10 things you must ask your jeweller to make sure you are getting the best advice

1. Ask your jeweller where was the ring made ? 

Ask your jeweller if the ring is hand made

Is the ring made locally or overseas ? Hand made rings manufactured locally are not only better quality, but will last longer as well.  A master jeweller is someone who has spent their whole life perfecting the art of making jewellery. The quality of the piece created by a master jeweller is far superior to that of a mass produced ring.

 

A lot of the overseas made rings are of lightweight manufacturing design and are not built to stand the test of time.

2. Ask your jeweller – Will the engagement ring sit flush with the wedding ring ?

This is a must. Having a ring specially designed by a professional jewellery designer is incredibly important. Almost every ring can be designed to sit flush with a wedding band. It just comes down to the skill of the designer. Make sure it is drawn for you in 3D before having it made. 

3. Ask your jeweller – Where do you source your diamonds ?

Russian and Belgian diamond cutters are the best in the world. While they usually cost a little extra, they will definitely sparkle more . If you are trying to compare apples with apples, it is important to find out where the diamond was cut. 

4. Do you have a qualified diamond grader check every stone ?

All diamond grading is done by the human eye, which is not infallible. It is vital to have a strict diamond grader with knowledge on diamond cutting check your stone to ensure you get what you pay for. 

5. What warranties do you offer ?

Any reputable jewellery manufacturer should be able to stand behind the quality of their work. A lifetime manufacturing warranty gives you the greatest piece of mind.

6. Do your rings come with free professional cleaning ?

Most jewellers have ultrasonic machines specially designed to keep your rings clean. The ultrasonic literally shakes the dirt out from all the hard to reach places. This should be a free service that comes with all your jewellery. 

7. How long have you been in business ?

Longevity and legacy in a business is essential in building credibility and trust. Look for jewellery stores that have ideally been around more than 10 years. Jewellery stores have been known to come and go. A warranty is not worth anything, if the business is not around to fulfill it.

8. Ask your jeweller – What happens if a stone falls out ?

If a minor stone falls out for no apparent reason. Most reputable jewellery stores should replace the stone free of charge. To a manufacturing jewellery it is usually obvious why a stone has fallen out. If it is not due to wear and tear the stone should be replaced free of charge.  

9. Ask your jeweller – What happens if a stone comes loose ?  

It is quite normal for a stone to come loose through every day where. For a jewellery store with a professional diamond setter, it is a simple task to secure your stone. This should also be checked every time the ring is cleaned. 

10. What insurance do you recommend for the rings ?

Because jewellers are often dealing with insurance companies through the claim process, they generally have a good idea about which insurance company is going to look after you the best, in the event of a loss. 

Would love to hear from you. What questions did you ask your jeweller ? Please post your questions below. 

Gym’s are great for personal fitness but a gym will kill your rings. Some of the most destroyed pieces of jewellery i have ever seen come from avid gym trainers who wear their jewellery at the gym. If you want to protect your ring and increase its life expectancy, then here are some things to avoid the gym killing your rings. 

5 ways the gym will kill your rings

gym will kill your rings - hammered wedding rings

1. Metal on metal

Gold and platinum are still soft metals compared to that of the steel bars and dumbells at a gym. The crisscross serrated pattern will cut into your ring like butter, or leaved a hammered like appearance on the metal. While this can be polished out, every time you have to polish a ring, it takes of a fine layer of gold – prematurely wearing the ring down.

2. Distorting the rings shape

When you lift weights or anything of substance it puts an uneven pressure on two sides of the ring, causing it to be pushed out of shape and have an oval appearance when placed flat on a table. The more times a ring is moved out of its centre position the more brittle it becomes. This will cause the ring to crack at its weakest point, which is usually the solder join at the bottom of the ring. While this can be repaired, if it is done to often it will wear down your ring.

gym will kill your rings - missing diamonds

3. Causing diamonds to come loose

A second factor of the ring being pushed out of shape is that it causes the top setting of your ring to open and close. This flexing motion will gradually make the stones of your engagement ring loose, which will require more trips to the jeweller for regular maintenance to have the stones tightened.  

4. Dermatitis

While working up a sweat at the gym is a great goal if you are looking to tone up, sometimes it can cause dermatitis if the moisture becomes trapped under your rings. This is generally made worse in the lower carat golds such as 9ct, as there are more minor alloys that can react with your skin. 

5. Rhodium plating

If you ring is made of white gold, then it most likely has a surface rhodium plating applied to it. While this process is normally redone every 2-3 years with normal wear and tear. Wearing your rings at the gym will speed up the deterioration of the rhodium. 

