Helzberg Diamonds: Are Those Sales Real? Lawsuit Claims Deception

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit claims Helzberg Diamonds misled shoppers with deceptive pricing practices, advertising perpetual "sales" on items rarely, if ever, sold at their full "original" prices.

Consumers Affected: U.S. consumers who purchased products from Helzberg Diamonds advertised as being on sale for more than $299.99.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Helzberg Diamonds is being accused of running perpetual sales framed as short time offers, violating federal law, according to a new lawsuit. 

The lawsuit, filed in California, alleges that the national jewelry chain, known for its engagement rings and fine diamond pieces, has been misleading shoppers by advertising discounts that don’t really exist.

According to the suit, Helzberg promotes its products as being on limited-time sale, slashing prices and tacking on countdown clocks to encourage urgent buying, but in reality, the discounts are nearly always available, making the supposed "regular prices" misleading. 

The lawsuit claims these false discounts violate California’s strict false advertising laws, which prohibit businesses from advertising fake markdowns or inflated original prices.

Helzberg Diamonds Accused of Perpetual "Sales" Scheme

Kim Owens, a California resident, filed the proposed class action lawsuit after she says she bought a Moissanite engagement-style ring from Helzberg’s website in December 2022 during what looked like a significant sale. 

The ring was advertised as regularly priced at $2,199, but on sale for $1,499—plus, the purchase included a “free” Microsoft Surface Laptop Go valued at $650.

Enticed by what she thought was a great deal and a limited-time offer, Owens made the purchase. But she now says she wouldn’t have bought the ring had she known the discount wasn’t real, and that the sale price was actually Helzberg’s typical price. She said the deal seemed too good to pass up, and turned out too good to be true.

Investigative Evidence Suggests Discounts Were Not Genuine

The crux of the lawsuit isn’t that Helzberg offers discounts—it’s that the discounts appear to be fake. The complaint claims that items priced over $300 are almost always discounted through sitewide promotions or minimum purchase offers, meaning the “regular prices” rarely, if ever, apply.

To prove this, Owens’ legal team conducted an investigation using the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, tracking 85 snapshots of Helzberg’s website between 2022 and 2025. 

In 79 of those instances, the site advertised sales on high-priced products. In some cases, the sales came with countdown timers to create a false sense of urgency, even though the same or similar discounts would reappear immediately after the timer expired, the lawsuit alleges.

Retailers Face Growing Legal Pressure Over Deceptive Pricing

Helzberg isn’t alone in facing scrutiny over pricing practices. A growing number of retailers have come under legal fire for allegedly using inflated “original” prices and perpetual sales to mislead consumers. 

A recent class action lawsuit against Nood, a direct-to-consumer skincare and hair removal brand, claims the company faked discounts and used deceptive pricing to make shoppers think they were getting steep deals—violations that, the suit argues, breach California consumer protection laws. 

Other major retailers like Sunglass Hut, Macy’s, and Hobby Lobby have been sued over similar tactics, painting a picture of an industry-wide pattern. Though the Federal Trade Commission has long warned against “deceptive pricing,” and issued guidance to curb the practice, the growing list of lawsuits suggests that the illusion of a never-ending sale remains a profitable—if legally risky—marketing strategy.

In her lawsuit against Helzberg, Owens wants to represent anyone in the country who bought something from Helzberg for more than $299.99 advertised as being on sale. 

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Owens v. Helzberg’s Diamond Shops, LLC
• Case Number: 2:25-cv-03853-MEMF-JDE
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Simon Franzini (Dovel & Luner, LLP)

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