told us that the ring was up to their quality standards and that they would not be doing anything about it. She also told us that the imperfections are “what make your ring special and unique”.

I don't know what upsets me more: the poor workmanship on the ring, the lousy customer service that got lousier every time, or the 5 weeks it took to get the ring back from the store. I hope others are spared this experience.