Boucheron sued in South Korea after diamond falls from ring; brand denies refund

French luxury jeweler Boucheron has been sued by a South Korean consumer after refusing to exchange or refund a ring that the buyer says had a major defect. The lawsuit follows a claim that a diamond fell out of the ring about a week after purchase, and the company offered only repairs.

According to the complaint obtained by Ajunews on the 6th, the customer, identified as A, bought one signature “Quatre Classic Small Ring” in early January at a Boucheron boutique inside a department store in Seoul’s Songpa district. The ring, popular as a wedding band, cost 11.5 million won.

A said that about seven days after the purchase, on the 11th of that month, one diamond set in the band was missing. A told the store there had been no external impact or negligence and requested a refund, saying the incident showed a fundamental problem with durability and quality for a high-priced product.

Boucheron, however, cited scratches that it said occurred during use and responded that a refund or exchange was not possible, according to the complaint. The company said only repairs could be provided and rejected the request. A filed a damages lawsuit against Boucheron’s South Korean unit, Kering Watch & Jewelry Korea, seeking the return of the purchase price.

The law firm representing A said the case qualifies as grounds to cancel the contract under the Civil Act’s warranty liability for defects.

Lee Hyun-hee, an attorney at Law Firm YK, said, “The value of luxury jewelry lies in sophisticated design and the completeness of the stone setting,” adding that “a diamond falling out just seven days after purchase is a serious defect that markedly lacks the durability ordinary precious-metal goods should have.” Lee also said the defendant’s repair-only stance “clearly refuses its obligation to deliver goods without defects.”

In the lawsuit, the legal team cited not only South Korea’s consumer dispute resolution standards but also France’s consumer code, Code de la consommation, where Boucheron is headquartered.

Under that code, defects that arise within two years of delivery are presumed to have existed at the time of sale, and unless the seller proves the consumer is responsible, the seller must provide remedies including repair, exchange or contract cancellation, the filing said.

The case has also prompted criticism of how Boucheron operates in South Korea. Kering Watch & Jewelry Korea changed its corporate form in 2022 from a stock company to a limited liability company, drawing claims that the move was intended to avoid mandatory disclosure of external audit reports.

An industry official said luxury brands can post enormous sales in South Korea while avoiding management disclosure obligations, and then, when defects occur, cite global guidelines to disregard domestic consumer protection rules.

Ajunews said it contacted Boucheron multiple times by phone and email to seek comment on the lawsuit but received no response.