Claimant says: "Last February 2009 I purchased a $600.00 Citizen Eco Drive Perpetual Calendar Dive watch from a Beldens Jewelers located in Saugus,MA, at the Square One Mall, as a valentine present for my boyfriend. As it turned out, it was later determined by a Beldens manager, the watch was defective when sold and not keeping proper time when worn, tho my boyfriend thought at first he hadn't set it correctly, but stopped wearing it only after 2 to 3 weeks of receiving it. I was unable to retrieve the watch within 30days following” ...Show more »

Claimant says: "Last February 2009 I purchased a $600.00 Citizen Eco Drive Perpetual Calendar Dive watch from a Beldens Jewelers located in Saugus,MA, at the Square One Mall, as a valentine present for my boyfriend. As it turned out, it was later determined by a Beldens manager, the watch was defective when sold and not keeping proper time when worn, tho my boyfriend thought at first he hadn't set it correctly, but stopped wearing it only after 2 to 3 weeks of receiving it. I was unable to retrieve the watch within 30days following the purchase, and since I held the sales receipts, I would be the one to return it. At the time of the purchase, the young salesman did not specify the 30day return policy, yet I had called Beldens and was advised to bring the watch in as soon as I was able to. My boyfriend and I lived in seperate states at the time of the watch purchase. Upon taking the watch in, I was assisted by a manager, who tested the watch and confirmed it to be defective, by comparing it to a brand new watch with the same model #, and finding that watch to have the same defect as my purchased watch. I also had a family member with me who witnessed and heard the manager state this. The manager said I would first have to go through Citizens to retrieve a refund for the watch. I spent the next several days and many phone calls to Citizens, only to be told I would then have to go back through Beldens for a full refund. I then returned to Beldens after several more phone calls to district managers and the promise of either a full refund or the exchange of another piece of jewelry from their store for comparable price, but was asked to return to the store of purchase with the watch. I did so, again with the same family member, and was greeted with such degredation and pompous patronizing by a different manager and was refused any compensation, except to send the watch back for the possibility of repair, tho it was proven to have been defective at the time of purchase, and told to me by another watch specialist, that there would be no possibilty of repair to this watch with the type of defect found,as it was a defect in the actual design of the watch itself. I filed a complaint with the BBB, and got no resolve whatsoever, except a statement that the original manager who found the watch to be defective the first time I took it in, was now saying she never had said that. Needless to say, I was so extremely angered by such treatment and by being literally ripped off for $600.00 by 2 different companies whom I thought were reputable, I brought the watch home in it's original watch box with all catalogs, CD disc and bill of sale and purchased warranty intact and had stored the watch in my bedroom since, not wanting to look at it to be reminded of how badly I had been treated by both companies. I have since recently taken the watch to a local pawn, only to find out it is a discontinued model, most likely due to its defectiveness, and the pawn broker then only willing to give $100.00 for it, yet I had paid a little over $600.00 in good faith at the time of purchase. I can only hope that other's have not been ripped off by these two so-called reputable companies for similar amounts or purchases, tho' I would like to think what goes around comes around to those who were so unprofessional in their treatment of an honest consumer. I would also like to think, I somehow could still get some compensation for having been ripped off so knowingly by those who had originally found and did admit that my watch purchased was defective. If there would be anything I could do after this year has gone by since the original time of purchase, it would give me great solace in knowing that honesty does prevail. I would greatly appreciate any input as to my situation, tho' so much time has now passed. The watch was worn barely for a full month and then had set in it's original box since, prior to recently taking to the local pawn. If you could even put out a warning for other's that purchase from Citizens and or Belden Jewelers that these so-called reputable companies don't always stand by their honest consumers and do right by them, I would greatly appreciate that as well. Needless to say, I have learned a few great lessons in dealing with such disreputable and unprofessional business people, tho' the bitter taste of this $600.00 rip off still remains with me after so long. Respectfully, Terrie Walker*” ...Show less »