ask Dave West: The Jewelry Expert

Lost or Stolen Jewelry

I received this comment the other day and the writer asks a good question about what to do if your jewelry is lost or stolen. The following is the readers comment and my response.

“My wife and I recently returned from Phoenix and after a couple of days she realized her jewelry bag that she was traveling with was nowhere to be found. She believes the jewelry was in her bag up until we got to the rental car return. She had in the bag a vintage platinum and diamond necklace, platinum and diamond bracelet with heart shapes, 2 platinum rings(one with a floral pattern and the other here wedding band with filigree work on the sides) and several pearl necklaces not to mention some random costume jewelry. Does anyone know how best to track down lost/stolen jewelry? Any recommendations on who to call in Phoenix and or Dallas to track down such items? Regards”  

The first thing I would do is check with the hotel and car rental company to see if the jewelry had been turned in by anyone. If you believe that the jewelry was stolen – I would contact the local police department and file a report so that they can begin to investigate. It has been my experience that the police do a very good job of contacting local jewelers and pawn shops to see if anyone has tried to sell, or to keep an eye out for someone attempting to sell, jewelry that has been reported stolen. I would not recommend that you contact jewelers and pawn shops yourself as the police know how to deal with these situations. You can also try the Jeweler’s Security Alliance stolen jewelry web site. 

Unfortunately jewelry that is stolen or simply lost (sometimes referred to as mysterious disappearance) is a relatively common occurrence – and one I always hate hearing about.
Here are a few thought on how to keep these situations to a minimum.

First and foremost – have your valuable jewelry properly documented, photographed and insured.
This won’t stop you from being robbed and you still may misplace your jewelry – but you will have proper technical descriptions (that can help to identify a specific piece) and photos which make the search for and replacement of much easier. 

When you take off your jewelry at home always put it in the same place – at home my wife and I have a little dish on the kitchen desk. You would be surprised how often jewelry is accidently thrown out, put down someplace odd and misplaced to be found years later, or ends up falling in the disposal.

If you are traveling keep the jewelry you are not wearing as close to you as possible - a purse or a carry on that does not leave your side is best. Don’t put jewelry in a bag that goes in the overhead and never pack anything you care about in a suitcase that is headed for the luggage compartment. If you are driving never leave jewelry in the car when you pull over at a rest stop or get a bite to eat.

When at a hotel don’t leave jewelry in your suitcase pocket or around the room – they are not ideal - but the little safe in some rooms or the hotels safety deposit boxes are better than nothing.

Never Ever – take off your jewelry in a public place and lay it down – it is downright depressing the number of people who will “seize the opportunity” before you even know what happened. 

David West Nytch CGA  www.westandcompany.com   

  

Jewelry Myths

I have been giving a lot of thought to the next topic in my "Top Ten Tips" to buying jewelry - Jewelry Myths. At first, I was planning to mention the most common, the ones myself and my staff hear almost daily, such as "I always buy wholsale", jewelry is cheaper in the Carrabiean, on 47th St., internet etc., I could go on, but another list with my rebuttals did not seem to make the point I wanted to. In the back of my mind, there was something else I wanted to say, but I was not sure exactly how.

So, similar to when my creativity has come to a hault while working on a custom jewelry design, I took this idea in an entirely different direction. I turned to Merriam-Webster's on-line dictionary and looked up the meaning of the word myth.  There, in the various definitions was the point I wanted to make...

Long ago, I learned that to try to change the mind of someone who truely believes in a jewelry myth is an exercise in futility. The consumer's mind is closed to any debate or reasoning no matter the strength of the argument. They limit themselves to shopping only at the stores and for products that "fit" the myth they so dearly believe.

It is one of my greatest disappointments that so many jewelers in the industry have been so willing to use these common jewelry myths to manipulate the consumer. False and misleading discounts and pricing, claims of selling wholesale or by the advantage of location or size being able to sell at huge discounts all play off the common myth that jewelry has unreasonably large markups.

Most jewelry is a non-branded product where suptle differences in quality,that are not always apparent to the untrained eye, can mean huge differences in value. Fine jewelry is also manufactured using precious metals, rare gems and is still often hand crafted by highly skilled artisens. Most consumers also do not really have a sence of the true value of a piece of fine jewelry, like they do a car or a home. This all makes it very easy to play off of everyones desire (its human nature) for a good deal. 

Here are a few tips that I think will help you in identifying common myths that may be presented to you during a sales pitch. If you follow these tips, you should be able to uncover the truth behind any jewelry myth. 

