Fake Pearls sold in Kosmima, a shop in old Paphos

by Purple
(UK)

I had a lovely time in beautiful Cyprus this September. The only blot on a fantastic holiday was being sold fake pearls in a very upmarket-looking boutique in Ktima, old Paphos.

I would like to warn your readers so they don't fall into the same trap and waste their hard-earned cash on plastic beads like I did.

The shop was called Kosmima and the sales lady assured me several times that the pearls were genuine freshwater pearls.

Normally I would test pearls before buying (by rubbing them gently on your teeth) but the shop was so upmarket in appearance (fine decor, bright lighting & spotlessly clean) that I trusted the well-dressed sales woman & felt embarrassed to test the pearls. I took her word. Mistake.

After buying the 'pearls' I went to put them on in a nearby cafe. As soon as I got them out of the box in natural light, I could see they looked to have regular joins as plastic mould would have. I tested them and a thin plastic coating peeled off. I had been cheated. (I confirmed that these beads were fake with my jeweller back home.)

I tried to go back to the shop but she had shut. I remember her repeatedly asking me if this was my last day in Cyprus and now think she was trying to make sure I would not be here to return to the shop once I realised the pearls were fake.

I'm not saying all the jewellery in Kosmima is fake, just that the 'pearls' I was sold as genuine were fake. I have emailed the company twice about this matter and asked to return the fake pearls but they have not responded to my emails.

My credit card company is looking into the matter but I would like to contact Cyprus trading standards about this matter.