Almost at the same time that ended with the declaration of the directors of the company joyería Tous, and from the laboratory that verifies the quality of their products in the National court, which is investigating the alleged scam in the sale of jewelry, the Spanish Association of Jewellers, Silversmiths and Watchmakers came out in defence of the Catalan company. In a statement made public this Wednesday ensures that Spanish law allows for the manufacture of objects with precious metals with fillers and that the technology used by Tous is "common, normal and usual in the sector".

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The Hearing is investigating an alleged scam with the jewels of Tous: an association complaint that are filled with plastic

This technique, called electroforming or electroformado has been the subject of the interrogation to which he subjected the prosecutor, Jose Javier Polo to the charge of Tous. According to legal sources present in the statement, José María Bosch, managing director of Tous, has recognized that the pieces of silver in the form of the iconic bear of the brand are filled with a material similar to plexiglass, but has added that it is a technique permitted by law.

"The fillers are part of the technique of electroforming, which allow to provide to the jewel of the volume, and vary the design", ensures for its part the statement of the association of jewelers, in line with what is stated in judicial office by the head of Tous. The association adds that the use of this filler does not reduce the law of alloy, that is to say, a silver jewel, you can take it and remain a jewel of sterling silver.

The Audiencia Nacional investigating since the end of last year if Tous is committing a scam to sell silver jewelry or gold-filled with a non metallic material and with a quality lower than the announced. Judge Santiago Pedraz has interrogated this morning by the representative of the company and the laboratory in barcelona-Applus + Laboratories, which certifies to Tous the quality of the jewelry.

The judge's car that appointment to both companies and that you agree to the inquest, who had access to THE COUNTRY, attributed the offences of deceptive advertising, scam continued, misrepresentation in a document, and corruption in business. The company has filed an appeal against this car Pedraz in the demands imposed on bail to the popular accusation and complaint that the move intereres "spurious", according to legal sources.

Magdalena you Train, the lawyer of association of consumers and users of jewelry Consujoya, who reported the case to the Guardia Civil in Córdoba, he said after the declaration of the directors of the company Tous that these "have not been able to deny the evidence", that is to say, that some of the pieces have a filling, non-metallic. "Say it is plated or has a gold-plated or silver, but don't sell price of gold and silver when it is not," he underlined.

The prosecutor sets out in his written complaint that the pieces under suspicion are hanging model Sweet Dolls silver with bear form and that a lab of Cordoba was determined that the pieces “had in its interior a non metallic material”. Polo argues that there is evidence that Tous sells “products offered as a of a particular metal [...] without the need to have such a consideration”, so that the facts could be understood in terms of a continuous crime of fraud, he adds.

Also believes that the advertising of the firm could be “objectively false” and that could “lead to deception to the consumer”. For the prosecutor, it is “a fraud that can affect a multitude of products”: “close to four million pieces, in a company implanted in more than 45 countries, with around 400 establishments and turnover in Spain of more than € 350 million”.

Date Of Update: 22 January 2020, 18:00