• Education yourself. Books, the internet and educated proffesional jewelers are great resourses.
• Make sure that you are working with a reputable jeweler. I suggest working with one that is recognized by the American Gem Society (AGS) or Independant Jewelers Orginization (IJO).
• Ask the jeweler lots of questions. As we all know, the only "dumb" question is the one not asked.
• Keeping an open mind and listening to the answers.

Myths are just that - myths; they require unquestioning belief to be effective. A little good old fashioned scrutiny will go a long way to uncovering the truth.

And that is how I see the world of jewelry from Rochester, NY.

David West Nytch CGA  www.westandcompany.com

Shopping

With the holiday rush I’ve been being a little inconsistent with my posting. Now that everything is back to normal, at least for a week or two, it is time to get back on track with my Top Ten Tips to buying jewelry with a post about Shopping.

Shopping for jewelry is a unique experience; every diamond or colored gem is an individual and with a few exceptions two similar looking pieces of jewelry, from two different stores, are rarely of identical quality. This gives shopping for jewelry a special challenge and comparison shopping, like one would do for many products, is entirely different for jewelry.

In my earlier posts on Education and Questions I stressed the need to familiarize yourself with the type of jewelry or gemstone you are interested in and to ask lots of questions, not only as a tool to help expand your knowledge, but also as a way of determining the level of professionalism and knowledge of a store and its staff. Now it is time to go shopping.

The first step I recommend is to shop a variety of stores and get a feel for the differing qualities and prices. Customers often tell me that they would not know what to look for or be able to tell the differences in quality. Rest assured that with some time and effort you will be able to spot a really fine piece of jewelry over a merely mediocre or poor quality one.

Always keep in mind that all jewelers are not created equal! Anybody can open a jewelry store and call themselves a jeweler. It is sad to say but the industry I love is filled with incompetents, those who are ethically challenged, and far too many who have no love of jewelry and are just out for a quick buck. This is why asking questions are so important. A few good questions will quickly separate the wheat from chaff.

Be straight with the jeweler. Tell them exactly what you are looking for and what your needs are. I often encounter customers who are hesitant to tell me what they are really looking for and what is truly on their mind. I often suspect this tendency has to do with the fear that if too much information is revealed the customer will not get the best deal or that somehow they will be manipulated. This is certainly understandable given the bad behavior of many sales people and the deceptive nature of many sales pitches. The problem, however, is that a good jeweler will not be able to help you find the perfect piece without accurate information. The reality is that no matter how much research you do, no matter how many questions you ask, you still are going to have to rely on a knowledgeable, ethical professional to get the very best jewelry for your hard earned dollar.

In the end, you are shopping for a jeweler as much as you are shopping for jewelry. A good jeweler will help you find, or as we often do, create that very perfect piece of jewelry that exceeds your every expectation. A good jeweler will, more times than not, be able to do this for roughly the price of the over hyped and merely mediocre.

The next post in my Top Ten Tips is Discounts and Deals. Until then, that’s how I see the world of jewelry from Rochester, NY 

                           David West Nytch CGA  www.westandcompany.com

Garnet January's Birthstone

  The use of Garnet in jewelry dates back to the dawn of civilization. Garnets use has been noted from Bronze Age Europe to ancient Egypt. For over 5000 years garnet has been known and prized by man. The Garnets resemblance to a pomegranate seed gives it its name; from the Latin word “granatus” which means grain or seed. Around the globe ancient societies believed garnet was the gem of fire and illumination. Legend has it that Noah hung garnets to light the way of the ark as well as illuminate the interior. Another legend tells of an elderly woman who found an injured bird in her path. She took the bird home and nursed it back to health. One day the bird flew away and the woman thought she would never see the bird again. But the bird did come back with a red gem as a gift of thanks. The woman placed it by her bed that night, and awoke later to find the garnet glowing as bright as any torch. Garnet has been used by the Aztecs, Mayans, Native Americans and some African tribes because it is believed to increase the power of fire.

Garnet is a widely recognized gemstone that is known for its deep rich dark red or maroon color. What is not widely recognized, however, is that Garnet is not just one gemstone but a group of closely related gems. Garnets occur in just about any color you can think of with the exception of blue. The deep brownish red to violetish red that people most commonly think of as a garnet are actually Almandine or Pyrope garnets. Rhodolite Garnet is a beautiful purplish red gem, much like the color of rose wine. Spessartite Garnets are an orange hue that range from a bright yellowish orange to a warm reddish orange color. If purple is to your taste there is Grape Garnet, or if you prefer green, there is the stunning yellow green to dark green of Tsavorite Garnet  and Andradite Garnet. Not sure what you like, there are even garnets that change color in different kinds of lighting!   

      
Garnets are found world wide with major sources in Africa, Australia, Brazil, India, Madagascar, Russia, Sir Lanka, and the US. Some varieties of Garnet can be found only in an exclusive region.

