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Damage to jewelery.

Karl_K

Karl_K

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Aug 4, 2008
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I started this as a reply to another thread but decided to start a new one as it needs to be seen.

I think the industry does not do a good enough job educating people about just what is hard on jewelry.
Who wants to scare someone spending multiple thousands of dollars right?

For example earrings;
More earrings are damaged by poor storage than anything else.
They should be stored with the post going through something like in the box they came in.
How many people know that?
likethis.jpg

For rings its washing dishes, heavy lifting, and clapping.
I have seen a ring with the head cut off by a knife, prongs pried open by a fork, all while washing dishes.
Stone damage is possible also.
Heavy lifting pushing or pulling can bend a ring all out of shape and or damage the head of the ring.
Clapping can damage a ring.
How many people know that?
 
ive leaent so many things hanging out here
i would never wash the dishes with my rings on but i had no idea about the clapping
that's a huge worry
 
Next up on the damage board is sweaters and coats.
They are a threat to your ring, necklace, bracelet, and earrings.
Knit sweaters are the most likely to catch and cause issues.

A classic case of ring damage is sweater grabbing the head of the ring and pulling it right off, less often with a coat but it happens.
Followed by the classic case of a sweater grabbing a prong and launching a diamond into space. This can happen with some coats but it is less likely than with a sweater.
My advice is do a jewelry check every time you remove a sweater. If its a knit sweater check twice.
 
Daisys and Diamonds said:
ive leaent so many things hanging out here
i would never wash the dishes with my rings on but i had no idea about the clapping
that's a huge worry
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If you have a non-titanium tension setting don't clap at all.
If you check and make sure your diamond is on the outside and you are not wearing a ring on the other hand the odds of damage go way down.
 
Next up is the gym there is a ton of things that can damage your ring in a gym from chemicals in the pool for some gold alloys to crushing your ring lifting weights.
Not to mention its going to get all grimy, dirty, and gross.
 
Don't bang your hands on hard surfaces when drunk or risk mis-shaping your rings!

DK :roll2: :oops2::lol-2:
 
This is such a good thread. I wish everyone in the UK would read it. There is a real culture of never taking off e-rings / wedding rings / eternity rings. That's fine if they are plain bands or highly protected settings, but people want to have their 3-sided pave and wash their dishes / muck out stables too...

Jewellery should be treated with care.
 
I’m in the UK @MillieLou and I’ve never worn my rings whilst washing up, in the shower, in the gym, in the garden, cooking, or cleaning. I always take them off before doing anything in the house.
 
Austina said:
I’m in the UK @MillieLou and I’ve never worn my rings whilst washing up, in the shower, in the gym, in the garden, cooking, or cleaning. I always take them off before doing anything in the house.
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Same, except for the cheaper everyday rings for washing a small number of items; and even they come off when I am working with my hands without gloves in the garden etc...

DK :))
 
Austina said:
I’m in the UK @MillieLou and I’ve never worn my rings whilst washing up, in the shower, in the gym, in the garden, cooking, or cleaning. I always take them off before doing anything in the house.
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So do I, but I think PSers are unusual in that respect. When it has come up in conversation eg at work, people are horrified that I take my rings off to sleep / wash up / garden etc, it just doesn't occur to them and they see it as a bit wrong. Most of my female work colleagues never remove theirs and several commented they didn't even know if they could get them off anymore...

You see on the UK-based bridal forums (back when I used to read them!) that never taking it off seems to be a general cultural norm. There also seems to be an expectation that anything sold as an engagement ring is designed to withstand this pattern of wear and surprise when it doesn't.

I am speaking in broad generalisations of course!
 
MillieLou said:
So do I, but I think PSers are unusual in that respect. When it has come up in conversation eg at work, people are horrified that I take my rings off to sleep / wash up / garden etc, it just doesn't occur to them and they see it as a bit wrong. Most of my female work colleagues never remove theirs and several commented they didn't even know if they could get them off anymore...

You see on the UK-based bridal forums (back when I used to read them!) that never taking it off seems to be a general cultural norm. There also seems to be an expectation that anything sold as an engagement ring is designed to withstand this pattern of wear and surprise when it doesn't.

I am speaking in broad generalisations of course!
Click to expand...

The main reason why I take my rings off to this day, was because I worked in controlled environment where jewellery items and makeup were not allowed, with the exception of a plain wedding band with no stones. And I would take my plain wedding band off too, as it made hand washing easier.

I had come across many ladies of a certain age who have never taken their wedding rings off in their entire life!

DK :))
 
my mum never took off her actual wedding band but all her other rings were meticulously taken care off
always put away when she got home, regular cleaning and check ups at the jewler

...although i know she put her perfume on after her pearls ;)2
 
@Karl_K, what a great topic! So, I’m curious about how often we should be checking various kinds of jewelry and what we should be looking for a - and with just a loupe or something else? The categories that made the most sense to me are everyday rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings and special or occasional wear items in the same categories (or any other categories that make more sense to you). I look at my ER occasionally and the associated bands, but I don’t have a regular schedule or practice of it.
 
dk168 said:
The main reason why I take my rings off to this day, was because I worked in controlled environment where jewellery items and makeup were not allowed, with the exception of a plain wedding band with no stones. And I would take my plain wedding band off too, as it made hand washing easier.

I had come across many ladies of a certain age who have never taken their wedding rings off in their entire life!

DK :))
Click to expand...

