Etiquette on Having Rings Cleaned

[DChokie]

Hi all - been a while since I stopped by - about a year since PS guided me to the perfect stone!

My fiancee and I are now shopping for wedding bands. She wants a thin (~0.25 total ct) eternity band. For example: http://www.jamesallen.com/wedding-and-anniversary/Ladies-Eternity-Rings/ring/item_495-5484.asp

However, she wants the option of having it (and her engagement ring, for that matter) periodically professionally cleaned.

I'm inclined to go with an online store like JA (I got the engagement ring there and could not be happier), but then I'm not sure if I can bring it to a jeweler at the local mall to have it cleaned. Will jewelers clean anything you give them? Is there a fee? Or is it bad form - will they only clean jewelry bought from their store?

Thanks all!

 

[swingirl]

I have a custom platinum pave ring and I would NOT turn it over to a jeweler I didn't know for cleaning, like at a mall. I don't know what they will be doing with it and don't trust that they aren't going to damage it. I clean my own ring and every few years take it to a high-end trusted jeweler for an inspection under a microscope and polish which I am happy to pay for.

 

[AprilBaby]

You can go to any jeweler and they will be happy to clean your ring for free. It doesn't hurt to look at the merchandise and ohh and ahh while you are there!

 

[denverappraiser]

Most jewelers with sense offer free cleaning regardless of where you bought the merchandise. Don’t get me wrong, they’re being nice and they’re doing you a favor but they do get some benefit from it. It costs them nothing, it both gets you into the store and keeps you there for a while, and if they discover a problem that requires a repair they get to offer you repair services which both establishes their own expertise and often sells repairs. It’s basically a no-lose deal for them. The etiquitte for a customer is simple. Be polite, ask nicely, say please and thank you, ooh and ahh at the merchandise while you wait. Who knows, you might just find something wonderful.