Nuggets & Carats

Walked in for repair of a Bulova Marine Star band pin. They made me feel like I was to low class for their business. Granted it's a five years old watch and only a $300 SRP but I love the feel and it's a durable watch. Was told they could not put a new pin in that I had to send it back to Bulova in NY. I walked out the door jumped in my MBZ CLK550 went to a place over by my house at Mission Viejo lake and had it fixed in 10 minutes for very reasonable fee. (Less then shipping to NY). Recap, This business did not provided me service or product, views expressed are personal opinion of friendliness and ability to provide service by Nuggets & Carats in MV, CA. more

I would like to warn future consumers not to trust this Jeweler. I trusted him as he had been a family jeweler for many years. When my husband and i got married we changed the setting our diamond was in and so I wanted something to replace the diamond with and picked out a garnet since we got married in Jan and The stone for January is red. After a bit the stone cracked. I took it back to Sammy and asked why and he explained that it was a garnet and they crack. I then asked what wouldn't crack. He said a Ruby. I looked through his showcase and saw a really beautiful RED RED ruby and asked how much it was. He told me and i said that that was the stone i wanted and paid for it. He told me it would only take a couple of weeks to get the mounting for the stone. After about a month i called and he said he was still waiting. Finally i got the ring. I was leary right from the start since the stone in the ring was pinkish purple and not the RED RED ruby i had paid for. It bugged me but my husband assured me it was the one and that Sammy wouldn't cheat someone like that. Well, it bugged me so much i took it to an apparaiser and was kindly told i had been ripped off. The stone in the ring was a PINK TOURMALINE and not a RUBY at all. I was devasteded to realize that Sammy and taken my money and given me an inferior stone that wasn't even a ruby. When i wrote him and explained how cheated i felt he used the excuse that he was duped. Can you imagine a CERTIFIED GEMOLOGIST saying he was dupe. He did refund my money and put a real ruby in the ring but it not a fine red one like what i wanted. We also had my husbands wife's ring redone using her stones (she died) in new settings. I wonder day in and day out if we were also cheated out of those and they were replaced with inferior stones. Now i know this happend a few years back but it is still worth passing along so others can be aware that he will cheat you. SO BEWARE OF THE CHEAT. more

I went here looking for an engagement ring based on my mom's recommendation as she's been having her jewelry repaired here for many years. After 5 minutes in the store, it was clear why. I had nothing - no diamond, no ring, barely any information. Sam took the time to educate me on what to look for, and what was important. When I explained to him that I was planning on ordering my diamond online, and would ask him to place it in a setting, he was more that accommodating - I sent him several links on diamonds I was looking at, and he gave his honest assessment on which would make the most sense, never once trying to sell me anything. It was quite clear that I was dealing with someone whose number one goal was to get me what I was looking for. It was no wonder than no sooner did I have my diamond did I head back to choose the setting. He let me browse a book of samples, and when I found one I liked he said ""I can order you that one directly, or I can make one for less cost which will look just as good"". Not being able to pass up a deal, I took him up on his offer, and I'm glad I did. Once I received the finished ring, I was stunned - it looked *fantastic*, and cost me half as much as I had expected. To top it off, he even upgraded (at no charge) some of the side-stones in my setting one clarity grade because ""it didn't look right"" when he had the other stones in. Oh, and through all of this, I failed to mention - I wasn't quite prepared for all of this and asked Sam to complete all of the ring manufacturing / setting in 5 days, much less than is standard. He was done in 4, ""just in case"". I've already referred my colleague here, and will gladly refer anyone else who is interested - my experience was second to none. more