Old Rings, New Tricks

Rings are one of the most personal pieces of jewellery that anyone can own.  But how many times do old rings languish in drawers, unworn and unloved?  Precisely because they are such personal items, it’s very difficult to buy a ring for someone else or to inherit a ring from someone and find it to be exactly your taste.  Not to mention, of course, that people often find that their rings either become too big or too small over time!   

But this jewellery story doesn’t have to have a sad ending: a local independent jeweller can bring a ring back to life by creating a whole new piece tailored to your taste. Old rings really can perform new tricks! 

Special memories 

Rings are one of the most popular items of jewellery to be passed down from generation to generation, most likely due to the fact that they hold such sentimental value.  But often what suits one generation doesn’t suit the next, as fashions and styles move on.  It can be difficult to let go of a dearly departed loved one’s special pieces, but equally, jewellery shouldn’t be left unworn.   

By taking the piece to a local jeweller, it can be remodelled into something the new owner will cherish without losing the memories.  Similarly, when dividing up an estate, if there are an unequal number of rings to be divided up between beneficiaries, or if the rings’ stones are of differing values, these rings can be remodelled into new rings of equal value for the recipients.

New beginnings

You never want to think that your potential fiancé or husband doesn’t know you well enough to pick the perfect ring to propose with, but let’s face it, sometimes it just doesn’t happen. Many men have the best of intentions, and will look to satisfy criteria such as clarity or colour, but might not realise that you might find a less perfect stone in a different cut or style more beautiful.  

If you’re unlucky fiancé-to-be doesn’t pick the perfect ring for you, fear not: your local independent jeweller can recreate something more to your taste.  Why not work together with your fiancé to pick a style you both like?  Your local jeweller will be able to add stones and change the look of the overall ring until you find something that suits.

Pooling resources 

A new trend in wedding jewellery design is for friends and relatives to chip in with the cost of the wedding rings.  This doesn’t mean contributing financially – or at least not in the conventional monetary sense – but rather by asking friends and family to pool any unwanted gold jewellery, be it unworn jewellery, broken pieces or even solitary earring halves, to be melted down to form the new wedding rings; a bridal shower is a great time to collate the pieces together, and this trend also means that your family’s special memories are incorporated as you start you on the right track to married life.

If this is something that interests you, why not check with your local jewellery shop if they can melt the gold down and make new wedding rings for you? So you see, old rings don’t have to have an unhappy ending: your local independent jeweller can help your rings to live happily ever after.

Helpful Jewellery Storage Tips from your Local Essex Jewellers

Once you’ve treated yourself to those special jewellery pieces, it’s important that you look after them correctly, and storage is an integral part of the upkeep of jewellery.  Your local independent jeweller will stock various jewellery storage solutions as part of their giftware range, so there’s no excuse for poor storage.  Here are some tips on how to keep your pieces looking their best: 

Jewellery storage tip 1: sturdy but soft 

The best type of jewellery storage is that which is a sturdy jewellery box with a soft interior, to protect your pieces from external damage, whilst preventing scratches and snags through the soft lining. 

This type of traditional jewellery box will be available in a range of formats in your local jewellery shop, and also makes for an ideal gift, as there’s usually a style to suit all tastes.  You may also want to think about investing in a jewellery box with different drawers to store necklaces, rings, charms and brooches, and bracelets separately, with an additional compartment for earrings. 

Jewellery storage tip 2: perfect pouches 

If you don’t have the room for a large jewellery box, ask your local jeweller whether they have any soft pouches or jewellery rolls as part of their storage range.  Pouches are also a great choice when travelling with a limited amount of space in your luggage.  You can also purchase multi-storage cases or pouches to keep different chains, necklaces and bracelets separately.

Jewellery storage tip 3: specialist storage 

There are also a variety of specialist storage solutions available for different types of jewellery, which your local independent jeweller can advise you on.  Certain types of jewellery and precious stones and metals can often benefit from specialist storage.  

For example, to retain the original shine of sterling silver jewellery, you can purchase plastic zip-lock bags, which have an anti-tarnish strip incorporated, to not only store jewellery protectively, but also delay tarnishing.  

Pearls are soft precious stones, which can scratch if stored with other pieces; a dust free bag is therefore the best way of storing pearls to prevent damage to them.  Other precious gemstones can be susceptible to scratching and cracking too, so it’s a good idea to keep pieces which include gemstones in separate pouches.   

If you’re at all unsure how your special pieces of jewellery should be stored, or whether they require specialist storage, the best place for advice is your local jewellery shop, where friendly help and tips will be on hand, together with a comprehensive storage range as part of the shop’s giftware collection.

Burglars Targeting Gold jewellery – are your Special Pieces Safely Insured?

In recent months there has been a rise in targeted burglaries specifically aimed at the theft of gold jewellery.  With gold values being at a record high, gold jewellery has never been more attractive to thieves; there are even reports of burglars using metal detectors to target family heirlooms.  With this worry looming over every jewellery owner, it’s time to ensure that your precious pieces are properly insured.  Ask your local independent jeweller to carry out a full valuation of your items and make sure your insurance covers them correctly. 

Who is being targeted and what for? 

Jewellery thieves are targeting anyone whom they believe to have collections of superior gold jewellery. Unfortunately, Asian families are particularly vulnerable at the moment, as, according to the Metropolitan Police, they are disproportionately being targeted for their high quality gold. Asian households account for 24 per cent of all burglaries whereby jewellery was taken, and for 16 per cent of all repeat burglaries.  

It is not unusual for Asian families to have large quantities of Indian gold which may have been handed down through the generations, and thieves are aware of its quality and value.  Police are warning families to be particularly vigilant during Asian festivities and family celebrations, when some communities bring large collections of family jewellery together to celebrate. It’s important therefore to make sure that your jewellery is properly protected, and a valuation at a local jewellery shop is often the first step towards keeping your pieces safe. 

How can you keep your jewellery safe? 

Police are advising jewellery owners that one of the easiest measures to keep your jewellery safe – or at least reunite it with you, should the worst happen – is to use a specialist property marking solution on your pieces.   

A number of companies produce unique identifying markers which are then registered to the piece’s owner. The solution is invisible to the naked eye, only being visible under UV light, so it does not affect a piece’s appearance or value.  

It’s also important to have your pieces adequately insured; household insurance doesn’t always cover the full value of pieces, and you may need to either expressly declare certain high-value items on your household insurance, or take out specific jewellery insurance.  Either way, you are likely to need a valuation, which can be carried out by a local jeweller.  

What do you need to do to satisfy your insurance criteria? 

When insuring your pieces, you’ll often find that you need to satisfy certain criteria.  This may include having your jewellery valued, which can be undertaken by your local independent jeweller.  This will ensure that you are insuring your piece for the correct value, should the worst happen; of course, it’s awful losing a treasured piece of jewellery due to the sentimentality attached to it, but it would be worse to have the double blow of not being insured to the full value.   

Your pieces should also be documented photographically so that pieces can be recreated if necessary; Asian jewellery in particular is often highly individual and has usually been passed down from generation to generation, so it’s important that the piece can be recreated if necessary.  It’s also important to check any special terms of your insurance policy – for example, do you need to keep your pieces in a safe or bank when they’re not being worn?  With jewellery thieves being so specific in targeting gold pieces, it’s important that your special items are adequately insured, and your local independent jeweller can help you protect your property.

---

Source: Metropolitan Police: http://content.met.police.uk/News/MPS-launch-operation-to-target-gold-crime-across-the-capital/1400019851427/1257246741786 , last viewed 06/10/2013.