Balfour / Commemorative Brands — Class ring

On 10/30/2020, I mailed my 1977 class ring to Balfour to be remade. Per their instructions, I enclosed a check in the amount of $14.95 for, "shipping./handling/insurance charge". I had previously talked with a representative in their service department who advised me that the "dies" were still available and that I should ship the ring along with my personal check. The ring was delivered to Balfour on 11/04/2020 at 9:59 AM. My check was negotiated by Balfour on 11/17/2020. After hearing nothing and not receiving my original ring back, I contacted the company on 12/01/2020 to ask when my original ring was going to be returned and when the replacement would be available for purchase. The lady I spoke with told me that my original ring was going to be, "melted down". I told her that nowhere in their online information is there any statement indicating that it would be melted down. I also told her that I expected my original ring to be returned because I paid for it to be returned. She kept on saying that she was trying to explain it to me and kept saying that it was to be melted down. I finally ask to speak to a supervisor, she placed me on hold and after a few minutes returned to the phone telling me that her supervisor was not available and that the supervisor would return my call within 24 hours. I never received a return call. The next day I searched for a corporate phone number [protected]). I called the number and ask to speak with someone regarding a complaint, I was transferred to a voicemail of someone whose name I could not understand, however, I left a message requesting a return phone call. That person has not returned my call either. Today I again called the corporate number and the operator provided me with a name and extension for the college ring area (Teri, ext 1951) I called and left a voicemail message requesting a return call, as yet I have not heard from Teri. I have called twice more and each time it goes to voicemail. At this point, I would like to have my original ring returned to me. If I had known that they intended to destroy a 43-year-old ring, I never would have sent it. I believed that they needed the original ring to ensure that the larger replacement would be an exact duplicate.