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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think Swarovski should sort themselves out!

37 replies

Pootles2010 · 15/12/2011 13:39

So cross about this. DP bought me a beautiful necklace about a year ago, but the chain's broken.

Went in to see what they could do, apparently they make all their pendants so that only swarovski chains fit them, they do not sell chains without a pendant, they have a 2 year warantee but this does not cover the chain (why?!), they refused to fix it until January, and even when they do it's going to cost £27.

Am I being unreasonable to think it's really sneaky to make sure that only your chains fit, but also really stupid to then not sell said chains?! Aargh!

OP posts:

FredFredGeorge · 15/12/2011 13:41

How can you make a pendant that only certain chains fit?

tigermoll · 15/12/2011 13:46

I think that Swarovski have done so exceedingly well selling glass that I find it hard to criticise any business model of theirs But I agree they ought to sell chains separately, - why on earth don't they??

Can't you take it to a local jeweller and see what he/she can do?

belledechocchipcookie · 15/12/2011 13:47

Have you tried to find somewhere which does jewellery repairs? There's one on my local market, they charge £6 to repair my chain as they weld the broken ends together. Far cheaper then £27.

tanfastic · 15/12/2011 13:52

I have my own business and sell Swarovski pendants but I buy the pendants separate from the chain from bead retailers who stock Swarovski Elements (the same pendants they sell in the Swarovski shop I would imagine). I don't believe them. Try Palmer Metals for a sterling chain for a few pounds with free delivery. This is where I buy mine from.

Original poster

Pootles2010 · 15/12/2011 13:55

The little hole that the chain goes through is too small for the catch on most chains.

It's crazy - surely if you're going to make them so that only your chains fit, you should make some chains? No?

Thanks tan, will try. I've taken it into a little shop local to me that sells all types of silver chains, none fitted, they suspected thats what they were doing and the Swarovski woman confirmed it.

OP posts:

Sexolette · 15/12/2011 14:37

I had a bracelet from swarovski which literally fell apart one day when one of the links broke. They told me that it was not possible to repair and I had owned it for too long to replace, which wasn't what I wanted anyway.

Quite how you can make non repairable jewellery is beyond me. Needless to say, i won't be buying from them again

mummymccar · 15/12/2011 14:49

I've had problems with them before too - pair of earrings, wore them once, took them out at bedtime and half of the crystals had fallen out! I'd only had them a week! Took them back but apparently there was nothing they could do to fix them because they were a gift and they hadn't taken out a warranty. Tried to contest this but never got anywhere. My cousin had a bracelet that broke too, managed to get hers repaired in a different store and it broke again not long after! I avoid like the plague now!

MinesaBottle · 15/12/2011 15:02

DH bought me a ring a few years ago, one of those that's crystal all the way round iyswim. It was a little big, so I kept it in the box and then went to take it for exchange after Christmas. I took it out of the box and found a crack in it (I'd not actually worn it) - the Swarovski store didn't want to know and basically suggested I was trying something on with them.

MrsTwinks · 15/12/2011 15:12

I have a pendant my SIL got me. I've worn it on various chains I own , don't see why it cant be put on a different chain, Think its bull TBH.

Original poster

Pootles2010 · 15/12/2011 15:13

Well I've tried to put it on about three that I own, and about 10 in the silverware shop, and none of them fitted. Maybe there are some that fit, but can't find any so far...

OP posts:

Red2011 · 15/12/2011 16:58

If it is the catch on the chain that is too big to fit through the pendant then it should be quite possible to take the catch off using jewellery pliers, thread the chain through the pendant and put the catch back on. A decent jewellery store should be able to do this, I'm sure.

squeakytoy · 15/12/2011 16:59

Take the catch off the chain, thread it through and put the catch back on the chain! , you dont need to pay anyone to do that for you.

ShengdanRoad · 15/12/2011 17:28

Swarovski is awful. Chuck the pendant away and get something nicer.

tigermoll · 15/12/2011 17:45

Swarovski is awful

I am far too tactful to agree with you, Shengdan

But I am surprisd at the number of people who don't realise that 'swarovski crystal' is just a fancy way of saying 'glass'.