Solutions to stop the gym killing your ring

1. Put your ring in your locker

Putting your rings in a lockable locker is perhaps the most secure option for your rings as it will avoid any metal contact. Depending on the gym that you go to, this may not be possible. For some ladies it is also a trust issue. After all your engagement and wedding ring are very sentimental, and you wouldn’t want it to be misplaced. If you are at all worried about this there is one final option.

2. Wear your ring on a chain

gym will kill your rings - solutionChoosing a metal carat that is the same as your ring is the best option. So if your ring is 18ct white gold, choose an 18ct white gold chain. Likewise if you have a platinum engagement ring or wedding ring choose a platinum chain. 9ct chains are to be avoided if you can help it. Because the 9ct is so much more brittle it is a lot more prone to snapping, which could result in the loss of your rings. The best style of chain for hanging a ring on is a Foxtail chain. It has three links reinforcing each other, so will be able to carry even the heaviest ring. 

 

 

 

3.Try choosing a Platinum600 wedding band.

It is regular platinum wedding ring combined with Tungsten. Which means that not only can it be resized, it is twice as hard as 9ct, and even 20% harder than normal platinum. 

Plat 600 rings

If you do go to the gym regularly and have another solution i would love to hear it. Please email me your best gym ring saving tips.

 

Research Shows – Size Doesn’t matter !!!

Diamond Size Vs Quality

A recent study found that 84% of respondents surveyed, stated that they would prefer a smaller diamond size if it was of a higher quality. This was in line with further questioning that showed that 86% didn’t want a showy engagement ring at the expense of quality.*  (*Intertrade 2013)

When it comes to diamonds, diamond size is the least important characteristic. You can radically change the price of a ring by a $1000 by reducing the diamond size of a diamond by ten points (or 0.2mm, which is hardly discernable to the naked eye). To achieve the same saving without changing the size you would need to resort to having an incredibly flawed and yellow diamond, which is visible from a distance.

Diamond Size Vs Quality

My advice is to always aim for a slightly smaller excellent cut high performance diamond like a Passion8 “hearts and arrows”, rather than just a larger one. Passion8 cut the most perfectly cut round and princess cut diamonds in the world. The precision cutting puts them in the top 1% in the world for cut grade. On average it takes them 6 times as long to cut a perfect cut “hearts and arrows” diamond as a regular excellent cut diamond. The also return 99% of the light that enters in through the table. One thing that clients comment on most is that their Passion8 diamonds sparkle for longer and even when dirty compared to their friends diamonds. Unfortunately diamonds are not like a bottle of wine – they are not going to get better in years to come. If you buy the best cut grade diamond you can now, it will always be the best and continue to sparkle for the rest of your life.

Come and see how much better a perfect cut looks than just going for a larger diamond size. If you have any questions or would like to know more about the Passion8 diamonds, please feel free to email at info@xennoxdiamonds.com.au

1. Does my white gold need to a rhodium plating ?

Does my white gold need to a rhodium plating ?

Yes. All white gold, is essentially an alloy of pure (24ct) yellow gold, so it is natural to assume that it has a yellow tinge. The rhodium plating is a process which gives the white gold its ultra white colour by placing a coating over the existing metal. 

 

2. How long does rhodium plating last ?

The rhodium plating on your ring should definitely last longer than a year. Although having said that, if the base colour of the white gold has a really yellow colour to it, then you might start to see the gold colour coming through at the base of the ring, before the end of the first year. Normally you should expect the plating to last 2-3 years.

3. How much does rhodium plating cost ?

Typically the cost for rhodium plating can range from $60 – $120 for a fine engagement ring. The price may vary depending on the quality of the rhodium solution, the skill of the jeweller, turnaround time, and the finished effect. Wider and heavier pieces soak up more rhodium out of the solution so will cost a little more. 

4. Will the rhodium plating affect my diamonds or gemstones ?

No. The process of rhodium plating requires a current to run through the metal. The rhodium then binds to the elements in the piece which conduct the current, causing the plating to take affect. As diamonds and gemstones don’t conduct electricity, they will be safe from the plating. 

classic diamond solitaire

5. Can you rhodium plate my yellow gold ring ?

Yes you certainly can. As mentioned above – any metal that conducts a current is able to be plated. However as your yellow gold is really yellow, you may find it only takes about 6 months for the gold colour to show through at the back of your ring. 

6. Should I rhodium plate my ring every year?

Absolutely not !! This will only wear your ring down prematurely. Every time your ring is rhodium plated, your old plating must first be striped off, all the old scratches taken out, cleaned and be prepared to have the new plating applied.

7. How long does it take to rhodium plate my ring ? 

Depending on the complexity of your piece, and whether there is any filigree or distinct work your ring, it usually will take around an hour and a half to complete the process. 

If you have any questions i may have missed please feel free to email me. If you have found this post helpful or know someone that it could help, i would love you to share it on your favourite social platform.

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