Help Me Hank: Jewelry Jam

To Liz T's opulent white diamonds... Hollywood bling bling is the big thing, but in Malden Mass. Helen Marie Morton's got quite a collection herself.

Look at the matching set of rhinestones, the matching set of gold earrings and pin. There's a blue set -- lots of pink pearls. It’s not the real thing, but to Helen it's about more than monetary value…

Helen Marie Morton, Jewelry Collector
"Every little piece matters to me at least."

So when the pearl necklace from her wedding trousseau set broke and needed restringing, she wanted to make sure it was safe.

Helen Marie Morton, Jewelry Collector
"I was like, ‘’I’ll bring it to a really good jeweler.’"

She dropped it off and got this receipt to pick up the necklace later. Several weeks passed, but instead of getting her precious pearls back, she got bad news. The store told her necklace was gone.

Helen Marie Morton, Jewelry Collector
"She was getting upset with me on the phone, I can’t do anything, it’s gone, its missing, its lost."

And then the jeweler stopped taking Helen's calls.

Helen Marie Morton, Jewelry Collector
"I was really devastated that she lost it."

Helen was left with pearl earrings, a pearl bracelet--and a necklace made of memories.

Helen Marie Morton, Jewelry Collector
"It was a part of my wedding, it was part of my plan and you know, and, and it was a matched set."

Then Helen had a jewel of an idea at least…

Helen Marie Morton, Jewelry Collector
"Help me hank!"

Now as we told the jeweler, when you leave an item for repairs it becomes the stores responsibility, if the item is lost or damaged they must replace it or reimburse you for the loss."

The jeweler first told us she'd look again in her shop and soon after, she was back on the phone with Helen.

Helen Marie Morton, Jewelry Collector
"After you talked to her, all peaches and cream, all yes please come in and I'll do whatever you want."

So after some serious jewelry shopping on-line, Helen found a replacement necklace.

Helen Marie Morton, Jewelry Collector
"I was excited that I did find something to compete the set."

And soon after the mail man arrived…

Helen Marie Morton, Jewelry Collector
"I was like ‘whoo hoo here it is.’"

And the bling bling was back.

Helen Marie Morton, Jewelry Collector
"I went in and put on the necklace and the earrings and the bracelet and I'm like, ‘this looks good.’"

Another option in cases like this is to head to small claims court and it also proves it may be a good idea to take a picture of important jewelry before you hand it over to anyone.