Providence Diamond — Local services in Cranston

To begin...I AM a big watch lover.....always have been since I was very young.....and am now 64! I was in the market to expand my watch collection and somebody told me of "Providence Diamond". I must say I was BEYOND impressed ALL the way around! Easy to get to....plenty of parking.....and a SPECTACULAR neat and VERY organized store FILLED with REALLY cool stuff.....and, of course, my favorite...ROLEX! AND....A HUGE....EXPANSIVE selection of most ALL the watches Rolex makes! VERY COOL!

I had looked on-line for "the deal".....and they ARE out there....BUT....the big problem with those "on-line guys" is.....you NEVER truly know "exactly what" you are getting (as they tend to do some truly sleazy things).....and the service after the sale is usually "beyond grim" as I have friends that have gone this route in the past and REALLY wished they hadn't! AND....do keep in mind....most ANY "higher end" watch manufacturer WILL NOT honor their warranty, and often NOT even take it in for repair, if the watch IS NOT purchased from an "authorized dealer".....and that can make a HUGE difference seeing one service from those better watch companies usually runs close to A GRAND these days!

Moving on...I DID buy the watch....it was "in stock" (wouldn't ya just know)....and it was calling to me! LOL One would always want "a better deal"......but quality and assurance DO come with a price. I did have serious buyers remorse the next day.....and who wouldn't after plunking down over 11K for a watch.....and thought about returning it for a less expensive model. Unlike most jewelers....they WERE willing to offer me a "full refund"....and they even offered to extend the return period if I wanted more time..."to think about it". It was because of that offer....that I took the time to "truly" think about it.....and decided to keep the watch... It IS "a beyond SUPERB" watch....and life IS too short!

All was great.....then disaster struck! Long story how it happened.....and I will spare you....but the watch was BADLY scratched! I WAS devastated BEYOND comprehension! These scratches WERE bad....and being an experienced watch guy....I knew it! I had visions of it having to go back to Rolex....which would have taken 2 months....and cost me a grand or more....having been down this road several times in the past! I took the watch to another local jeweler I deal with, with shame because I didn't buy it from them....but their price STUNK! I said the watch belonged to a friend of mine. They examined the damage....and said they wouldn't touch it....it had to go to Rolex....and would probably need an entirely new case at MAJOR expense! Can you imagine how upset I was!!!

I called "Providence Diamond"....why I didn't in the first place I'll never know! We all do stupid things! Anyway....I ask to speak with the jeweler working that day....a guy named "Jim". I explained my story....and he VERY kindly said to bring it right over. I felt there was "hope"? I drove right over....still in my pajamas....I was SO excited! When I got there I had to wait "maybe 10 minutes" for him to finish with another client. He looked at the watch....and said it looked worse than he thought from my description.... Then he said let me go to work on it....give me a little time. I waited pacing around.....probably driving the other employees crazy! LOL After about 45 minutes "Jim" appeared with my watch. I WAS SHOCKED AND BEYOND THRILLED! It looked "almost" better than new! After looking the watch over..."CAREFULLY"...he and I both noticed a couple of other "very minor" issues...which were fine with me.....but he insisted to take it back for "one more go at it". I went out to buy "a little gift" for his efforts....as HE REFUSED to charge me for ANY of the repairs and his time! Now how often do you find this.....saved my watch....and it was "FREE"! When I got back he had gone "beyond expectation".....and I can honestly say......you couldn't tell my watch from a BRAND NEW ONE!

My total "Hats Off" to ALL at "Providence Diamond"!!! MANY, MANY THANKS! You...

I came in yesterday with my best friend to ask about trading in the wedding band she purchased there a few years ago. Lisa waited on us. She called me "mom", assuming that I was my best friends mother. We're both in our 40's. At Lisa's advanced age and years of life experience, she should know not to call someone mom, if she's not 100 percent sure. That's like asking a chubby woman when she's due. You just don't do it. My friend tried on several pairs of earrings. She never cleaned the earrings before or after trying them on. When I asked her if she was going to clean them, she told me that they clean all of the jewelry at the end of the night, and that I was welcome to stay and watch them. I know for a fact that that's not true. I've worked in high end jewelry sales for many years as a gemologist. We ALWAYS alcohol swab earrings before and after they are tried on. Not doing so is disgusting and unsanitary. But then to lie and say that they clean ALL of the jewelry every night when they close is absurd. That would take many, many hours, and I watched all of the employees walk to their cars at 5:15pm right after they closed. Insulting a customer, and following up by insulting their intelligence was a double whammy. Another remark is that when the young lady who initially took the ring from us to show Lisa opened the jewelry pad to take it, the inside of the pad was filthy. It looked like there was spilled coffee that dripped inside the pad and never got cleaned- lots of brown stains. Just another detail that is not being noticed. And I' m clearly someone who notices details, based on my jewelry background. Also of note is that the elderly security guard that was posted right in the middle of the store where you walk to look at the watches was odd. He was standing in such a way as to block people from going in. Not off to the side, like he should be. So we had to walk around him to go into that room and look at the watches. All of the staff that we encountered, with no exception, could benefit from better training. They offered my friend $200 for the platinum and diamond wedding band that she paid $2,400 for in 2020. To say that our final visit there was disappointing is an...

I had a great experience working with Providence Diamond over the past few months! I have heard many negative stories from friends around the country trying to purchase a Rolex but this experience was anything but that.

I had unique, great experiences with Tien, Alix, and Joe.

On my initial visit, Tien took the time to go through different sizes and models with me, helping me pare my decision down and put in my preferences for what watch I would like.

Naturally, I changed my mind, after doing more research and looking at how the watches fell on my hand in pictures. The next time I went in to change my preferences and try on a different style watch, Alix also took so much time with me. She encouraged me to try the watches on with a long sleeve and short sleeve shirt as well as take pictures from different distances and angles, to make sure I would love the fit of the watch once I made a purchase.

About a month later, I was shopping in Garden City and popped into Providence Diamond where I met with Joe. We had a great conversation about anything but the Rolex I was waiting on, which was very refreshing. Even though, we weren’t looking for them at the time he took the time to show off the Grand Seikos, and even encouraged my wife to try some of the models on.

Once the Rolex I requested came in, I had such a great experience, as I had come to expect. Joe took so much time to review how the watch worked, with me, and made sure to go above and beyond.

As someone who has been involved in the “experience” at several other designer boutiques in the US and Europe, I was extremely impressed by what Joe and Providence Diamond put on. I definitely plan on working with Providence Diamond in the future and am looking forward to seeing the newly renovated space they are...