My Mum had to have hers cut off because of arthritis, she had worn it for over sixty years and never taken it off. :eek-2:
 
One thing I always think of when buying jewelry is that every little extra side stone that's included is another chance for something to fall out and require the trouble and expense of a trip to a jeweler. Not sure if that's just me being weird or what but I typically don't like a bunch of little diamonds down the band that you can hardly see anyway and etc., for that reason.

I feel the same about anything else I buy, too. Every extra piece or additional feature is something else that can cause hassle and expense for you later. It's not always a deal breaker for me (and you don't always have much of a choice, for ex. with electronics). But it's definitely something I notice and consider.
 
bright&shiny said:
@Karl_K, what a great topic! So, I’m curious about how often we should be checking various kinds of jewelry and what we should be looking for a - and with just a loupe or something else?
Click to expand...
Every time you clean it or at least once a month for everyday rings. If you store your earrings right and dont sleep in them once every 3 months or so otherwise at the same time you do your ring.
A bracelet every time you put it on check it by eye and check it when you check your ring with a loupe.
A pendant and chain if stored correctly, check by eye every time you put it on and check it when you clean it with a loupe.

To check it use a loupe and if you feel comfortable very lightly nudge the diamond table with a toothpick and see if the diamond moves.
Then clean it and check again.
You can also hold it up to your ear and shake it, if it rattles there is already significant damage and stop wearing it immediately.
Using the toothpick picks up any damage much sooner.
 
seaurchin said:
One thing I always think of when buying jewelry is that every little extra side stone that's included is another chance for something to fall out and require the trouble and expense of a trip to a jeweler. Not sure if that's just me being weird or what but I typically don't like a bunch of little diamonds down the band that you can hardly see anyway and etc., for that reason.

I feel the same about anything else I buy, too. Every extra piece or additional feature is something else that can cause hassle and expense for you later. It's not always a deal breaker for me (and you don't always have much of a choice, for ex. with electronics). But it's definitely something I notice and consider.
Click to expand...

I am exactly the same seaurchin. I often opt for fewer features on a product as it usually means less to go wrong. Wearability and durability are top priorities for me for regularly worn jewellery, even though I am careful with it. I also place a high value on a piece being easy to clean thoroughly at home, especially rings.
 
Fine jewelry should be treated like your car: drive cautiously, park it with care, keep it clean ,and unless it's a junker, insure it!
 
Until PS i had no idea about pave/melee falling out, too thin bands under a big stone are no good, a wider band might need to be a larger size than a more narrow band, not to use chemicals to clean my emeralds .... so many things.
And everything @Karl_K mentioned.
 
Karl_K said:
A pendant and chain if stored correctly, check by eye every time you put it on and check it when you clean it with a loupe.
Click to expand...

Wait, how do you store a pendant and chain correctly? /no idea there was a correct way to store a pendant and chain
 
Karl_K said:
Next up on the damage board is sweaters and coats.
They are a threat to your ring, necklace, bracelet, and earrings.
Knit sweaters are the most likely to catch and cause issues.

A classic case of ring damage is sweater grabbing the head of the ring and pulling it right off, less often with a coat but it happens.
Followed by the classic case of a sweater grabbing a prong and launching a diamond into space. This can happen with some coats but it is less likely than with a sweater.
My advice is do a jewelry check every time you remove a sweater. If its a knit sweater check twice.
Click to expand...

I have an addition to this list.

A few days before Thanksgiving I was putting away groceries and my rhr got caught on a mesh bag of onions. It wrenched my finger and scared the daylights out of me. The ring is a pawn shop find so I was less worried about that than I was about getting injured and having to run to urgent care during the pandemic. Thankfully both finger and ring are fine but I will definitely leave my rings at home next time.

Side note: Years ago when my son was wee he got into my jewelry box and played "treasure" with my small collection. Unfortunately he made my little emerald pendant disappear. He may have fed it to VCR or tossed it out the window for all I know. In any case, please make sure to store your jewels out of the reach of curious little hands.
 
I didn’t think I was ‘hard’ on my rings until I bought an antique diamond eternity.
No proof it wasn’t warped a bit when I got it - but it definitely is now.

I think small, seemingly innocent and unremarkable (at the time) pressure against something over time, gripping a steering wheel, opening a door, walking a dog, pushing a cart, is just as destructive as a big ol whack.
Meaning loss of that head could have been caused by multiple smaller occurrences?

Best wishes and good luck to your friend, OP.
In finding the missing pieces, not in litigation.
 
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I've bent a few rings, cracked a few shanks, had melee fall out. I no longer wear RHRs as a result, all rings on one hand only so I have the other hand free for grabbing anything I may need. I also PERSONALLY no longer have expensive pave rings. I am just too hard on them. My beloved asscher ER lasted for a long time but I eventually popped a stone, now it's a necklace :)
 
deorwine said:
Wait, how do you store a pendant and chain correctly? /no idea there was a correct way to store a pendant and chain
Click to expand...
The safest way is a fitted case which stores the chain laying down and with gentle curves in the chain and holds the pendant steady.
Worst is just throwing it on a drawer with other stuff to get all tangled up and stones to contact the chain or each other.
In between and probably the best option for most chains is hanging up. This can cause issues with some types of chain because of the sharp angle where the pendant hangs and where it goes over the peg.
The other option is carding which is what many manufactures do. Where the chain is threaded cardboard with the pendant hanging in the middle. Not suitable for all chains.
 
Also don't let your baby chew on your necklace.
They can choke on them and breaking the chain is a real possibility.
I just want to yell when I see someone doing this and it is shockingly common.
 
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