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Local Expert: How to care for fine jewelry
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Posted by nwv_admin Fri Oct 8, 2004 10:01:00 PDT
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0 responses 0 comments Many people don't realize that fine jewelry, like many things in life, needs to be cared for in order to ensure long-lasting beauty. Even a simple cleaning every once in a while will make certain your diamonds and other fine gems sparkle the way they were meant to.

The maintenance and repair of jewelry can be put into three categories: cleaning and inspection, minor repairs and adjustments, and major damage repair and refurbishing.

In cleaning and inspection, the general condition of your rings, pendants and bracelets should be inspected for cracks, chipped or fractured stones, worn clasps and jump rings, and broken chains.

Minor repairs and adjustments are needed because gold and silver are soft metals, and therefore require periodical adjustments such as clasp tightening on necklaces, bracelets and watches. The prongs holding stones in place on all types of fine jewelry wear down due to normal, everyday activities. To prevent the loss of a stone, you need to take it to a master jeweler to inspect and re-tip the prongs, if necessary.
Stone are not removed for this procedure.

A thorough cleaning must be performed to ensure that the stones and gold are free of dirt, lotions and perfumes. Diamonds are especially vulnerable to permanent shadows if they are re-tipped while still dirty. That is why it is not wise to have your diamond rings re-tipped while you wait. We use a mild solution that uses sonic waves to ensure cleanliness before performing any procedure that requires heat. Gold is actually flowed on top of the worn prong, buffed and polished without the removal of the stone.

Bracelet and chain maintenance is very important, as well. Worn clasps can lead to the loss of the chain or bracelet. These should be adjusted, replaced or re-soldered as needed.

Major damage repair and refurbishing is needed in the even of damage that compromises the integrity of your jewelry, such as broken or bent prongs and thin or broken shanks. This type of damage should be inspected and repaired as soon as possible. In the case of totally worn-out mountings, it is often a less expensive and wiser choice to completely replace the mountings.

You check your automobile tires for wear and take your engine in for maintenance and tune-ups, so why not take care of your jewelry, too? Going to a reputable, independent jeweler for inspection and cleaning of your fine jewelry will ensure a longer life for those items that are precious to you.

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