This Jewelry Purchase Was Anything But Gem Dandy

Opal (oh-pal) n. An iridescent quartzlike stone often used as a gem.

That's what the dictionary says.

But for Kathleen Ossenkop of Renton, a certain opal has become a pain in the neck.

Last February Ossenkop bought what she believed to be a black opal at a jewelry shop in a Hong Kong hotel. She paid $2,500. She'd done some comparison shopping, and had heard that Hong Kong is the place to buy opals.

In April, she had the opal appraised here by Debra Dolphin, one of the owners of Northwest Gemological Laboratory. Rather, Ossenkop tried to have the gem appraised so she could add to her insurance coverage.

Dolphin found the stone had been "enhanced." Black paint had been applied to the back of a natural crystal opal and the paint was chipping.

Since then Ossenkop has learned she's really in a "Catch-22."

She purchased the stone from Jackson Lai of Gemmark Jewellery, who leases space in the Holiday Inn Golden Mile Hotel in Hong Kong.

Ossenkop wants the $2,500 she paid for the stone, plus about $700 in expenses she's had in the past few months pursuing a refund.

He wants her, or a personal emissary, to deliver the stone before he refunds her money.

But Ossenkop doesn't believe it's reasonable to pay $1,000 in airfare to get a refund. In fact, her stopover in Hong Kong last winter was made especially to get a black opal.

Ossenkop would like compensation from Lai for the flight to Hong Kong and the hotel stay. It doesn't seem likely that she'll get it.

Last summer Ossenkop sent a personal emissary - a coworker on vacation - to Lai's shop. But the friend was told the refund had been taken care of.

Now Lai wants her to send someone with the stone.

Her credit union says MasterCard won't reverse the charges until the stone is returned to the merchant.

Why doesn't Ossenkop simply ship the stone to Lai?

Uncle Sam's Postal Service will insure it for a maximum of $500. So if it were lost, Ossenkop would get $500. Period.

And because its destination is overseas, there would be other complications if she sends the stone by air freight.

For instance, she could ship it in a 12-inch-square box with Northwest Airlines Air Cargo for $110. Insurance would be an added cost at 50 cents per $100, or $12.50. They'll accept her word that she paid $2,500 for it.

But a Northwest spokeswoman says Ossenkop would have to designate someone to pick up the package in Hong Kong.

And there's another possible glitch. The airline cannot force someone to pick up a package.

Ossenkop has tried all the logical steps.

She wrote the Hong Kong Tourist Association, hoping that agency could help. But the jeweler is not a member. In August, the association referred her complaint to the Hong Kong Consumer Council.

She asked for help from Holiday Inns. The hotel sent someone to confer with Lai, but says that's as far as they can go.

Guy Gertsch, supervisor for guest relations for Holiday Inns, says that while it's an unpleasant situation, "it's not ours. We're unhappy that she purchased this in a Holiday Inn property," but the merchant's conduct is out of the hotel's "circle of influence."

There are some lessons for other consumers in Ossenkop's misfortune.

If you're considering gem purchases, here's some advice from Dolphin, a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America:

-- Consider shopping close to home in case you need to return an item.

-- Trade with a store whose reputation you can verify.

-- Obtain a signed agreement from the merchant that says he/she will stand behind the gem, in case an appraisal from an expert you choose indicates the gem is not as valuable as you were led to believe.

For more information, order copies of "About Fine Jewelry," "Gem Stone Investing" and "Buying Native American Jewelry" from the Federal Trade Commission, 915 Second Ave., Suite 2806, Seattle 98174.

Shelby Gilje's Troubleshooter column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday in the Scene section of The Times. Do you have a problem? Write to Times Troubleshooter, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111. Include copies, not originals, of documents indicating payment, guarantees, contracts and other relevant materials.