| To maintain your jewellery in top condition
and to ensure that you continue to get the best from it please follow
our recommendations below :
It is
advisable to have your gemstone jewellery professionally cleaned and inspected
at least once a year by Pravins (once every two years for plain jewellery).
We are pleased to offer this service at no charge for jewellery purchased
from our stores. Your jewellery may be sent to our Head Office for examination
by our qualified experts. Please note that repair charges may apply in
the case of maintenance work being required although we will contact you
with an estimate prior to commencing work.
You can clean most types of jewellery at home by dipping
it in a mild soap solution and then rinsing well in clean water (except
porous gemstones - see below). You can use a soft toothbrush to remove
any debris if necessary but be careful not to snag any claw settings.
Some gemstones need special care because they are more
delicate. Pearls, opals, emeralds and turquoise are naturally porous and
can discolour or become detached from their settings. This type of jewellery
should be kept dry and put on last after applying make-up, perfume, or
other cosmetics. Emeralds, topaz, tanzanite and amethyst are not as hard
as other gemstones and may chip or fracture if knocked or dropped. Emeralds
and tanzanite are especially vulnerable as both are quite brittle.
Your Pravins jewellery has been designed to be durable
but it is not indestructible. A sudden blow can chip even a diamond, the
hardest of all gemstones. Likewise, metals such as platinum and gold are
strong and durable but both will scratch on contact with a hard or sharp
surface. Such surface scratches are not unusual and can normally be polished
out quite easily. To minimise this type of wear be wary of metal handrails
and door handles, stone worktops, sand and other hard or sharp objects.
It should also be noted that repeated knocks of a lower intensity have
been found to cause distortion of ring bands over a period of time; to
reduce the risk of this happening please ensure that your ring is the
correct size for your finger and try to periodically carry out brief examinations
yourself to highlight any possible risks.
Always remove your jewellery before taking part in any
sporting activities, going to the gym or carrying out gardening or other
manual work. It is important to remove all your jewellery before going
to bed, especially necklaces, chains and bracelets, which are all easily
caught.
Diamonds can scratch other gemstones and wear away at
precious metals, so avoid storing mixed jewellery together in a box, drawer
or handbag. Where possible try to store items of jewellery in separate
boxes or individually wrapped in a soft cloth.
White gold is naturally off-white in colour and it is
therefore normal practice to electro-plate white gold jewellery with rhodium
(a member of the platinum family) in order to achieve a uniform colour
and hard finish. The rhodium plating will wear off over a period of time,
depending on the individual pattern of wear however re-plating is a simple
and inexpensive procedure.
Most plain gold bangles and earrings are hollow even
though the thickness gauge may be such that they appear solid. Extra care
should be taken with hollow jewellery as a sudden blow can result in a
dent or loss of shape that is very difficult to repair to a satisfactory
level.
Fittings such as clasps, fastenings, earring backs, safety
chains and the like may become loose or worn over time and will need regular
inspection and possible adjustment to make sure they remain secure.
We strongly recommend that you maintain adequate insurance
cover on all of your jewellery. If you require an insurance service or
you have an other query regarding care and maintenance of your jewellery
please contact our store staff or write to Customer Services, Pravins,
PO Box 35563, London NW4 4YX.
|