Jewelry Traditions or Beliefs That Need to Disappear…Forever

The things people assume about jewelry based on what they read in the media or heard long ago always astounds me. Some examples that come to mind follow:

“Diamonds are impossible to break, right?” 

Dear God, no. Yes, it is true that diamonds are the hardest gemstone registering a 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness. This does not mean a well-placed blow to the edge of your unprotected diamond will not damage it. Diamonds that have a sharp corner such as a princess cut or the points on a marquis are especially fragile. The stone can crack, fracture, or even cleave. They cannot be repaired, and the only solution is to recut the stone, losing carat weight and value in the process. Please remove your rings when rock climbing, lifting weights, doing yard work, or heavy housework. One of my father’s favorite stories to tell is when a guy took a sledgehammer to his diamond to prove how hard it was. I’m sure you can assume what happened. Diamond dust is what comes to mind!

“I have to spend three months' salary on an engagement ring, right?”

This just isn’t true! People spend what they can afford, and the cost of an engagement ring varies wildly. This is especially awkward when a couple is shopping together, and the future wife wants me to agree with this statement. I will never encourage someone to spend more than they can afford. This goes back many decades to a very successful De Beers diamond marketing campaign in the 30s to encourage more spending on diamonds. Currently, the average cost of an engagement ring is $5,500. Most of my clients have budgeted around $10,000. The prevalence of lab diamonds has opened up a great market, and most of my ladies are totally fine with a lab and spending the extra money on the wedding or honeymoon or a down payment on a house. The last thing I think a couple should do is enter a marriage in debt, especially on a ring.

“You can make a diamond out of the cremated remains of my loved one, right?”

Nope. Scam. Untrue. Impossible. Fake News!!! Anyone who tells you this either doesn’t know it is not possible or is capitalizing on your grief to sell you a diamond. Your beloved’s ashes will be deposited into the trash can unceremoniously while they sell you an overpriced diamond. There are other solutions to memorializing a loved one’s ashes. There are small vessels that can be sealed permanently and hung from a chain. We have mixed ashes in an epoxy and added them to a locket before. We have redesigned wedding rings into pendants for people to keep their loved one close. Stop in and let us come up with a personalized solution just for you!

“My wedding ring should last forever and increase in value, right?”

I hate this question so much. Oftentimes in my business, I have to be the bearer of bad news. The diamond and jewelry industry is a fickle beast, and the value of things has changed significantly over the decades. Unfortunately, the introduction of lab diamonds has decreased the price of natural diamonds. Certain cuts of diamonds are no longer desirable and further depress resale values. It’s supply and demand, simply. As far as the wedding ring lasting forever, with regular maintenance and check -ups you should get many, many years of wear out of your ring. But much like a car, the parts will break down. Prongs will become worn and fail over time, stones can be chipped and crumble and fall out of settings, and excessive chlorine exposure can cause pitting and porosity, making the metal very brittle. Diamonds will always reign supreme as the best choice for daily wear, but we need to pay attention to what is holding them in!

“What ring size does my girlfriend wear? It’s the same as her shoe size, right?”

I have no words for this one. The two are not connected in any way! Bring me a picture of her, approximate height, an old ring she has worn in the past. Something, anything! The guessing game is the worst. The average size is six-and-a-half, and most rings are stocked in that size. We really want to get the size as close as possible; sizing more than a half size or one size is generally not advisable. Any time we bend a ring with diamonds in it, the stones can be loosened up and compromise the structure of the ring.

“You’re a jeweler, you can fix my watch!”

Wrong again. Being a goldsmith is a completely different field from watchmaking. The technical term for a watchmaker is a horologist. There are schools for this trade, and this is quickly becoming a lost art as these craftsmen retire and age out of the industry. We offer battery changes and watch strap adjustments as a convenience for our customers. Anything involving the crystal, the stem, or the nuts and bolts of the movement is out of our scope. Again, I am the bearer of bad news when people are looking for watch repair.

We like to focus on what we do well, and that’s what has kept our customers returning for decades. Our repairs are done in-house, and we have a huge retail selection for you to browse. Come in, pick our brain about what’s hot, and maybe you will find something that speaks to you. Thank you for being such a dynamic and loyal clientele!