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Maintenance FAQ

How often do I need to have my jewelry checked? Under normal conditions at least every six months by a professional jeweler. The jeweler will check the tightness of your gemstones in their mounting. A loose stone can easily come out of its mounting. On a prong set stone, the strength of the prongs. On a channel set stones, the amount of metal holding the stone. In general, the overall condition of the jewelry. At Pointer's, inspection and cleaning is always complimentary.

Is there such a thing as cleaning my rings too often? Not if a professional jeweler performs the cleaning. We recommend bringing in your jewelry to be inspected and cleaned at least every six months.

What is the best way to clean my jewelry at home? Between professional cleaning, most jewelry can be safely cleaned by soaking in quality jewelry cleaner, scrubbed with a soft brush, rinsed and polished with a jewelry polishing cloth. Caution should be used in cleaning colored gemstones and pearls with some jewelry cleaners. Because of the variables with colored gemstones and pearls, we recommend calling or emailing us and we'll be happy to answer your questions.

Can gold jewelry be worn every day? The short answer is yes. Most jewelry can be worn and enjoyed on a daily basis. Environmental elements such as mercury or chlorine will attack jewelry and cause tarnish and deterioration and breakdown of the metals. To be safe, always remove jewelry when around these elements. This includes swimming in pools and hot tubs that tend to have high levels of chorine. However, jewelry is an emotional investment and should be worn and enjoyed.

Does gold show wear? Gold, being a soft metal, over time can wear down. This is why it's important to have your jewelry inspected on a regular basis by a professional jeweler.

Is it necessary to have the prongs repaired on my jewelry? Yes, this is very important. How many times have you knocked your ring on a table, desk or had a prong snag on clothing? Worn prongs can cause your gemstone to fall out of it's mounting. Prongs can weaken over time from wear and daily abuse, which could cause the prong to be bent and or broken, allowing the stone to fall out and be lost.

How many times can a ring be sized up or down? Infinitely as long as it's done by a professional bench jeweler and there is sufficient gold in the piece.

Does sizing weaken a ring? No, as long as it's done by a professional bench jeweler.

What is the difference between sizing and stretching? When a ring is sized, gold is added to change the finger size. Stretching is the expansion of the gold. This technique should not be used with rings that have stones set in them. Stretching puts pressure on the mounting, which can cause the ring to distort and weaken the mounting. A plain wedding band with sufficient gold can be stretched without any noticeable distortion or damage. Any rings with stones should be sized by the addition of gold. In most cases, sizing is preferred over stretching.

Why should I choose an independent jeweler over a chain store? An independent jeweler is a local owner who has spent years in training and education. He is a technician and not necessarily a sales person. The independent jeweler is more concerned with meeting the needs of his customers. He will make recommendations based on product rather than price. He is established in the community, with a reputation and a high standard of professionalism, integrity and customer loyalty. He offers a very hands on, personalized approach to finding the perfect solution to your needs. A chain store by contrast is made up primarily of sales people with little or no professional training. Their training is in making sales not having product knowledge.