Ed Benjamin & Sons Jewelers

Don't Trust Ed Benjamin & Sons

In September of 1999 my husband and I ordered and bought our platinum wedding rings from Ed Benjamin & Sons Jewelers in San Diego, CA. We picked up our rings and from there we headed straight to Las Vegas to get married. We tied the knot approximately two days later on September 4, 1999.

Here we are 10 years later, September 1, 2009. The big 10th anniversary is almost here. I decided I better get my ring checked and cleaned since 10 years has elapsed. I went to a jeweler in Santee for this service. The jeweler proceeded to tell me that white gold tends to yellow as it ages and for $40-$45 a coating can be applied that will make it look new again. That’s when the alarm went off in my head and I said “Come again? Did you just say white gold? This is supposed to be platinum, not white gold.” The jeweler says “No. It’s definitely white gold.” The jeweler asked what I had originally paid and was horrified by the amount. I paid just over $1,000 for my ring alone. I ran straight home got my husbands ring and went back. If mine wasn’t what we paid for then chances are his wasn’t either. I was right. His is white gold too. Now, I know what you’re thinking. “What do the markings on the inside of the ring say?” My ring did not, does not and has never had any markings on the inside. Strange isn’t it? What did I know? I was 22 years-old at the time of purchase. My husbands ring, on the other hand, says 14k but has 3 little letters after which, according to Ed Benjamin & Sons at the time of purchase, told us that meant it was platinum. Like I said, what did we know? We were 22 year-old kids.

I know jewelers keep a log of the jewelry they sell but most do not go beyond 10 years. I called trying to secure the records of our purchase. I was told there is no record of it. According to the manager at Ed Benjamin & Sons, theirs do not go back more than 7 years. (Funny since the girl on the phone told me 8-10 years) I went to Ed Benjamin & Sons today knowing that I didn’t have much of a leg to stand on. It is 10 years later and I can not find the receipt. I reiterated the above story to the manager. The manager at Ed Benjamin & Sons confirmed that my ring is in fact white gold. He disputed that I even purchased platinum because there is an obvious weight difference between the two. (How would we have known that?) He all but called me a liar. No apology. Nothing. Just a bunch of ‘too bad so sad’ type comments. I was very upset and tears were beginning to erupt as I left their store.

A little piece of me understands the managers concerns. I mean this is platinum we’re talking about but…..I just want what we paid for 10 years ago. We chose platinum because it’s the strongest/hardest type of gold. We chose it to represent the strength of our relationship and the everlasting love we feel for each other. What was originally a symbol of our marriage is now a reminder of how we were lied to and taken advantage of by a company who considers themselves to be “San Diego's Most Trusted Source in Jewelry Since 1948” (As quoted on their website)