“Warning – precious cargo on the fingers – please take care”

There is a lot of information available about the hardness of different stones and most people seem to be under the false impression that diamonds are so strong that they cannot be chipped – oh, but they can.

Just because you are wearing a diamond, does not mean you don’t have to be careful. Diamonds can chip and more importantly, the metal holding the stone/s can be damaged and cause the stone/s to become loose or fall out. Note to self: gardening, car washing, weights at the gym and changing bed sheets are all done best without the diamond rings on!

When wearing other gemstones, it is worthwhile finding out if there is anything that you should avoid whilst wearing the piece.
For example – Opal doublets or triplets do not like water and can be ruined if you shower or swim with them. Emeralds are very soft and are very easy to crack and damage, they are probably not the best stone of choice if you know you are rough with your rings.

Pearls lose their lustre so make sure you don’t over perfume or lotion when wearing them, wipe them with a soft cloth after being worn. Turquoise is the most magnificent colour but is very porous – so be aware that the colour is going to change if you constantly get oil or hand cream on the stone.

Remember, even if you get your ring checked by a jeweller every year or so, you still need to take care with each piece. The sinking feeling of looking down and noticing a stone missing or a major scratch is not a pleasant one and can be avoided with a little TLC.
Claw settings are probably the easiest to damage. The higher the setting the easier it is to knock or catch it on things. A bezel setting is ‘safer’ but stones can still scratch and chip and even come loose, so all the “being careful rules” still apply.

I’m a strong believer that your jewellery should be worn and not just “kept for good occasions” but you need to be careful if you want your pieces to stay in good condition and last a lifetime!

Until next time!

x C