PicturesOnGold.com — Local services in Linden

I ordered a $80 bracelet for my Nona as a gift this Christmas. It was a mistake. BEWARE.

The item was shipped USPS to our home in a multi family building in Brooklyn. Unfortunately USPS stated via the tracking that the bracelet was delivered in or around a mail box. We don’t have a mail box. We could never find the bracelet, search all around, waited a few days, nothing.

I email PicturesOnGold and Florence emailed me back, we confirm the address the item was to be delivered. She then responds that I need to file a police report. At first I though nothing of this, but then realized that no crime had really been committed. My understanding is USPS probably delivered this item to someone else accidental who has a mailbox. This is not the first time in the decade I have lived in NYC that this has happened. We went back a few time, but I realized it would be best to call and explain the situation.

I call and spoke with Rain who shared with me the same information. I respond and explained I cannot submit a police report unless I know a crime has been committed and further USPS (according to their website) does not require a police report to submit a claim. I really believe this item was delivered to a home with a mailbox. Essentially she told me regardless I need to file a police report. Again, I asked her what I should put, since I do not believe a crime has been committed. She said again I HAD to file the police report so they could investigate. I asked her if they could submit the claim to USPS without the police report as it would be illegal for me to file a report when no crime has taken place. Her response was - file a police report.

In the 15+ years I have ordered things online I have never been asked to file a police report for a package that was not delivered. If PicturesOnGold is going to ask the customer to do this (especially during this pandemic) the least they can do is send their packages with a signature required.

I asked to speak to a manager, the night manager Frank came in and was able to talk with me. I was concerned as I needed this special gift in time for Christmas only a few days away. Frank is by far the worst customer service manager I have ever spoken too. He was dismissive and it was so disheartening. According to Frank, he had no “authority” to help me in any way. He could not submit a replacement for me, not issue me a credit so I could repurchase the item. Not offer expedited shipping on my new order. Only the morning manager could do that- so I was told. When I asked who that person was so I could reach them, he could not give me any information since he did not know who would be on. Then I asked if I should ask for a specific type of manager in the morning. Apparently any manager who works during the day has the “authority”.

Honestly, I would not care that much had this gift not been so personal and so social, and needed in time for the holiday. My grandmother is older and these may be some of her last years, and this bracelet had my children, her great grandchildren’s pictures on it. It was so special and I was really excited to give it to her.

At the end of the day, PicturesOnGold and I will both end with the same result. Either I will get a bracelet or I won’t and will file a claim with my credit card. It could happen today or next month - it will all net out to the same result for everyone involved, yet my poor grandmother won’t have her beautiful gift in time. Such a shame.

They had the opportunity to make this right, to give me piece of mind and order a replacement - then internally figure out the claim, but they did not capitalize off the opportunity. This would have been the right thing to do. As a customer service professional myself, I know that turning around a poor experience for a customer can turn that customer into a life long promoter. Clearly PicturesOnGold does not understand this. Petty policies, and a lack of empowerment in their customer service department have cost them a customer and the many more who will read this post and think twice...

PicturesOnGold.com (POG) has so much potential to be a truly spectacular jeweler because they allow their customers to highly customize their orders, creating incredibly sentimental pieces, as I did. Unfortunately, however, the durability of their lockets is abysmal (and lockets are meant, by design, to be opened and closed), as was POG's warranty service.

If you don’t want to read the evidence below, the take home message of this review is that you’ll probably regret it if you purchase a locket from POG. I can’t speak to their other pieces, but if you ever need warranty service, you’ll probably regret that too. I did.

Timeline and brief, factual, details (with photos) taken directly from emails:

12/13/23 – I ordered a customized “Daddy’s Little Girl” laser-engraved ¾-inch sterling silver heart locket with an additional laser engraving on the back, two color engravings on the inside, and a garnet on the bail, for my daughter.

12/22/23 – I ordered a blank 1-inch sterling silver heart locket customized with two color engravings on the inside for my mother.

1/27/24 – I ordered a fully customized 1.25-inch sterling silver heart locket which is laser-engraved on the front and back, two color engravings on the inside, and a garnet on the bail, for my daughter.

2/17/24 – The clasp on the 1.25-inch heart locket broke, 1-year guarantee service was requested, and shipping to/from was paid by POG. It was frustrating, however, that I provided both photographs and the original order confirmation email in my warranty request, which included all information they needed (i.e. Order #), yet they asked for them in their response.

2/26/24: The replacement 1.25-inch heart locket arrived, but it wasn’t what I ordered because it didn’t have a garnet on the bail. I emailed them, included a photograph of the old and new lockets next to each other showing that the replacement didn’t have the garnet, and in their response they requested a photograph – again.

3/14/24 – After pinging POG several times, they finally sent me a prepaid shipping label.

3/20/24 – They finally shipped the 3rd 1.25-inch replacement back to me.

5/13/24 – The color engraving on the right side fell out of the 1.25-inch heart locket and 1-year guarantee service was requested by email (with a photo attached). POG’s response requested a photograph (again).

5/17/24: I pinged POG for a response.

5/20/24: Response received requesting clarification of information provided in my original email. POG also stated that I had to pay for shipping because it had been more than 30 days since purchase (that wasn't on their website then, and still isn't even now). I objected.

5/23/24: They insisted, so I begrudgingly paid for shipping.

6/11/24: 1.25-inch heart locket was finally shipped back to me.

2/15/25: The clasp on the 1.25” heart locket broke again, 1-year guarantee service was requested but denied due to the warranty having expired.

I had the 1.25-inch locket repaired locally – and repaired well – with a lifetime guarantee, no shipping charges, and no frustration.

You really don’t want to do business with...

CAUTION: FRAUD

I have used this company for over 8 years and have purchased several items from them, but after the last couple purchases I will NEVER give them my business again.

I ordered personalized pendants where the company made a mistake THREE times in a row despite detailed description and working one-on-one with reps. The details were confirmed with the company via email prior to any pendant being made. I spent hundreds on these personalized pieces and observed them with several errors; no engraving (despite it being requested, confirmed, and clearly outlined in the order), metal not smooth but bumpy, finishes being different than listed in the order, colors bleeding out of place, etc. In sum, the pendants were not what was requested and several details were left out that were clearly confirmed (numerous times).

I was told by several reps that I would receive a full refund due to the pendants errors being 100% on the company for not following the directions given in the order. It has now been almost three months of constant phone calls and emails where the company has denied the full refund because of a “20% melting fee and tax”. However, I was told by these very same staff members that I would still receive a full refund since the errors on the pendants were in fact the companies fault and not at all due to the customer.

Additionally, I requested to speak to management but was ignored. It baffles me that a company will string along a customer for months, promising a full refund, but then ultimately denying it. It is incredibly disheartening when you order one thing from a company, but they send you a different, damaged product, and yet require you pay for their mistake. At the end of the day, it’s fraud.

This company has lost a loyal customer and I hope many others for their wrong, greedy, manipulative, and...