To demand a refund?

[BirthdayStress]

I bought a ring for 2.5 K at the weekend. I only wore it straight after buying it to get a coffee and then put it back in the box until last night. I looked at it with my phone light to look at the sparkles and I noticed it’s got a scratch on the band. I’ve emailed the company and they are basically saying that I must’ve done the damage and they can only offer a polish and the 18 carat gold is known to be fragile. I am saying that I would like a refund under the consumer rights act 2015 as I was made unaware that it was this fragile, although I’m pretty certain the damage was not done by me they are offering to polish et cetera but I am saying that if it is causes damage by this light use then I do not want the ring as I was made unaware that I wouldn’t be able to wear it for three hours or less without damage see photos they are claiming it was not damaged when it left the shop but surely it is my word against theirs and I myself did not notice the damage until actually my light on it. Does anyone here know that consumer rights please and could advise me on where I actually stand as obviously I don’t always trust AI thank you.

I don’t think it’s known to be that fragile! The scratch was likely there before you bought it. Did you buy it on your credit card? You could file a complaint through them to get the money back

Gold is soft and scratches easily. It's a standard quality of gold and like complaining that nobody warned you water would be wet.

Yes file a claim via your bank or credit card provider

It looks quite worn already. Not brand new. I’ve had an 18ct gold ring since 2012. It’s nowhere near that scratched.

You don't have a right to a refund. Even if it was damaged before you bought it, your right is to a refund,repair or replacement AT THE SELLER'S CHOICE. It is not the purchaser's choice which to do. They are chosing to repair it. Online trading has much stronger terms than from a shop. If you bought it online, you would be entitled to a refund, no question.

Sorry I can't see how that looks like a ring, that picture is playing tricks on my mind 😂 but I can see the scratch which does seem quite substantial considering you've just bought it and the cost. I agree you wouldn't want something that fragile that you can't even wear it to get a coffee.
I'm sure you have 30 days to return but it gets tricky as you've worn it they can say you've done it instead which I'm not sure you're covered for.

Was it new or secondhand?

I am assuming you didnt buy it mailorder. If so then you purchased it in person. The shop didnt make you buy it by putting your arm up behind your back. They didnt take your credit card/bank card off you and steal the money. I take it you looked at the ring (Most jewellers arent in the dark and have good lighting), said you wanted it and then paid for it. That isnt going to come under any distance selling regulations.

You had every opportunity to raise an issue in the shop. You damaged it, you get it polished like 99% of people would do.

It was brand new - apparently. The shop wasn’t in great lighting, and as I say I didn’t see the damage until looking at it with my phone last night. I quite literally wore it as he asked if I wanted to put it straight on (and they had given us some bubbles!), I went to get the coffee and took it off when I got home. I’ve hardly been sanding a table or doing any building work with it on!

It’s 3 days old, not 3 years. Surely I have some rights?

I don’t know if that’s a better photo

How is a person made unaware? 😅

Were you wearing another ring on the same hand? It looks like when one ring scrapes against another and gets scuffed

My 18 year old engagement ring isn’t that scratched? I don’t know how you would prove it was like that when you left the shop tho, you could have been sanding a table in it for all they know.

@BrickBuilt nope my mum said the same thing it almost looks like another ring has been against it, but I don’t wear any other rings!

@Pippa12 I know that’s the thing, but I really haven’t been doing anything of the sort!

@OriginalSkang I meant made aware - I’m stressed, give a girl a break 😅

That is a big scrape for both of you to have not noticed before you purchased. I don't know how you could prove that the damage was already there, if you were given the chance to inspect the ring and didn't notice it? I would assume you damaged it somehow yourself. Personally I would take them up on the offer of polishing and see how it looks then. It is rubbish that the excitement has been ruined, but I don't think they are obliged to offer any return or refund sadly.

What shop is this? High street chain?

You spanked £2.5k without looking at it very carefully ?

The reality is that you can’t demand a refund, the law doesn’t allow it. As @ColdAsAWitches said it’s a refund, repair or replacement at the seller’s discretion and a polish in this case would be a repair.

You don’t have the right to a refund, but I would take them up on the polish. When you wear a brand new, polished ring every little scratch shows up. Over time the ring gets scratched and planished, by knocking it against cutlery or metal door handles for example.
All gem set rings should be cleaned, polished and serviced annually. If you buy a quality handmade ring they last a lot longer because they can be serviced and repaired forever. Cheaper, cast rings break much quicker, and often don’t last a lifetime.

While I agree it looks like its already been worn, sadly it was on you to check the quality in the store.
Once you left the store it's your responsibility, so always check what you're buying!
For info, the higher the ct of gold, the softer it is. Gold is quite a soft material.

I would take them up on the offer of buffing the band.

It was Phillip Stoner in Leeds

Did you wear it on your dominant hand? All the gold rings on my right hand are really scuffed and marked on the band because you are forever holding them against things and 18k gold is very soft. The ones on my left are barely marked at all

Did you not inspect it at the point of purchase?

Nope - left hand (it’s a new engagement ring) I mean I did of course look at it / try it on, but I didn’t look at it under a bright light it was actually quite dim in store, it’s one of those not easy to notice but once you see it you can unsee it kind of thing. It’s had about 2-3 hours on my left hand, that’s it.

My argument is - I didn’t do the damage and even if I did, it’s not up to standard if wearing it for that amount of time causes that significant damage so it’s unsatisfactory durability.

what about the 30 day right to refuse act?