After Your Diamond Purchase
Should I get my engagement ring appraised after my purchase?
It is recommended that you get your engagement ring appraised after the purchase. You should get it independently appraised by someone not affiliated with the place that you purchased your engagement ring from. There are many organizations in the public that actually do appraisals. The keys are to find an appraiser that has experience in the product that you want appraised, has a good reputation and that you find that you trust. In general, an appraisal should be done while you wait, for both your protection and the protection of the appraiser.
How do I find a reliable jewelry appraiser?
There are quite a few reliable jewelry appraisers, including all of the gemmological laboratories. Independent laboratories, like the GIA, the American Gemmological Society and the AIG. There is also the American Jewelry Appraisers Association, and the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers. There are a variety of other sources you can find online or through local listing.
What should I look for in a jewelry appraiser?
Things that you should look for in a jewelry appraiser include their credentials, what type of experience they have, whether they specialize in the item that you're having appraised, and finally, whether they can do the appraisal while you wait, so that the item is not out of your possession without you being present.
What is 'Gemprint'?
Gemprint is an interesting technology. Gemprint is a machine that is available that shoots a light through the diamond and actually collects that diamond's unique dispersion pattern on a picture. That print is then sent to local authorities, and in the event that your diamond is lost and then recovered, those unique characteristics can actually be matched up and you can be found.
How can I clean my diamond at home?
One of the ways to clean your diamond at home is to have your neighborhood friendly jeweler give you a bottle of their cleaning solution. Apart from that, you can take a solution of one part ammonia to six parts water and gently scrub the diamond with a brush. Be careful not to expose the ring itself to household chemicals like bleach, because they can cause pitting and discoloration of the jewelry, but your diamond is going to be well protected.
How should I store my diamond jewelry at home?
It's recommended that you store your diamond jewelry at home in small, individual cloth pouches. The reason for doing this is that, for example, if you have several diamond rings thrown together in a jewelry box. As that jewelry box moves around and shifts, those diamonds could actually come into contact with each other and scratch and chip each other. They can also chip and scratch and damage other jewelry that's much softer than a diamond.
Do diamonds ever fall out of their engagement ring mountings?
A diamond can fall out of its engagement ring setting or mounting. What is recommended is that you have that diamond setting checked at least twice per year, which is once every six months. This is to make sure the prongs are stable and in good condition. And, also you can get your cleaned at that point in time, and it looks as good as new.
What can cause my diamond to appear dull?
There are several things that can actually cause your diamond to appear dull. Hair spray, makeup, just every day wear and tear. The substances that get attached to that diamond through every day wear and tear can make it look dull. The wonderful thing about diamonds is that they never ever lose their beauty and brilliance once they're cut. You simply have to clean that diamond and you get that look that you had the day you bought it.
Do I need to periodically have my engagement ring checked by a jeweler?
It's important that you have your engagement ring periodically checked by your jeweller. The recommended timeframe is about every six months. Remember, your engagement ring is the one piece of jewellery that you wear every day for the rest of your life, and you should wear it confidently. Simply have it checked every six months to make sure that the diamond is secure and that the prongs, or the rest of the ring, don't need any repair.
Are there any household cleaners that will damage my diamond jewelry?
There are household cleaners that may damage your diamond jewelry. The diamond itself is not really what will be damaged. Bleaches, chlorine, and things like that, can actually damage the mounting, or the ring itself. It can cause discoloration and pitting. Be careful when you are working with those types of chemicals around the house.
