NEW YORK -- The Harry Winston jewelry firm denied charges Tuesday that it substituted synthetic stones for $10 million in gems brought in for cleaning and repair by Phyllis McGuire of the singing McGuire Sisters.
'We vehemently deny the charges,' said Edwin Gifford, a spokesman for the internationally known firm.
'We have been in business for 50 years and have tens of thousands of satisfied clients,' he said. 'There's no way we could stay in business if that was the way we did business.
On Monday, attorney Melvin Belli filed a $60 million suit in U.S. District Court on behalf of Miss McGuire, charging conversion, fraud and breach of contract.
The suit -- which named Harry Winston Inc., Ronald Winston and executives Richard Vena and Armand Carnevale as defendants -- seeks $10 million in general damages and $50 million in punitive damages.
It charged the practice of switching stones had been going on for some time at Winston's firm, and a 'long list of prominent' witnesses were prepared to testify for Miss McGuire.
Vena said in a signed statement contained in the complaint that the switch of stones was a 'drastic mistake.'
'Winston passes himself off as the greatest diamond merchant, with offices in London, Hong Kong, Paris and New York,' said Belli. 'He is a jeweler to the crowned heads of the world. He has been passing off a lot of pastry, not only to Phyllis but to several other people I've talked with.'
The lawyer said the scenario 'is something James Bond wouldn't believe.'
The suit said: 'The defendants ... switched her diamonds and valuable jewels in her ring, earrings and bracelet and substituted synthetic stones.'
Miss McGuire, who entertained as a soloist on occasion on the Las Vegas 'strip' after the McGuire Sisters trio was dissolved, has an extensive collection of jewelry from throughout the world.
