Browns Jewellers Anmeldelser 

After 5 years and just over 4 months I took my 1ct diamomd ring to the Sandton branch where I had purchased the ring from, and applied for the buy-back programme. Shortly after I was told that they cannot honour that option as there is a 3 month from the 5 years anniversary date to make use of the buy-back programme, and that requirement is contained within the terms and conditions. I then emailed them saying at time of purchase this limitation was never verbally explained of highlighted to me, when making my purchase decision. I relied on the information provided to me by the sales consultant , had it been highlighted to me I would have made sure it was done within the limited period. I have just received a mail from them and of course they using that as an escape from the buy-back programme. The facts are that the prices of diamonds have decreased considerably with the Lab Diamonds being introduced into the market and of course Browns now will use every excuse not to exercise the buy- back programme. When you go in the store they tell you buying a 1ct ring is an investment, don't be fooled by that!!! It's a big loss, especially if you buy from Browns. The price I paid for my 1ct over 5 years ago, if I have to purchase the same diamond now it costs much less!! Very very disappointed with them.........

Further to my review above of Browns, they claim their diamonds to be the best quality diamonds and that is why they have a buy-back programme. Don't be fooled by that my diamond is such a good quality that not even Browns wants to buy it back. And believe me 5 years ago I already paid quite a large sum of money for that specific ring. I purchased a colour G SI2. Presently I phoned around and I can buy a color G VS2 for less then what I paid or a minimal difference in price. I do understand that the Lab diamonds have bought the diamond industry down, but I stand by what I say WHEN MAKING MY PURCHASE 5 YEARS AGO , IT WAS THE DUTY OF THE CONSULTANT TO MAKE SURE I'M AWARE OF THE 3 MONTHS PERIOD AFTER THE 5 YEARS ANNIVERSARY OF PURCHASE. AS THAT IS THE MOST DETRIMENTAL PIECE OF INFORMATION SO THE CLIENT CAN BENEFIT FROM THE PROGRAMME.
Further to my review, I approached Browns to exchange my current diamond ring and upgrade to a better diamond then the one I purchased 5 years ago. I wanted an upgrade on the clarity of the diamond and then paying for the difference in price. Browns came back to me yesterday and same story as before they are not interested in giving me a credit for the diamond I have at the moment. They charged me a lot for that diamond 5 years ago and now simply turn around and have no interest in taking back one of their own diamonds. I currently own a SI2 colour G ,and they are simply not interested. Of course at time of purchase it was deemed a great investment, I could not go wrong. Don't be fooled!!

Bought a leather and silver bracelet from them at the airport in Joberg and the item has just fallen apart after less than 2 months. after spending 600 dollars i have now thrown it in the garbage as it is beyond repair. i reached out to the company and they promised i would hear from someone very quickly but after 2 weeks still nothing. please stay away from this merchant or be dissapointed like me.

I purchased an engagement ring from Brown’s Jewellery in December 2018 for a significant amount of money, trusting I was investing in a high-quality piece that would last.

Since buying it, I have regularly brought the ring in for cleaning and maintenance to ensure the claws were secure and properly checked. Recently, I noticed one of the claws had bent. Thankfully I spotted it quickly and immediately took it into one of the branches.

After that, I heard nothing for weeks. I had to chase repeatedly before finally receiving a response, only to be told that the repair would cost £2,000. I was shocked. For a ring of this value and reputation, I did not expect to be told it effectively needs a complete rebuild after normal wear.

When I emailed to ask how such significant damage could happen to what is marketed as a high-quality product, I was told that “day-to-day wear” could not have caused this. The wording felt accusatory and dismissive, as though I was being blamed for the damage. I do not do manual work, I am a full-time mum with two young children, and I do not engage in activities that would cause extreme impact to my jewellery.

What has added to my distress is the lack of communication. I have not received replies to two of my emails since 19th February and currently have no clarity on where my ring is or what is happening with it.

I feel incredibly disappointed, not only in the product durability but in the customer service. This ring is deeply sentimental, and being told to pay £2,000 for damage I do not believe I caused, without proper explanation or communication, has been upsetting and unsettling.

I expected far better from a brand positioned as premium.

Went into the store to get my grandads signet ring re sized as it was too big for me , they said yes no problem - measured my ring size to perfection , also my partner has took a few rings there to get them fixed clean , quick and reliable.

