P&O Cruise Passenger Urges Customers To Check Their Harding Retail Purchases

Cruise passenger disputes ‘chocolate diamond’ ring valuation as retailer denies fraud

A passenger who bought a “chocolate diamond” ring on board a P&O cruise says he was left shocked after an independent valuation identified a substantial difference between the diamond grading shown on the certificate supplied at the time of purchase and the grading later recorded.

The passenger said he purchased the ring from Harding Retail for £2,811.69 after receiving documentation stating a retail value of £4,463.00.

He said the ring was presented as rare and likely to hold its value. However, after attempting to sell the item, he says several jewellers gave valuations ranging from around £80.00 to £300.00.

In correspondence seen by the Lakeland Post, the passenger said he had obtained at least eight valuations, with some jewellers placing the item’s value at between £100.00 and £200.00

The central dispute is not only the difference in value, but the grading information attached to the ring.

The certificate supplied at the time of sale described the diamond as having a colour grade of GH and a clarity grade of SI1. The passenger said a subsequent independent valuation recorded the diamond’s colour as LM.

The passenger says the valuation office told him the discrepancy between the certificate and the grading later recorded was “significant” and too substantial to be explained as a simple error. He says this was confirmed during a recorded telephone call (heard by LakeLandPost).

The passenger has raised concerns that the difference represents a significant downgrade in the quality described at the point of sale. Harding Retail, which operates retail outlets on cruise ships, has denied any fraudulent activity in relation to the item, its certificate or the values stated.

In its response, the company said diamond colour and clarity grades are expert assessments rather than absolute scientific measurements, and can differ between laboratories, methodologies, conditions and equipment.

The company also said the ring was graded while set in jewellery, which it said can affect how light interacts with a stone and make colour grading more difficult.

Harding Retail said: “We refute any claims of fraudulent activity with regard to the certificate or the values stated.”

It said the certificate represented a retail replacement value, rather than a resale or second-hand value, and argued that retail replacement valuations can include the cost of craftsmanship, stones and brand premium.

The company said independent valuations for resale may be based more heavily on wholesale or scrap gold value, resulting in a substantially lower figure.

Harding Retail offered the passenger a full refund of the £2,811.69 purchase price upon the safe return of the ring, including a prepaid and insured returns package.

The passenger says he accepted that offer and returned the ring by recorded delivery. The Lakeland Post has seen receipts and delivery evidence relating to the return.

However, the passenger alleges that Harding Retail retained the ring but did not issue the promised refund. At the time of publication, he says he remains without either the ring or the £2,811.69 refund.

The passenger says he has also been left out of pocket for third-party valuations and insured postage costs, and remains concerned about how the ring was marketed, certified and valued at the point of sale.

The passenger says he has still not received an explanation for why the certificate and subsequent grading differed, or how the discrepancy occurred.

He has also created a Facebook group for people who believe they have experienced similar issues. The passenger says more than 20 people have contacted/joined the group to share concerns about jewellery purchases.

Harding Retail and P&O Cruises have been approached for comment on the grading discrepancy, the return of the ring, the passenger’s claim that no refund has been issued, and the wider concerns raised by group members.

​Got a news story or tip to share? Contact our editorial team by emailing news@lakelandpost.co.uk or call us directly on 0333 090 2080.​