That's all it is. Shiny, shiny glass. It's not a naturally-occuring crystal, or a precious material, or rare and special. It's just glass.

Swarovski can make as much of it as they like, in whatever colour they like, and as big as they like.

SoupDragon · 15/12/2011 18:14

The only thing I buy in Swarovski are the stars/snowflakes each christmas which are utterly gorgeous.

MabelLucyAttwell · 15/12/2011 19:14

My parents bought me a present in the form of a 3 inch wide crystal 'water lily' sitting on a mirror pond. With time, the 'petals' have fallen from the central part and, although I've tried to repair it with super glue, it has no effect so I just have glass lumps sitting on a little mirror now. The sun shining on them reflects coloured light around my bedroom so it's nice to have it to remind me of my parents. I might have another go at mending it one day.

NoOnesGoingToEatYourMincePies · 15/12/2011 19:27

SoupDragon are you me?

We've bought a snowflake every Christmas for each year we have been married.

Yes they are only glass, perhaps overpriced glass, but they are beautiful glass and they will make a beautiful heirloom for DS one day and I hope one that holds a lot of meaning to him (if they don't fall apart . Am worried now after reading this thread!)

SoupDragon · 15/12/2011 20:05

I am not you - I've bought one every year for DD since she was born. One day she will have a tree full but until then, they are mine. I started because I thought they were stars before seeing them and that's what her name means.

NoOnesGoingToEatYourMincePies · 15/12/2011 20:07

That's lovely.

dozyrosierednosyreindeer · 15/12/2011 20:51

I worked for Swarovski very briefly. Anyway tigermoll is right, it is just glass and cheep metal. It is essentially just very overpriced, fragile costume jewellery. I would never buy any. It is definitely possible to replace the chain, as others have said either remove and replace the clasp yourself of take it to a decent jeweller repair place.

dozyrosierednosyreindeer · 15/12/2011 20:56

This (because of the thin hoop part to the clasp) might work as a replacement chain but it's probably worth more than the pendant.

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 15/12/2011 20:57

OMG... I am crying with laughter at this. DD would love it. She is not getting it :o

SKIP1 · 15/12/2011 20:58

Is it Swarovski themselves that have refused to repair your necklace or the shop it was originally purchased from? Maybe the shop are telling you that Swarovski won't repair the item. I think that Swarovski themselves will repair the item if you approach another stockist or email Swarovskis' customer services stating when and where it was purchased. I used to work in a jewellers that stocked Swarovski ornaments and jewellery and they had an excellent free repair service. Regardless of how old the piece was they would try to repair it. We as a stockist would send the item directly to them on behalf of the customer free of charge if it was within guarantee. If it was outwith guarantee we would charge basic postage costs to the customer.
To the poster above who mentioned the waterlilly with broken petals, I know that piece! Please don't try superglue as Swarovski parts are bonded under heat I think with a special adhesive which forms an invisible bond. Superglue does not work. Our shop posted away to Swarovski broken pieces that were YEARS old for repair with excellent results -provided each section is whole, they can stick the sections back together easily in my experience. The same went for jewellery-if it wasn't old and didn't look accidentaly damaged( you know, chain caught on something and stretched apart til it snapped) then they usually repaired or replaced. Genuine Swarovski jewelley rarely lost crystals or broke as I recall. There is however loads of costume jewellery out there that is marketed as having Swarovski crystals but the jewellery itself is not made by them. If you are unsure check items close up- a genuine Swarovski piece will have a little swan motif inlaid somewhere on it- -everytime. Hope this helps!

mablemurple · 15/12/2011 21:06

lol at the crystal Hello Kitty - was it designed by Damien Hirst's 3 year old sister by any chance?

I'm another one who doesn't understand why people swoon over expensive and gaudy glass beads .

hokeycakey · 15/12/2011 21:32

I had 2 necklaces from azendi, both chains broke I went in and they replaced both free straight away so yes they are rubbish!

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