A WIFE is outraged after she discovered her 18ct wedding ring from Argos is in fact a fake and made from brass.

The unnamed woman had worn the ring since her wedding in 2004, oblivious to its true nature.

The 5mm ring was bought for £99 and claimed to be 18ct gold, but was later found to be made of brass.

The 55-year-old, from Headington, Oxfordshire, took the ring to be resized in June only for it to snap.

Shocked, the jeweller then tested the ring – only to find it was a fake.

He emailed the couple, saying: “We tested metal and [it] appears to be brass."

But not convinced, the woman took it to another jeweller to get a second opinion.

To her horror the verdict was the same – her cherished wedding ring was a fake.

The second jeweller said: “The item has been tested and in my opinion the metal is no better than 9ct yellow gold.

"It has been incorrectly stamped or the marks are false."

The woman is outraged she was mis-sold the ring, saying: "I really feel this is Argos selling fool's gold, because that's how I feel: a bit of a fool.

"When they said the ring was brass I laughed - I thought they must have made a mistake.

"People might say 'it's a cheap ring, what do you expect?' but I expect it to be what it says it is.

“It's a reputable company.

"No matter how much you pay or where you bought it from, if it's got a UK hallmark you expect it to be what it said."

The couple are furious with Argos, who immediately traced credit card details and receipts for the £99 ring.

The chain store offered to refund the ring and offered a handwritten apology, but the couple said this is simply not enough.

The woman said the refund was ‘taking the mick’, as the ring had sentimental value to her.

She added: “My ring is worthless, beyond repair and not wearable.

“It's fool's gold, it's just a lie.

"It feels like I am missing a part of me - it's about the blessing of the ring and the significance.

"That ring would have been left to my daughter."

The couple estimate buying new rings and having another ceremony to bless them will cost hundreds of pounds.

She said: “I'm very disappointed with the response.

“Something on this level should be taken more seriously - it's a crime to put a stamp on the wrong quality of gold or silver."

But it’s not the first time Argos has been caught selling fake rings.

In 2001 the store issued a product recall after they feared gold hallmarks had been faked.

And the couple believe there are probably others out there unknowingly wearing fake rings.

The wife said: “This is not the first time - for it to happen again is really concerning.

"They don't appear to be making any effort.

"I think they should really think about recalling the batch of jewellery."

An Argos spokesperson said: "We are investigating this with the customer."