[Jewelry making - Article 00063] - Re: [Orchid] Anyone know Aurifex?

[Kevin Courter]

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>     Do you know what happened to the Aurifex people who used to be in
>     Fort Collins, CO? They were mokume designers, too. I bought a ring
>     from them a while back and need some information, but I can't
>     locate them. 

    This surfaced in my local paper yesterday, thought it might be of
    interest to folks on the list. 
    regards,
    Kevin

          Customers say jewelry store owners stole items, payments
          By CHRISTINE McMANUS
          http://www.coloradoan.com

          Customers of Aurifex Fine Jewelry say the former owners of the
          recently closed shop stole at least $182,000 in precious
          wedding rings, engagement rings and downpayments. 

          At least nine reports against Aurifex have been filed with
          Fort Collins police since September

          "Our biggest concern is whether there are customers who have
          not come forward yet, either because they don't feel their
          case is worth reporting or they don't realize Aurifex has
          closed," said Al Brown, Fort Collins police spokesman. "We
          want to hear from them, and try to help them." 

          The shop was owned by Eric and Sarah Griffin. 

          Eric Griffin said more than 300 customers "got caught in the
          middle needlessly" of a sudden break with an undisclosed
          business partner. 

          "The former partner took off with our customer list and
          equipment, among other stuff," Griffin said. "We've been
          trying to return everything to people the past month or so,
          but it's been difficult." 

          Fraud investigator Brien O'Malley of Fort Collins Police
          Services is looking into reports filed by customers and
          wholesale distributors against the 2 1/2-year-old downtown
          business. 

          O'Malley is in the process of contacting the Griffins. 

          Griffin made headlines in November 2003 when he was involved
          in a "Make My Day" shooting in Ault. 

          After an investigation, the Weld County district attorney's
          office found Griffin was protected under the "Make My Day" law
          because neighbor Richard Hammock came after Griffin at
          Griffin's home, bashing in a front door window, and
          threatening him with a board. 

          Griffin made a public apology after the fatal shooting. 

          "I've been trying to rebuild my life since then, and it looks
          like I'll have to pick up and do it again," Griffin said.
          "We're not dishonest and we're trying to put this back
          together again." 

          Customers who dropped off jewelry and deposits for custom
          design work are worried they will never see their jewelry or
          loose stones again. The store at 236 Walnut St. closed around
          the beginning of October. 

          After more than a month of mediation, the Mountain States
          Better Business Bureau on Tuesday revoked Aurifex's
          membership. 

          The BBB office in Fort Collins began receiving customer
          complaints in early October, with the most recent report filed
          last weekend, said Marcy Sharf, vice president of mediation at
          Mountain States BBB in Fort Collins. 

          The Griffins on Monday began responding to customer complaints
          of theft, more than a week after the BBB's Nov. 22 deadline to
          respond to the first certified letter. 

          Police investigators will determine if the alleged thefts were
          intentional, Sharf said. If no criminal charges are filed,
          people may choose to file a case in small claims court, Sharf
          said. 

          The voice mail for Aurifex Fine Jewelry has been full for
          days. The company Web site was taken down. Two days after
          property manager Ross Milliken received a lease termination
          letter from the Griffins, he went to check on the shop space
          Oct. 10. 

          Everything was cleared out, and the locks had been changed.
          Several days later, Milliken received a letter from the
          Griffins, accusing him of illegally breaking and entering. 

          Eric Griffin said he was planning to move the business from a
          retail spot into a design studio. The transition flopped, he
          said. 

          "This will probably come down to a civil matter in the courts
          for years," Griffin said. 

          Milliken said several people have called him, trying to get a
          hold of the Griffins and their jewelry or down payments.
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