Refuse to honour their guarantee and are not returning faulty goods.

On 19 December my husband purchased a pair of gold pierced earrings as a Christmas present for me from Sterns Canal Walk and was given a 6 months warranty on them.

On 12 May I had to take them back as on 5th May whilst putting them on the one stem broke off. I received an SMS at 2.02pm on Monday 17 May to say that my repair was ready for collection then at 2.16pm on the same day I received a telephone call from the Canal Walk shop to say that the earrings could not be repaired as there was a cubic in the earring and that would melt with the heat of soldering, the manager would be in the shop later in the week and he would decide whether I would receive a refund or a replacement. On Friday 21 May at 3.02pm I received a call from one of the shop assistants to tell me that it was not a manufacturing fault and therefore I would receive nothing. To say I was shocked is an understatement. I told the sales assistant, I have had pierced ears for approximately 55 years and I have never had a stem break off any earrings, not even cheap costume jewellery and for it to happen to gold earrings that I have had for just over 4 month, not to mention that they were not worn every day, then I beg to differ, this is definitely a manufacturing fault. She said she would speak to the manager and get back to me which she did at 3.29pm but only to tell me that the manager said there was nothing he could do as it was not a manufacturing fault. I asked to speak to the manager but was told he was busy with a customer so I asked that she get him to call me back. I have never received a call from this manager so I sent an email to their Customer Service Department and to cut a long story short I have had to send numerous follow-up emails and having spoken to the area manager and someone from their Operations Department I am still getting a “could not care less about the customer” attitude. They insist that it was not a manufacturing fault, that I damaged the earring. I asked for my earrings back together with the report as I wanted to take the earring to an independent manufacturing jeweller who would be totally unbiased but I was told they would not entertain any outside report, they will only accept the report obtained from the jeweller that they use. I must accept a decision made by a jeweller who is on their payroll.

The last person I spoke to advised that he would find out where the earrings were and either have them returned or arrange for me to collect but a week & a half later and a follow up email I am still waiting.

I am totally disgusted at this outcome, I did not abuse the earring, I never showered or slept with them in and I did not wear them every day. When not in my ears they we stored in a jewellery box with individual slots for each pair of earrings. To insist that I damaged them by merely doing what they are intended for is beyond belief.

I am a pensioner and my husband saved to buy these earring for my Christmas, we cannot afford to just throw away good money on defective goods bought in good faith from what we thought was a reputable jeweller. It is obvious that they are the big fish and know they have the power and money to treat hard working people in this manner. I for one will never purchase anything from them or recommend them to anyone in the future.