What You Need to Know about Jewelry Repairs

Jewelry is more than just brilliance and baubles. It’s an investment that can not only carry significant sentimental value in the present, but also for future family generations. Proper care combined with attention to the occasional need for jewelry repairs can keep it beautiful for years to come. It’s common for people only to think of jewelry repairs when something is obviously loose or broken, such as a clasp or a loose stone. While this is an obvious situation where jewelry repairs are needed, it’s actually best to take your valuable pieces into a jeweler long before you notice damage. In fact, just like with a car or any other valuable investment, regular “check-ups” are the best form of preventative maintenance. This tidbit, along with an awareness of proper care techniques combine to form the essentials of what you need to know about jewelry repairs. Jewelry Care AwarenessrnIt’s easy, especially with pieces worn frequently such as an engagement ring, watch or a favorite sentimental necklace or bracelet, to neglect proper cleaning and care of your jewelry. The necessity for this goes beyond the basic desire for appearances, as in keeping your jewelry shiny. Oxidation and other environmental factors can wear precious metals down over time, causing them to slowly weaken and deteriorate. It’s exceptionally important that you only clean jewelry with compounds recommended for the particular type of stone or metal, as the wrong compound can actually result in discoloration and/or damage, as well. But these aren’t the only reasons why proper and regular jewelry care is so important. The additional benefit to giving your jewelry this kind of attention is the fact that you are more apt to notice the potential need for jewelry repair early – before a prong or a clasp actually breaks and you wind up losing a valuable stone or an item of important sentimental value. When you clean your jewelry, take the time to carefully inspect it, as well.

Preventative MaintenancernRegular inspection of your jewelry is an important step in preventing the necessity of jewelry repairs, but in addition to this, periodic professional inspections should be conducted as well. Your jeweler will be happy to take a look at your jewelry pieces to ensure they are in good condition. This may seem like an inconvenience or unnecessary expense to some, but when compared to the potential loss incurred when a clasp or prong fails, it really makes good sense to follow this simple rule of preventative maintenance. By taking measures to properly care for your jewelry, including regular cleaning and self-inspection and occasional professional inspection, you can avoid the necessity for full-on jewelry repairs and, in the worst case scenario, the loss of a special piece of jewelry.