July 7, 2009
Caring for your Engagement Ring
Martha Stewart Weddings today posted an online article about keeping your precious jewelry safe and secure — and we agree with most of what was said. For that reason, we’re posting a link to the article and suggest you take a moment to read it. http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/article/caring-for-engagement-ring?xsc=eml_dwd_2009_07_07
If you’d rather just have a simple run-down, here’s what we recommend: 
- Have your engagement ring (or any valuable jewelry, really) appraised by and independent appraiser or obtain a thorough receipt from the store you purchase it fro.m
- Insure your engagement ring — this is when the appraisal and/or receipt will come in handy.
- Clean it often. Use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub your jewelry using a mild solution of ammonia and water. Just a hint of ammonia (or dish soap) will do, and be sure that your stones are tight before just scrubbing away.
- Have it checked by a jeweler a couple times a year to ensure that prongs are in good shape and that stones are tight. An added bonus is that the jeweler will clean it, too.
- Be gentle on your jewelry. Take it off if you’re going to be in the pool (chlorine weakens gold) or if you’re gardening, rock climbing, moving furniture, painting, etc.
July 2, 2009
Jewelry Maintenance
Every day we see rings with broken prongs, chains that have been stretched, watches that have water in them and earrings that have lost backs. And these are the lucky ones. Sadly, we often have heartbroken customers who have completely lost an earring or the diamond from their engagment ring.
Perhaps even more sad is the fact that they could have avoided such heartbreak if they had just taken their jewelry in to have it cleaned and checked by a local jeweler.
As you wear your jewelry, the metal gets worn down and stones become scratched and can even break.
When rings are worn, the prongs holding the stones in place get rubbed and knocked against things (like desks, doors, countertops and other rings) making them thin. The bottom of the ring can also become thin with years of wear.
When chains are tugged on by children or get caught in clothing, the links become stretched and the chain is weakened. Bracelets also have a tendancy to wear out when the individual links rub against each other.
That’s why it is important to have your jewelry checked before things like this begin to happen. We recommend at least once a year, but two or three times isn’t bad.
When jewelry is brought in to us, we inspect each piece under the microscope to ensure that stones are tight in their setting and no breaks or cracks exist in the stones or metal. At this point, we either inform the customer of problems with their jewelry or we polish and clean it for them. If problems exist, we provide an estimate to repair them.
Some jewelry stores charge to clean and check, but we do not, so contact multiple jewelers if you’re unsure where to take your jewelry. Also, find a store that has a jeweler in-house so you are getting a professional’s opinion on the condition of your jewelry. If you’re not sure where to go, look for jewelers who are American Gem Society members.
Jewelry Expert 
