Effy Jewelry is a manufacturer that claims to offer world-class collections of fine jewelry inspired from sources around the globe with bold, stylish looks.
About Effy Jewelry
Boasting hundreds of jewelry pieces that are inspired by trends around the globe, Effy Jewelry claims to offer fine and fashion jewelry designs that promise to satisfy your wanderlust with a little sparkle.
Effy Jewelry began as a small jewelry operation in Aruba. Founded by Fatollah “Effy” Hermatian, an electrical engineer who emigrated from Iran in 1978 to become a jewelry designer, the Effy brand has grown is now operates under the name BH Multi.
Effy Jewelry can be found online at www.effyjewelry.com, at Macy’s, as well as 4000 other retail locations worldwide.
From classic three-stone rings, to Effy Jewelry’s signature leopard design featured on brooches, rings, necklaces and bracelets, the brand has garnered a lot of attention for offering a wide variety of styles that are frequently sold at slashed prices.
Effy Promises To Be a Girl’s Best Friend
When asked to pitch his company in a brief statement, Effy Hematian stated that Effy Jewelry was built on a foundation of superior design, craftsmanship, and quality.
Claiming to be trendsetters in the fashion jewelry market due to their hundreds of exclusive new designs every year, Effy Hemetian claims that customers love Effy Jewelry because the brand is trusted to deliver better value and quality.
In an interview, Effy Hemetial also stated that he will never compromise the quality of his products to bring down prices.
How To Shop at Effy Jewelry
Like any other online retailer, shoppers can go to their website and browse current inventory based on the type of jewelry you are interested in. Effy Jewelry offers men’s and women’s lines, a small collection of unisex religious and spiritual jewelry, as well as a bridal collection.
The pricing at Effy Jewelry is as diverse as their inventory. In their earring category alone green amethyst or citrine cushion cut studs are available for $95, while a pair of three-tiered emerald drops sell for $15,250.
When ordering from Effy Jewelry online, all purchases over $200 receive free, insured and trackable shipping.
Effy Jewelry says that any customers who are dissatisfied with their purchase are welcome to return or exchange their item as long as it is returned within 30 days from the date of shipment, and the jewelry is free from scratches, blemishes, sizing, or alterations. Any items that are considered Special Orders, such as those with engraving or specialty sizing, can still be returned, but unfortunately a 20% restocking fee will be applied.
In order to request a refund, you’ll need to contact customer service for a Return Authorization Number at 877-ASK-EFFY (275-3339).
Allegations Against Effy Jewelry
Effy Jewelry came under attack when a gemologist contracted by Macy’s (one of Effy Jewelry’s partner retailers) noticed that the stones being sold under the Effy Jewelry brand were sub-par (the article is available here).
The initial focus was on Effy Jewelry’s rubies. Rubies are the second hardest stone, only slightly less so than diamonds, and have become increasingly rare since Burmese mines were shut down in the early 2000s. Gem dealers found an alternative source of rubies in Africa, but the stones were of lesser quality than Burmese rubies, filled with fissures.
Effy Jewelry is accused of adding leaded glass to the poor quality stones, then treating them with heat to enhance their color and presentation. The Jeweler’s Association states that these rubies are not “real” as they fall short of the durability offered by a genuine stone.
Even more disturbing, when these artificially enhanced stones, called “treated rubies” “enhanced rubies,” “composite rubies,” or “hybrid gemstones,” are heated, the filling may leak out, causing the composited shards of inferior ruby to shatter.
To the naked eye of an ordinary consumer, there is no visible difference. However, fine jewelry is often considered an investment that will last many generations while holding its value — a promise these composited and treated stones can’t uphold.
Furthermore, in a piece exploring the topic of composite rubies, Good Morning America interviewed experts who say these composite rubies are too fragile to even clean using normal methods, and may also experience color fading over time. As such, they are worth only a fraction of the stones they represent.
In the class action lawsuit against Macy’s, many consumers stated feeling duped that they were presented with items of a supposed high-value, which upon inspection by gemologists, turned out to be nearly worthless. An article explaining the case can be found here.
Additional allegations were that Macy’s (supplied by Effy Jewelry) knowingly sold the following without disclosing the additional, potentially devaluing, information to their customers:
- Rubies that were composites or filled with glass or lead filled glass;
- Stones were being passed as untreated “green amethyst,” when in fact this stone was actually Praseolite (a heated form of quartz). Only purple amethyst is natural, real amethyst, and therefore of a much higher value;
- Sapphires were fracture filled with glass;
- Black sapphires were being passed off as “black diamonds”;
- Many diamonds were enhanced by laser drilling or filing of surface cavities and fractures with a hardened substance;
- Diamonds were irradiated or heated to induce color and then represented to be natural black diamonds.
A broadcast report of the investigation of composite rubies by Good Morning America can be found here.
While some of the articles do not directly name Effy Jewelry as the supplier to Macy’s, Lord and Taylor, and the other stores in question, details from a dissatisfied customer who purchased directly through Effy Jewelry can be found here.
The Bottom Line
Despite rampant reports of fraudulent gems, many consumers state that they are happy with their Effy Jewelry purchases in forum chatter.
While the jewelry sold by Effy may be beautiful in the short term, the issue argued by experts is that consumers are being sold inferior products at an inflated price, without receiving all the important information.
If you’re interested in purchasing jewelry from the Effy Jewelry line, it’s important to arm yourself with information. Be sure to ask the salesperson:
- Is this ruby treated?
- If so, how was it treated?
- Is there lead glass in the ruby? Federal laws require that retailers provide consumers with a full refund if the product sold was misrepresented or determined to fraudulent.
If purchasing from Effy Jewelry online, it’s recommended that buyers take their newly purchased gemstones to a professional for an evaluation before the 30-day return period is up.
