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Buying jewellery is exciting. Especially if you’re buying an engagement or wedding ring. It’s an investment in both time and emotion as well as money. And you go into the purchase in great good faith and confidence. But how do you know that your faith and confidence are being rewarded? How do you know that your jewellery not only looks genuinely beautiful, but is the genuine article?

7 Questions You Should be Asking Your Jeweller

 

Do your diamonds come with appraisals and certificates?

The only answer here is ‘yes.’ If there is even a moment of hesitation, do not make a purchase. All reputable jewellers adhere to a high set of standards. This means that all diamonds are certified and graded. Although not all jewellers will work with appraised diamonds, all good ones will be very happy to arrange independent appraisal for you. Just ask.

 

Where do your diamonds and gems come from?

This is less a question of quality and more a question of ethics. There are a number of flash points around the world where brutal – and seemingly endless – civil wars have been financed by the diamond trade. You don’t want your ever-lasting token of love to be responsible for the deaths of many, many people. this is why it’s so important to find out where your gems have been sourced. The worst areas at present are Sierra Leone, Liberia, Angola, the Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

 

Is the metal hallmarked?

Hallmarking is an official mark imprinted on precious metals certifying that they are genuine. Gold, silver and platinum are all hallmarked in the UK. When you purchase a piece of jewellery that is not hallmarked it’s not necessarily fake, especially if it comes from overseas or is antique. However, you’d be well-advised to ask for testing before handing over your money.

 

Where was the jewellery made?

When you order a bespoke engagement ring, you should hopefully already know the answer to that question. Although, it is still worth asking, as some businesses will farm commissions out. While you might think that any handcrafted jewellery will be of optimum quality, it is possible to cut corners and ‘do it on the cheap’, which might mean that the final piece is flawed. The UK has a long history of jewellery making and its craftsmanship is among the best, so where possible, buy British.

 

Does your jewellery come with a warranty? And what’s covered?

Durham Rose provides a 12-month warranty, like most reputable jewellers. In that, we offer complimentary cleaning and polishing, as well as resizing. However, we still recommend that all customers purchase external insurance for their rings as soon as they are created

 

Am I getting value for money?

This one obviously isn’t a direct question to ask the jeweller, but something to ask yourself. The best way to ascertain value is to shop around. Check the certification, know what you’re getting, then look at comparable pieces elsewhere. This should give you a good idea of typical prices. Of course, this is a little trickier when ordering bespoke jewellery, as gem and metal prices need to be factored in, as well as design and creation time. However, you should be able to request at least loose quotes from different jewellers before deciding which company you wish to proceed with. Note: never sign a bespoke jewellery contract without a confirmed price.

 

Do I need insurance?

Your jeweller will know better than anyone else what your jewellery is worth, whether it should be insured and what type of insurance is best for this product. Talk to them, listen to them, follow their advice.

Choosing any jewellery, whether anniversary earrings or a bespoke engagement ring, is exciting and a little bit daunting. Hopefully these questions can help take away some of the worry attendant on your selection. It goes without saying you can expect all of this from Durham Rose, so please contact us today for any bespoke jewellery requirements.