Went in Saturday rings ready to collect by Tuesday - great price and customer service

I wish I had checked these reviews before. I bought myself a special ring from Browns in December 2023. I have worn it very little as I work in the NHS so don't wear it in work. One of the diamonds has fallen out and the retailer has said "I’ve received the assessment from our workshop regarding your ring.
The diamond came loose because the claws have worn down over time, which is a common occurrence.
To replace the diamond, retip all the claws, and polish the ring, the quote is £190."
How do gold claws wear down after 20 months of minimal wear. I am waiting for feedback from the complaints department, but after reading the reviews I am very anxious.

I’m incredibly disappointed by my experience with Browns Jewellers and feel compelled to share it so others can be aware.

I purchased a ring in 2022, wore it fewer than 20 times, and already a diamond has fallen out. I was told the issue was due to a broken claw, which I believe is a clear indication of poor workmanship — especially from a brand that positions itself as luxury.

Instead of taking accountability, Browns insisted that I pay R1,500 for repairs. Only after challenging the fairness of this charge did they offer a 50% discount, still expecting me to pay R750 for damage that was not caused by me.

To make matters worse, I was told that if I do not pay and collect the ring, it will be sent to their “Treasury” and incur a 10% holding fee. This felt like added pressure. Why I should pay to fix something I believe should never have broken in the first place?

The response I received also stated that if this was a manufacturing fault, it would have shown within a month — which is not true under South African law. According to the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), consumers have the right to receive goods that are of good quality, free of defects, and durable for a reasonable period. Even after six months, if a defect surfaces that can be linked to poor quality or manufacturing issues, the consumer is still protected.

I have since escalated this matter to the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO) and the National Consumer Commission (NCC), as I feel Browns has failed to uphold its responsibilities to me as a customer.

To add to the frustration, I was just informed that my ring is being sent to their Treasury Department, even though I clearly stated that the matter is under dispute. I have made it clear to Browns that I will not be held responsible for any additional charges related to this decision, as it was made without proper resolution or agreement.

Browns may look like a luxury brand on the surface, but based on my experience, they do not stand behind their products or treat customers fairly when problems arise. I would strongly recommend thinking twice before making a purchase here.

I bought a tanzanite and diamond ring from Browns at Johannesburg International airport. 89,000 rand. It lasted 6 days before the central stone just fell out (I was literally just standing in my dining room - I hadn’t bumped it). I contacted Browns who wanted photographs, duly taken, which showed 4 empty claws and a loose tanzanite. After a bit of to and fro: silence. I took to my own jeweller in Sydney who said the claws were too fine and too short to hold the stone. Valarie from Browns interpreted this as showing no faulty workmanship on the part of Browns. I wish I had read the other reviews here before wasting money with these charlatans. In contrast, I have a ruby and diamond halo ring (from a decent jeweller) that I have worn every day for the past 7 years with no issues whatsoever.

Bought a ring and the main stone came out after 2 years. Tried to ask for a quote to replace and given the run around for a year. Very poor service

Went to their store in Durban and was going to buy a bracelet , marked priced was R195k.
Sales assistant informed me that the “ marked price “ wasn’t the actual price and that it was now R235k.
On my return to home , I made contact with Brownes , finally got to engage with a manager after 5 emails . They told me they were disappointed to hear of my experience and that if I’m passing by again , they will sell me the bracelet at the correct price . As I live 12,000 miles away , that is somewhat unlikely !!

Browns Diamond store quality is definitely not what they promote it to be.

I have had the worst experience with having a claw move on my engagement ring.

After sending it back for an assessment, they returned it in its original state after apparently fixing it.

There is no accountability for this and it wasted but another 2 weeks of my time.

After the first repair came back, 4 weeks after this, a different claw bent back to 90 degrees from the diamond.

They have refused an assessment and that, there was no manufacturing fault.

However with having just been repaired and wearing the ring for 4 weeks, it broke again, how can this so call quality brand call themselves masters at craftsmanship.

If I were someone looking for a ring, I would definitely not suggest looking here.

Although store service is good, it’s whatever is happening behind the scenes which needs massive attention.

We purchased our wedding bands last month from BROWNS. We explained what we wanted, the engraving and they also measured our fingers to get our sizes. After waiting 2-3 weeks, my ring was too big and had no engraving so we had to send it off again for resizing and engraving. After waiting another 2 weeks it was still too big and I had to pay a charge of £60 for another resizing. When the ring came back another 2 weeks later, it was the correct size but they mad e a mistake on the engraving (spelt my partners name incorrectly). We had to wait for another 2-3 weeks to get this back. Fast forward last week when we finally got married, I noticed one of the diamonds on my ring had gone yellow. This was very worrying considering I had only just been wearing it for 2-3 days. I took it to the shop for it to get looked at and they had no idea what it could be. They cleaned it but still no luck. They advised to send my ring to the lab to get it looked at and again another 2 weeks wait. They had the cheek of charging £60 which we absolutely refused to pay considering the ring was barely worn. Can’t believe the quality of the ring is absolutely shocking considering we spent SO Much money on them. Definitely wouldn’t NOT recommend

Great customer service, but overpriced for what you get. If you like to be hands-on in the process, then this probably isn't the best jeweler for you.

