Jewelry Facts for Dummies Part Two

Yet again, I certainly kicked another bee’s nest with Jewelry for Dummies Part One, so why not keep a good/bad thing going? As a young man, I never went to college, and I pretty much skated through high school; I literally played a lot of ice hockey, and when not on the ice, I would concentrate on my apprenticeship, learning the trade of being a jeweler/goldsmith. A lot of my education about people and life in general involved living and learning, which I admit is not the easiest way to learn but learning that way sure leaves a lasting impression, and you retain that hard-earned knowledge all through life.

I have been in the jewelry business my whole life, 50 + years and counting, and I am still dealing with people from all walks of life, both in the retail and wholesale end of it. Needless to say, I learned a thing or two from both osmosis and personal experiences, so when I have to listen to preposterous statements made by certain naïve or ignorant individuals (aka Jewelry Dummies) from my past, present and the future, I feel I have to call them out on it and set them straight with the facts regardless of the consequences. Here are a few more true examples.

“This platinum ring you sold me must be bad platinum - it scratches and bends so easily!” Fact… Platinum is a strangely hard but soft metal that is difficult to work with and requires an experienced goldsmith who can work with this metal that requires high heat. Platinum melts at 3,215 degrees F and is a heavy/dense metal that resists wear, but it does scratch and dents easily, more so than gold. If a platinum ring and its prongs are lightweight they will bend easily. This particular customer wanted her ring to be “light and airy.” I advised against it, but back in those days, I was a firm believer that “the customer was always right.” Well, that was then this is now – today, I know better than to believe that unfounded statement. 

“I just purchased this pair of hoop earrings. One of them is cockeyed and crooked - I want to return them!” On inspecting them, there was nothing wrong with either of them. I told her to switch these with a different pair of hoop earrings. Fact… It was not the earrings, it was the angle of the hole on her left ear that was not pierced at the same angle as the right ear hole. Fact… You would not notice this abnormality with a stud earring.

“I buy my gold jewelry in other countries where it is cheaper!”

Fact… The set price for 24-karat gold is an international price, no matter if it is purchased in The U.S.A., Italy, France or Spain - it’s the same price. Gold jewelry, on the other hand, is created in different karats. China, India, Arabic nations, and some other countries prefer 22-karat gold. Italians and most Latinos like 18-karat gold. Most Americans purchase 14-karat, and the English have a lot of nine-karat jewelry like Eastern European countries and Russia, for example. The higher the gold content the more you will pay for that piece of jewelry. Nine-karat gold jewelry is very inexpensive because it contains less than 30 % pure gold; the other 70% is brass, silver or who knows? It is possible to pay less for labor on some jewelry in some third-world countries.      

“Is it true you can clean your jewelry with bleach or toothpaste?” Fact… bleach is the worst thing you can clean your jewelry with. It is extremely caustic and actually eats into gold and sterling silver. It attacks the alloys in the metal and will stain it severely, making it difficult to polish clean again. The same is true with wearing your jewelry in a heavily chlorinated swimming pool; you should only swim with your bathing or birthday suit on. On the other hand Fact…Toothpaste will clean your jewelry and give it clean, fresh breath. The paste does have an abrasive nature - it will certainly scratch precious metals and even certain gemstones. I would advise against using it. Fact…You are better off with an over-the-counter jewelry cleaner or just a dash of Simple Green and warm water in a coffee cup. Use a soft bristle toothbrush to scrub gently, then rinse in clean, warm water and dry with a soft cotton cloth.

“I don’t understand why you have to restring the whole strand of pearls when only one pearl came off?”

Fact… It is impossible to replace the pearl and retie the ½ mm short broken silk cord to secure it back on the strand. And no, you cannot superglue the cord back together. When a cord breaks on a strand of pearls the reason is usually fact… It needed to be restrung. The more pearls are worn it is only a matter of time before the silk cord begins to wear because the cord collects residue, such as makeup and dust, that causes it to fray and eventually break. (Fact…A professional pearl or bead re-stringer does not use fishing line but silk and places exact size knots between each pearl.) Another falsehood that involves pearl restringing…

“I left these pearls to be re-strung now they are shorter than when I brought them in; you must have either taken some or lost them!” 

FACT…As you wear your strand of pearls, the silk cord will tend to stretch, and eventually, there will be noticeable spaces between the pearls and the knots, a sure sign you need to get them re-strung. Fact…When your pearls are restrung, the pearls will be tighter on the strand and appear shorter (I always have the customer and my staff count every pearl and agree on the amount in writing upon accepting any re-stringing.) As a young man, I learned the hard way by not counting the pearls when a woman adamantly refused to believe it was tighter and now a bit shorter because of the re-string. She accused me of absconding with several of her pearls. It cost me $250 out of pocket to replace her “missing pearls” and make her happy.

“My watch stopped. I believe I need a new battery!” 

I deal with this fact of life on a daily basis. Fact…While it is true that 85% of the time if it is a battery-powered movement in your watch and it has not been replaced in a year or so, it is most likely in need of a battery change. The other 15% have to deal with the matter of a broken watch. It’s just like taking your car to the auto mechanic; it’s not always the battery that prevents your car from going to point B from point A. There are other things like a motor or a transmission for example, just like any timepiece. I love it when a person will insist the trouble is related to the battery when their watch has a mechanical or automatic movement. Fact…The watch does not even have a battery! I have to open the watch and show them - “Look, no battery!” - to prove it to them. 

“My husband needs his ring made a bit larger/smaller!”

The wife will show up in the shop with the husband’s wedding band minus the husband, his finger or the correct finger size. FACT… A bit larger or a bit smaller is not a viable means of measurement in the U.S. We jewelers have a sizing system from one to 20 and that can include ¼, ½ and ¾ plus increments. I personally do not accept any sizing that says “a little bit” on the repair envelope and keep doing it “a little bit” until I get it right.

Last but not least was this profound, entitled and self-esteemed Jewelry Dummy. 

FACT… Before leaving your valuable jewelry, it’s probably not a good idea to question and insult the jeweler’s integrity in front of customers. Many years ago, in my New England shop, this actual drama unfolded. A woman hesitantly handed me her diamond ring to inspect for a repair and the first words out of her mouth were, “I hope you aren’t a degenerate gambler or a drug fiend…are you?” She said this loud enough so everyone in the store could hear her! I politely answered that I was none of the above, but I occasionally use a curse word and smoke a cigar now and then. She then said that she would never let the ring out of her sight, would not leave it and insisted I did it immediately while she waited. That also meant she would have to come behind my counter into my workshop and sit next to me so she could watch my every move while I performed the repair on her ring. Wow! You need anything else? How about we do an oil change, a wash and wax on your car while you’re here? 

I politely informed this untrusting soul that first of all, you won’t have to leave your ring because, Fact…I have no intention of repairing anything for you, and secondly, there is no way I would allow a peculiarly rude person like yourself, who apparently is not only overly paranoid but I’m sensing a bit on the psychotic side prancing around unsupervised behind my sales counter. Gee? I don’t understand why she took her ring and left less than thrilled with me.