Felony-Facing Jeweler May Have Misrepresented More Than Simulants

Paul Blarr, the upstate New York jeweler who has been hit with four felony counts for allegedly misrepresenting simulants as naturals, may have also not disclosed diamond enhancements and sold gold-plated items as gold, according to the local police department. 

On April 8, the Amherst Police Dept. issued a notice to customers of Blarr’s store, RSNP Diamond Exchange, on its Facebook page, warning customers to have any items sold by Blarr checked. 

“Customers have found they were sold enhanced diamonds and that it was not disclosed at the time of the purchase,” the post said. “Diamond enhancements are specific treatments, performed on natural diamonds, which are designed to improve the visual characteristics of the diamond. Jewelers are required by U.S. Federal Trade Commission to disclose the use of enhanced diamonds to the purchaser at the time of sale.” 

The department added that “some gold items were found to be gold-plated instead of solid gold.”

Finally, it advised customers to have any gems that were repaired or purchased at RSNP, or Blarr’s other store, Amherst Diamond Exchange, checked by experts.

“These gems may have been switched, or not the quality of what they had purchased,” the department said.

Capt. Enzio G. Villalta, chief of the Amherst Detective Bureau, has told JCK there may be dozens of victims in the case, and he expects Blarr will face more charges.

Blarr has pleaded not guilty. His attorney, Charles Marchese, did not return a call for comment, but told The Buffalo News that his client was also a “victim” and did not realize the gems he was selling were simulants. 

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JCK News Director

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