I recently had my mother's rings remodeled by Craig who did a wonderful job. I couldn't recommend their service more highly. Thanks Craig.

To be honest the service from your store in Bay West PE is shocking. She said she would get back to me in three working days. I have tried and left two messages and still nothing. It’s going on more than two weeks now. Regards Sue Bradfield

Had such a bad experience at Browns store midlands mall.. bought the ring for my wedding never mind my wedding was in the 20th of August in 3 weeks time it’s faded went back to the store they told me white gold do fade after some time but with my situation it something they are experiencing for the first time hhaybo… I’m defeated they told me to take gold or platinum they expect me to add more money, I feel brown is just a scam covers in fake diamonds they said it will be taken for polishing what ever they call it yet I don’t have a ring,, it vet ironically what they sell to us what the use what the difference spending so much hoping it an investment but it a day light scam the question I’m asking myself if it comes back and do the very same thing am I supposed to run back and forth going to Browns wasting my time petrol and energy.. The most annoying part they shift the blame on me apparently’ they found some chemicals on my ring that why it fading I don’t even work with chemicals or any of that sort… they must just admit what ever material they used it very cheap I’m very upset worst no ring on my finger… The lady is so brave telling me it won’t fade how does she know is there something she is not telling me???

Dreadful customer service - ignored/looked down on
Poor product from 'high end' jewellers - broke within 5 months- UK shop didn't care

Over priced costume jewelry. Be warned. £1200 tiny studs earrings special gift for my daughters 40th birthday. Or so I thought. They only lasted just about 2yrs. The thin arm that hold the backs on broke, and it was suggested not to keep them in. Had they been removed more frequently they would not have made six months. To repair it will cost £120.
Also the gold turned yellow,
Much cheaper jewelry purchased over the years has far outlasted this overpriced junk.

I usually don't leave negative feedback to any company. Because thoughts on services we get is subjective. But this one hurt us badly financially and emotionally.
We bought our wedding band and ring from Browns. We bought them as white gold. After wearing very carefully avoiding water etc, the rings started to show gold colour underneath. We took them to the store. The sales assistant told us, they can fix it by polishing in the store which they did. The rings were looking white again. And she said if it happens again they can send to the studio for rhodium polish but we need to pay £60.
After 2 months rings were tarnished again.
As we didn't want to visit the store every couple of months, we contacted the head office by email asked for a refund. But when we checked small prints on the receipts we realised they work with South African laws!

"Any dispute that may arise between you and BROWNS will be subject to prevailing SOUTH AFRICAN LAWS"

The person from the head office blamed me first. She said I might have contacted with pool water, sea water or cream etc. I was looking after my £2300 rings like my babies. Because they are expensive and sentimentally valuable. Never used in water. I should be able to use in water anyway. And then she said it's a natural process of white gold they tarnish in time. I did my research and found out that their white gold is only rhodium plated not mix of palladium and platinum or any other metal that makes the rings white gold.
Long story short, They didn't make a refund instead they asked for more money to exchange with platinum set.
If you pay a lot of money for your wedding rings you want them last forever and they should last forever not two months. My mum has white gold wedding ring she’s been using for over 30 years. Never visited the store to polish since she got it.
If this is normal process of Brown’s white gold jewellery, they should inform their customer who pay thousands for their rings. My silver rings looks way better than these rings.
I recommend Hatton Garden that is London’s jewellery quarter with hundreds of jewellery shops for diamond jewellery, watches and affordable luxury.

I bought my wedding ring from Browns jewellers, stinning ring with half eternity. After 7 months a diamond fell out, I was unhappy that I had to pay for the repair after such a short time having the ring. I was advised to contact their client service team who have yet to give me an explanation. I have now been without my ring for over 3 weeks with no support from the company. Never experience such awful customer service.

In reply: I have been dealing with Stratford Westfield store. They advised me last Wednesday to contact Client services, whom I emailed the same day. I received a reply from Client Services on 2nd April to say they would have feedback by Monday, it is now Thursday with no reply and I have emailed everyday. I have been in touch with Stratford store today who have been in contact with Client Services. I am waiting for their response.