The Jewelers Loupe Inc — Local services in Aiken County

I wrote a review for this business, and the review is no longer here, so it is obvious the owner petitioned to have it taken down. I will write as many reviews as I have to, and on an as many sites as I can. I don't care what he does. I brought in a pair of earrings to sell, and was not offered much for them, but realized it is a bad economy and that I likely would have difficulty selling them on FB Marketplace of the like, so I took what was offered and bought other earrings. I have metal allergies, and can only tolerate yellow gold, so needed backup posts to wear that I can tolerate.I arrived there not fancily dressed, and had a tote bag with me, as I had walked there. In this community of the extreme haves and the extreme have-nots, not having a car brands you as homeless, which I am not. They probably thought i stole the jewerlry I was selling, or didn't have any money to spend. The attitude shifted when I got out my credit card. When I left the store, one of my boxes shifted when I tried to put in my bag, and I opened it when I was securing the lid to check it, and did not see any earrings. I lifted the cotton box liner, and saw no earrings. So, I went back in the store, thinking maybe the salesperson got distracted and accidentally switched my box with an empty one. She told me that the earrings had been inserted in the middle of the cotton liner, and "Oh, now one of them is missing." She went with me outside to look, and neither of us saw the earring on the sidewalk. So, at this point, I knew they likely thought I was lying. My anxiety was overwhelming from the attitude I sensed, and from having lost something of value when I had only owned it for three minutes, and I started to cry. I said I was nauseated and the salesperson got all panicky that I might puke and make a mess. I was a problem to her, not a person. Then she went away and came back with 4 mm earrings, not the 5 mm ones I had purchased, and said to me, we are just going to replace them with these, and when I sadly said, "I wanted the 5 mm ones," she got irritated and said, "Well, we are out of those and this is all I have." She ushered me to the door, and I then looked outside again, as a last attempt, and still found nothing. By doing so, I had a moment to breathe, and I just felt humiliated, so I went back into the store and said, "I tried to look again, and found nothing. I'm sorry for what happened, but this was humilating for me." The owner then came out from the back and "customer serviced me" (he could not have cared less if I dropped dead outside of their door) and then on the way out started in with the Jesus talk and how if I am upset I obviously am not saved and how I need to pray to Jesus. I said, "Oh really, so I guess I lost the earring because I didn't pray to Jesus enough," and I walked away, sobbing the whole way home. I have had one of the worst years of my life, and I tried to do some small thing for myself, and it is like I am not allowed to have anything, and always am treated like I don't deserve to exist. I wish I had never moved to Aiken, and can't wait to get the hell out of this place. It is funny how some of the people who proclaim their Christianity the loudest treat others like the lowest...

Summary because this is so long: They are ridiculously condescending and damaged my almost $10,000 heirloom wedding ring before I ever agreed for it to be serviced. They admitted to me that they bent the prongs without my permission when they were "looking it over."

This morning I walked in to have my heirloom wedding ring repaired. Two prongs were damaged when I walked in. When I initially passed the ring over the counter, the lady condescendingly asked if it was sterling. The ring I passed over was my 18 karat white gold wedding ring with 1.25 carats of diamond and an 8.42 carat sapphire. I should have known immediately to walk then. She continues to say it needs a new plating of rhodium, which I decline because I am allergic to the nickel bonding (though they continuously tried to convince me to do this). She shoves her hands forward to display her rings to once again try to convince me. I explain that it was my mom's and she never took it off, and I have no intention of covering the marks on the back of the band that no one would ever see. I just wanted the prongs fixed and for it to be cleaned. She once again, very condescendingly, goes "Do you sleep in it?" I said sometimes. She replied even ruder, "That is the worst possible thing you can do for a ring." I was realizing this was becoming a judgement fest, and I was only trying to receive a very simple repair. As they took my ring to the back, I knew it was a mistake. When they returned my ring, they informed me that there was an issue with all four prongs and that it would be almost $200 including the rhodium service.

As he handed the ring back, I slid it on my finger and felt the stone MUCH MUCH looser than before. He passively says, "our jeweler bent the prong back and he said it nearly snapped." I have been working for my parents antique business for years. I have been to dozens of jewelers in the south east, and I can say that no one has ever, and I mean ever, damaged a piece in this manner before I even agree to get it serviced there. I was dumbfounded. A prong that only needed to be tightened or retipped will now likely have to be rebuilt entirely. I am livid, and not only is the ring an heirloom, but it was appraised a few months ago for insurance at $9750. I handed a $10,000 heirloom ring over the counter with the very early stages of a loose stone. In return, I was given my ring with damage that likely wouldn't have occurred for months with normal wear. I cannot emphasize enough the shady business practice that this is. I will likely be paying closer to $300 now just to fix their damage. And to hand a marked ring over the counter and a jeweler can't even identify the metal???? I wish I never took it there, as I now cannot wear my wedding ring at all until it is repaired even though it was still completely wearable when I...

FRANKIE!! After loosing my jewelry after my accident, You showed me Exactly what I needed, like you Already knew. Most beautiful jewelry stores don't carry jewelry I can wear due to my Allergies to Fine Metals. Your store had the most beautiful Figaro Chain, that your confidence and customer service made me Purchase. Thank you for assisting in helping me put on my chain. I wouldn't of been able to without you. I have severe anxiety and ptsd, you automatically made be feel as ease and calm, with you while assisting me navigate the maze of beautiful jewelry counters. Your amazing, and I sincerely Thank You ❤️ P.S. my husband jokes, he's going to take my chain from me due to its size, length and beauty. Lol...