International Diamond Center — Attraction in Altamonte Springs

Summary: Was not impressed with IDC's customer service, and did not have a good experience trying to purchase an engagement ring here.

My boyfriend and I went to look at engagement rings at IDC because we thought they were a reputable company, but after our experience at the Altamonte location we will not be returning to any IDC for future purchases. Initially the whole process went smooth and I found a setting I liked quickly. Then we were shown two diamonds, and out of the two we were shown I liked one more than the other. We went ahead and purchased the setting and diamond since there was a financing promotion running. After we left IDC my boyfriend and I started thinking about the whole process and thought it was weird how we were only shown 2 diamonds (the one I ended up picking was around $9,000 and not sure what the other was priced but I know the other was more expensive). It was still bothering me the next day that we had only been shown 2 diamonds and not offered to see other diamonds. I’m sure there were plenty of other diamonds to show that were comparable and more reasonably priced (according to a reply from the owner on a review for the IDC on Alafaya Trail there is “a diamond wall with 144 loose diamonds”) and if the Altamonte location did not have as big of a loose diamond selection, then they could have at least referred us to a store that had a decent selection of diamonds. I decided to look online to price diamonds with the same specifications as the one we purchased at IDC. I ended up looking at the Ritani website and I found what seemed like the perfect diamond (same specs as the one we purchased and about $4,000 less!). I then realized that Ritani does this REALLY AWESOME thing where you can get a free preview of any diamond sent to one of Ritani’s local partner jewelers – which just so happens to be IDC. We had the Ritani diamond sent to the IDC in Altamonte so we could see it in person, and then went to IDC to return the original diamond from them. IDC’s website has a best price guarantee that states “If within 90 days of your purchase, you find a diamond with the same specifications, that has been graded by the same gemological laboratory, at a lower price, anywhere in the United States, International Diamond Center will match that price AND give you 10% of the difference”. This was never offered to us. We even had the lady that manages the Altamonte store helping with our return, and the only things I remember her saying to us were “you get what you pay for” and “it’s online for a reason”. Was extremely put off with IDC after that comment. “You get what you pay for”, really IDC??? I didn’t realize $5,000 was too little to spend on a diamond, LOL. But in all seriousness, that is a horrible way to conduct business.

IDC told us they would have multiple diamonds for us to compare to the Ritani diamond we ordered online, but when we went to look they only had one diamond for us to compare. Right away I LOVED the diamond from Ritani. We asked the gentleman helping us for the GIA report for the IDC diamond he was also showing us, and were informed that it was not a certified diamond. We could not believe IDC was trying to sell us an uncertified diamond after they bashed online sites for not being reputable and not knowing what you get when you order online (hypocritical much?). We went ahead and purchased the Ritani diamond that day because it was perfect! Unfortunately we already had purchased the setting from IDC, or else we would have taken our business...

If I could give them less than one star, I would. I have NEVER, in all my years, been treated so disrespectfully by ANYONE like I was At the IDC location in Altamonte Springs! We were made to feel less than welcome and felt as if everyone there thought we were substandard...they didn't even treat us like HUMANS...like we were dirty or "not good enough". CLEARLY, I'm still very angry! My husband and I came in to ask about the value of an Estate piece we'd had for many years. The initial woman we spoke to was fine until she learned we wanted to discuss the sale of an estate piece. "Is that ALL you're here to do?" she quipped. It was not, however, upon her attitude, yes, that's all we were going to do THAT day. When I said yes, she loudly sighed and pointed us to a form. "fill it out, she'll be with you in a minute". I thought, okay, I can deal with that...everyone has a bad day, we will come back another time to shop after we deal with the estate piece! When we spoke with the next woman, she hummed and inspected the piece we'd brought. Then, in the most insulting and condescending tone ever, she told us "they" (I assume she meant the people above her at the store) were not going to offer very much for this because "the diamond's clarity just is sub-par and isn't good enough...its just really not what "they" want"... and then insults us by offering to buy the gold in the piece for $45. THEN, looking down her huffy, overstuffed, SNOBBY nose, she tells us if we really want to sell a piece like this, we will have to go somewhere else...and then asks if we've tried EBAY?! Are you KIDDING ME??? Look, I get it, be honest...but you don't have to be disrespectful or insulting to my great grandmother's ring or our status or intelligence! You're in RETAIL...I make more in 3 months than this battle axe makes in a year...and she's going to talk to me like that as a potential CUSTOMER??? Maybe it was because we wore jeans and weren't dressed "crisp"?? Whatever the reason, I WILL NEVER patronize this establishment for ANY Jewelry needs...EVER! You do NOT treat people like that! And I guarantee it was because we didn't roll up looking like a million bucks (which caused those 2 women to make a snap judgement and assumption...and they were WRONG). And ya know what, that's fine! It just means someone with actual customer service skills will be the one to get my business, my money, and my gratitude. SHAMEFUL display, unacceptable...

I wouldn’t give them another dime of my money if you paid me! My husband purchased my engagement ring from IDC. The salesmen talked him into getting a name brand setting, Tacori, which he was told was the best quality. After 2 weeks of wearing my ring, my stone was coming out of setting. I took it into IDC where they proceeded to tell me that I must have smashed my hand into something.... I’m 30 years old.... don’t you think I would know if I smashed my hand into something?! The sad part was is I could bend my ring with just my fingers... I’m sorry but a $5k setting shouldn’t be able to bend that easy. When they said they had to send it to Tacori to get fixed, I waited for over 2 weeks to get it back. In picking it up they let me know I would have to pay for the repairs... are you kidding me?! I’ve had the ring for 2 weeks!!! Again another couple weeks went by, and same thing my stone came loose. I use a computer all day at work... I’m not boxing with it. After the manager at IDC insulted me and my mom, we had enough. I took my ring to Pablo’s jewelry in Altamonte where he had to do a whole new configuration to make my ring what it should have been in the first place. IDC, you can keep your expensively cheap jewelry! I will never be back and I only hope this post helps people realize what highway robbery you are.

Hi Brian. The ring was purchased under Austin Tinkley. You are right it was February of 2018..... I know it's been a year. But the 2 times your store sent my ring back to Tacori never did anything and then on top of me being charged....I was furious. Your manager Mary was so rude to my mom, that my mom left IDC crying. I have no respect for your staff and the way we were treated. There is nothing to look further into, what's done is done. It was so easy for your staff to just say it was all my fault and I somehow "compromised" my ring. I spent the first 2 months of my engagement without a ring for most of it because the quality of this ring was an absolute joke. My forevermark diamond is the only thing you guys did right. I brought my ring to a local jeweler who couldn't believe the poor quality of this setting. You guys missed out on great customers and a lot of sales based off of the poor quality you...