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Macy’s Gold Jewelry Class Action Lawsuit
By Matt O’Donnell
A federal class action lawsuit claims Macy’s deceptively advertises its jewelry as “fine gold” when it is actually gold-plated sterling silver, tricking customers into believing they’re buying jewelry more valuable than it actually is.
Lead Plaintiff Natalya Barsukova alleges in the Macy’s jewelry class action lawsuit that she purchased earrings in April 2010 from a Macy’s store in Burlington, Massachusetts, that were labeled as “fine gold” and were confirmed by a salesperson to be real gold, but were in fact sterling silver covered with a thin layer of gold or gold alloy.
Two years after she bought them, the earrings “showed signs of tarnish and discoloration, with the middle loop on the earring turning from a gold color to almost completely gray,” the class action lawsuit says, so Barsukova took the earrings to a jeweler. That’s when she discovered they were gold-platted sliver and not real gold.
Barsukova believes “thousands of consumers” have been affected by Macy’s alleged false advertising of its “gold” jewelry, and wants Macy’s to provide them full refunds and pay punitive damages for its alleged breach of contract.
According to the class action lawsuit, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules prohibit the use of the word “gold” or any abbreviation to describe all or part of any product not composed entirely of gold or a gold alloy. The use of the word “gold” or its abbreviation is permitted only if the product is “adequately qualified” to indicate that the product or part is only surface-plated with gold.
A similar class action lawsuit was filed against JC Penny earlier this year, which accuses the retailer of falsely advertising that its jewelry is more valuable and of a higher quality than it actually is.
Barsukova is seeking to represent a proposed class of all Macy’s customers who purchased jewelry from Macy’s labeled and sold as “Gold” or “Fine Gold” that was in fact gold-plated silver or sterling silver.
The Macy’s Gold Jewelry Class Action Lawsuit case is Barsukova v. Macy’s, Inc., Case No. 12-cv-11892, U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts.
Updated October 23rd, 2012
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23 thoughts onMacy’s Gold Jewelry Class Action Lawsuit
I went to my local jewelry pawnshop and I ask how real and fakes jewelry are. He told me real gold wont tarnished or diminished its quality. Which is true, my late dads necklace is a high quality gold then I showed him my 14k necklace and he said its a fake since 14k wont diminished its quality even if years pass by. Now I received jewelry gift from my bf and his mom they bought it from Macys but when u tested the silver blue topaz necklace it was attracted to magnets. Real silver don’t react in magnets. Now I received a good pearl with jade earrings and i’m afraid its also a fake. I really love the jewelry but heartbroken when they might deceive the people I love buying a fake one. Im considering going back to my local jewelry to test if its real or not. I better of buying jewelry at a trusted jewelry store not in any mall. My point of view fakes sold in cheap price not in hundred dollars. I still believe customer needs to be really get suspicious in buying them before its too late.
I saw a Macy’s ad for a $130 Victoria Townsend ring in 14K gold for $30 (still have the ad) and brought it in to Macy’s and showed it to a sales person. She directed me towards ‘fine jewelry’. When I asked about the item, they left and never returned. I emailed the Macy’s store location but they never responded. How can they advertise an item that doesn’t exist?
Yes 99.9% of all jewelry is fake, but a person may not this until the jewelry if broken, damaged and lost.
What is the status of this case, and is it still open to file claims?
http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/avalonia-road-sterling-silver-necklace-green-fire-agate-graduated-necklace-138-1-3-ct.-t.w.?ID=678935
That necklace and the others they are advertising as ‘fire agate’ are not valuable fire agate, but instead a common and much cheaper stone ‘cracked fire quartz’ or ‘crab fired quartz’. It is nothing more than normal quartz, cracked with heat and cold and then dyed. It is not even agate.
They have told of the mislabeling
I purchased a marque cut diamond ring that was suppose to be gold about 4 years ago and it turned. I loved that ring and I was disappointed that Macy’s would mislead its customers.
I have bought a number of jewelry pieces at Macys…both for myself and given as gifts. I would like to file a claim in this case.
Please contact me for this one my husband bought me some earrings from there a few yrs ago and suppose to be real gold,the diamonds suppose to be reall as well but they turned silver..I dont think its real silver underneath either for almost 300.00 bucks..I still have the earrings and they can have them back..tks..
WE PURCHASED OUR WEDDING BANDS FROM SEARS AND MY WIFE STARTED GETTING A RASH WITH THE ONE RING NOTIFIED SEARS AND ALL WE GOT WAS A BIG ATTITUDE STATING WE SWITCHED RINGS.
PURCHASED JEWELRY FROM MACY.’S ADVERTISED AS 14k GOLD. LOOKED LIKE JUNK!!