Fri
Jun 6 2008
06:24 am

A press release from the inbox:

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - June 5, 2008 - A second lawsuit was filed today against Knoxville-based Jewelry Television for false advertising and misrepresentation. This lawsuit was filed in Knox County Circuit Court, Division Two (Judge Harold Wimberly) in Knoxville.

On May 23, a similar suit was filed in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of California. The class action suit charges that Jewelry Television sold gemstones described as "all-natural green or red andesine labradorite" which were actually yellow or colorless common feldspar that had been chemically treated to look red or green

More details will be released Friday.

Jewelry TV had previously responded to the California lawsuit by saying "Jewelry Television, like other major retailers, relied upon the lab reports and general industry information. Much of the information in the lawsuit is totally incorrect and we are satisfied that Jewelry Television acted completely responsibly and the true facts will vindicate us."

Anonymous's picture

These guys at Jewelry

These guys at Jewelry Television need to loose more than $5million, they should loose their license to broadcast!

They are just plain crooks trying to sham the public. They knew damn well from the beginning that these stones had been heat treated. They are not natural! To advertise as natural gemstones not treated is fraudulent and should carry a criminal penalty as well as civil penalty.

Anonymous's picture

you bet.

stockholder's meeting later this month - should be a hoot!

Anonymous's picture

Shareholder Meeting

JTV is a private company. There are no stockholders so the company is not very accountable. There are a small number individual people that own %'s of the company, but no stockholders.

Julie's picture

JTV

All I have to say is what about the reports that all the people got from AGTA, GIA and AIGS labs. They all have provided consumers with identification reports for this material indicating "no evidence of treatment".

We as consumers rely on the documentation of these labs to help make determinations if a gemstone is of any value and it gives us confidence that what we are buying is what we have paid for. I would like to know what they have to say for themselves now. Can we continue to trust reports from them in the future?????????

Disgusted's picture

JTV a den of crooks

I worked for these guys. Crooks through and through in management. They'll fight accountability to the end. When the truth comes out at Jewelry Television there could very well be people going to prison. The last of the decent people (salary that is, the hourly people are regular Joes trying to make a living.) left during recent layoffs. Now it's just a den of crooks and incompetents who empower the crooks.

Anonymous's picture

Shareholders meeting

Yes, Jewelry Television is privately owned - a privately owned corporation issues shares and thus there are shareholders.

Anonymous's picture

60 jobs could have been saved

This just in from your friends in Suite 57 - all employees who were laid off should know that the new President and CEO is regularly taking extremely expensive private flights in the Jewelry Television Jet (Hawker N865JT) to his house in Cincinnati and then making the pilots fly by themselves back to Knoxville. Our estimates based on a discussion with the manufacturer Raytheon peg the costs of operating this aircraft at $100,000 per month or the equivalent of 60 call center or shipping or broadcast employees. How many jobs could have been saved if JTV execs would have taken a commercial flight?

checkmate's picture

A few years ago I bought a

A few years ago I bought a Tsavorite Garnet from JTV. I resold it on ebay as a Tsavorite Garnet and the person that bought it told me it was a peridot according to their jeweler. I had the receipt and was adamant about what I had bought. I told the person I would refund their money but not their shipping to return it. Of course I got a negative. I thought I was right all along. Then I bought a Fire Opal. For some reason after my son opened a pawn shop I let him check the orange stone and he told me is was pure "Glass". This was months after I purchased it. I reported it to JTV and they said they would have to let their appraiser look at it before refunding my money. DuH?? After the Tsavorite Garnet thing, I decided they were thieves. I had spent a lot of money with them. I was so ashamed for not refunding the ebay buyer's shipping back to him and felt really guilty about it a long time even though I had an actual receipt telling me what the stone was. I never bought from them for two years and Just a few days ago I bought another item from them with free shipping. They took the whole amount from my paypal account with shipping. I asked for the shipping back and they said they could not give it to me since I bought the item 3 minutes after midnight. I also have a receipt on that item which has $0 shipping. Some of us never learn, but I think I finally have. They deserved to be sued and I hope the person wins. I also hope others search for comments about JTV before purchasing from them. As far as I'm concerned the people working their tv shows are actual LIARS.

Anonymous's picture

JTV/ Andesine Lab.

I BOUGHT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN RED & GREEN ANDESINE LAB. HOW CAN I GET INCLUDED IN THE 5 MILLION DOLLAR CLASS ACTION SUIT? I HAD 7 THOUSAND IN THIS JUNK IN LOOSE GEMSTONES THAT I DID RETURN AND JTV DID REFUND EVERY PENNY. IT TOOK FOREVER THOUGH. WHEN I TRIED TO RETURN MY THOUSAND AND THOUSAND OF DOLLARS IN THE RED AND GREEN AND. LAB. I HAVE IN JEWELRY THEY TOLD ME, SORRY THE DEADLINE FOR REFUNDS WAS UP!!!!!!!!!!
CAN ANYBODY HELP ME?

fleeced?!$?$'s picture

fleeced at JTV?$?$?$? help!!

definately crooks to say the very least, they keep telling me they don't have any NEW information regarding the vality of the "red andesine-labradorite" that I purchased from them. What are my rights? What can I do? Who do I contact to resolve my concern? I purchased a few thousand dollars of this stone? Any help would be appreciated. I have all my invoices, sales receipts, etc.,etc.... Am I entitled to the monies I spent if I do not have all the stones in the same gem jars they sent me? Thanks in advance for whatever help I receive from you.

Need Help too!'s picture

I would appreciate help with

I would appreciate help with the same info the others are asking for. I heard on tv today there has been a settlement in the class action suit and I would be interested in how to get reimbursed the monies I spent on these andesine/labradorites red,green and yellow. I was part of the Class that bought the gem as a rare stone for investment purposes. Instead of requesting a refund from JTV I chose to give them the benefit of the doubt and wait for them to prove or disprove their case in the suit. I understood from the tv report today that they settled without admitting guilt. I am not sure what that means for us who would like our money back. Please help me if you have any information I can use.

Anonymous's picture

go to Link... they will send

go to (link...)

they will send you a letter detailing your options

R. Neal's picture

Jewelry TV settles gemstone

Jewelry TV settles gemstone lawsuit : Business : Knoxville News Sentinel

Knoxville-based Jewelry Television has reached a settlement agreement with customers who claimed the shopping network knowingly sold treated gemstones as natural.

The settlement, which received preliminary court approval this week, would provide members of the class-action suit a cash refund, store credit or a combination of the two.

“We believe the settlement is fair and adequate and addresses the concerns of consumers in the class,” said Knoxville attorney Greg Coleman, who filed the lawsuit in Knox County Circuit Court in June.

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