What is Properly Made Jewelry?

So, how do you know if your jewelry is properly made? Well, this is not so easy to figure out. For me it is, but for you, it is a bit trickier. At some point you will have to trust the person that you are buying it from. But everyone says they have the best quality, so you need to also trust your gut, instinct, and the little voice in your head. Your inkling. If you have an inkling that something is not quite right, then you are in the wrong place. There are a lot of jewelry stores. Find one that speaks to you so that you understand, and does not irk your inkling.

Okay, back to the jewelry. Let’s start with the process that I use to examine jewelry. Specifically, jewelry that someone brings to me to check that I did not make. Because I check my own workmanship, I know how my jewelry is made. I made it! You won’t get it until I am satisfied, and I am very picky. :-)

The first things I check are the quality mark and trademark stamps, if any. These are often missing, but very important in my opinion. The Gold and Silver Stamping Act says, in part, that if there is a quality mark, such as 14k, then there must also be a manufacturers mark or name stamped on the piece. This mark must also be registered with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. This is important, because it assigns responsibility of the quality stamped on the piece to a specific company. It also means that someone is taking responsibility for the jewelry, and I am always suspicious if the trademark is missing. Don’t you want to know who made it? I do.

Next, I will take a look at the thickness of the metal. Does it look thin, or is the inside hollowed out? These are signs that the maker is trying to make it cheaper. If it is too thin, it will be more apt to break, and simply won’t last as long as it could. The shank should be an even thickness all the way around. How does it feel in your hand? Can you feel some weight, or does it feel like nothing is there? You should feel it.

This was a fairly new platinum wedding set. The shank on this ring (the bottom part) was far too thin, and was severely bent when it was brought in. Every diamond was loose, and one was missing (on the left side). Also, the solder used to put the rings together was discolored, and uneven.

Then I will check the stones. Are the diamonds bright and sparkly? Do they all look the same, or do some have black spots, or look white like salt? It’s not that black or white spots are bad, as long as you are told that the diamonds are of lower quality. It’s cheap for a reason. But they should still all match, especially if there are a lot of them. And how are they cut? That will determine how sparkly they are. Take the piece out of the store’s bright lights. The diamonds should still be sparkling. And what about colored gemstones? That is much harder for the average person to figure out. Basically it comes down to how does it look to you? Some people like dark sapphires, and some like lighter sapphires. Generally, the darker more opaque the stone, the less valuable it is. That mostly applies to faceted gemstones. The main thing is how do they make you feel? You should feel them. It doesn’t matter that they are sapphires. It matters how those sapphires make you feel. If the dark ones make you feel better, no worries. There is no such thing as the Sapphire Police. But you should pay less for the darker ones.

So if there are stones, then there will be metal holding those stones in place. Is there enough metal to hold them? Prongs or beads hold most stones in place. There should be adequate metal on the stone to keep it from moving. A stone that is loose, will cut its way out of the setting. That alone is a good reason to have your jewels checked on a regular basis. Like cleaning your teeth, twice a year. Or have it checked if you notice anything wrong, like a sharp edge, lack of sparkle, or you dropped it. How much metal is adequate you ask? Well, you will need a professional to answer that one. Someone that can, and will, show you.

This is a brand new platinum ring, purchased from a local jeweler who is no longer in business. The metal holding the stone is far too thin, uneven, and poorly attached to the ring. The stone was impossible to tighten, and the ring was impossible to repair because the wrong solder was used to attach the channel walls. In addition, the ring was about 2mm too narrow for the stone. The amethyst is too low in quality for a platinum ring, the setting job is as bad as I have ever seen, and the stone was severely scratched in the process of setting and finishing. This is not acceptable workmanship under any circumstances.

And no, it is not normal for stones to fall out of your new ring. Unless you get it from a mall or chain store, where it is likely to have been mass produced in China. But don’t worry. They will sell you a warranty just in case something does happen. Excuse me!? Shouldn’t they guarantee what they sell? If they offer you a warranty to purchase along with the jewelry, then run away from that store. If it is made properly, diamonds will not fall out of it, for many years! If they sell it, they should stand behind it. It should be made well enough to hold up to everyday wear. Because chances are you are going to wear it every single day.

This is the restored engagement and wedding ring set. We replaced the paper thin shank on both rings, reset the 2 diamonds that had fallen out, tightened all of the diamonds, re-tipped the prongs on the center diamond, and then re-soldered the rings together. Our client was very happy, and so were we.

The examples I showed here were both platinum, but I see this kind of workmanship every day in gold as well. Most jewelers will tell you that platinum is better than gold. Is it really? The same craftsmanship standards apply, and if they are not met, it doesn’t matter what the metal is. It is not fun for me to tell someone that I have to fix their new ring, or that it was poorly made. Hopefully some of the things mentioned here will help you with your next jewelry purchase. Just remember, your inkling is pretty smart. Listen to it! :-)

As always, if you want to know more, I know more. Please feel free to leave your comments and questions. You can do that here.