Garnets are not generally treated. Garnets are durable gemstones that with normal wear will last for years. They can be cleaned with commercial jewelry cleaners and are safe for ultrasonic cleaners as well. A mild soap and warm water is also very good along with a old, soft, toothbrush to gently clean the setting as well as the gem. Always rise and dry your jewelry after cleaning.  

David West Nytch CGA  www.westandcompany.com   

Jewelry Care and Maintenance

I often get asked about how to take care of fine jewelry. Sometimes the answer seems so simple, and yet, I know that it's not. Care of your fine jewelry can be influenced by both the design of the piece and the type of piece it is: a rare gem, 18k gold, silver, platinum, etc.

Here's some basic advice - if you have questions not answered here, please send me a note or leave a comment. This information is also on our website.

Caring for your Jewelry: Repair and Restoration

Fine jewelry requires special care and maintenance, and at times, repairs. We recommend cleaning and checking for loose gems and wear every six months. From simple chain repair to the restoration of your most intricate designs, we take extra care to be gentle, and encourage you to be prompt with this task. Leaving jewelry that needs repair lying around for weeks or months could make it difficult to actually repair, properly. The number of times someone handles the piece could negatively impact the ability to repair it properly.

At my store, I am always willing to take those extra moments to look at a customer's jewelry and instruct him or her on how to care for it properly. We want your prize to last for a lifetime - and proper care is vital to that end.

That said, it's sad and tragic when someone brings in a piece of jewelry that was bought "second-hand" or because it was a "deal" only to discover it isn't what it was represented to be, and now the owner wants West and Company to fix it. We feel as badly about that as the person who purchased the item - but, we can't fix what isn't fixable.

So, be aware when you're shopping online that unless you are working with a reputable jeweler - you are taking a risk - one that I, for one, may not be able to help you with.

And that's the way I see it in Rochester, NY.

David West Nytch CGA  www.westandcompany.com

Questions

Ok, you’ve done some research and learned a bit about the jewelry you are interested in and now you are ready to put that knowledge into action and do some shopping. If knowledge is power (and it is) questions are the source of that power. Asking a lot of questions will build on your knowledge and put you in control of your jewelry purchase instead of just being sold what some jeweler wants to sell you.

A good question has layers of benefits, and can often reveal a lot of information beyond the specific answer. Certainly by asking a lot of questions you will learn something you did not know or you will expand your knowledge of something you already knew.

But there is more to it than that; how your question is answered can tell you a lot about a jeweler’s commitment to helping you find that perfect piece. A few questions will help you determine the level of professionalism and knowledge of a store and its staff. Questions will help you cut through the hype, sales pitches and half truths that plague the jewelry industry. Many of these pitches cannot stand up to even the most casual consumer scrutiny and, of course, they don’t want you asking too many questions.

Not every jeweler you talk to is going to love you asking a lot of questions. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph HOW your question is answered can often be as important as the question itself. Anyone who makes you uncomfortable or seems annoyed that you are asking questions should be avoided. Anyone who acts like your question is foolish or responds with something to the affect of “why would you ask that,” should be avoided. A scripted or rehearsed, “one size fits all” answer should be viewed with suspicion.

A good jeweler will be happy to, and even invite, your questions. I know I do, I love’em!  There is no such thing as too many.

Asking questions is one of the most important tips I can give. I cannot even begin to count the number of bad buying decisions I have seen that would have never happened had the customer asked just a couple more questions.

Keep an eye out for my next Top Ten post - Shopping.

Till then, that’s how I see the world of jewelry from Rochester, NY.

David West Nytch CGA  www.westandcompany.com

Zircon, Topaz, Turquoise, or Tanzanite - December Birthstones

Zircon
Many people do not even know that there is an exceptionally brilliant natural gemstone called zircon. Zircons name alone is often confused with the laboratory grown imitation diamond known as cubic zirconia. To make matters worse for many years the colorless variety of zircon was itself popular as an imitation diamond because of its natural brilliance. The sky blue variety of zircon has modest recognition as a December birthstone, but also occurs in green, dark red, yellow, and orange, brown, colorless and in rare instances a bright blue. Zircons range of colors, its limited availability and reasonable cost make it a favorite with collectors.      

Zircon was known to the ancients and its name most likely comes from the word “zargun” which is Persian for “gold colored”. The Kalpa Tree in Hindu poems had leaves of zircon and gemstone fruit and was a great gift to the gods. In the Middle Ages zircon was said to promote sleep, bring honor and wisdom and prosperity to the owner. Sadly, even though zircon is one of nature’s most brilliant gemstones, it has been historically overlooked only being used when other, better known gems where unavailable. 

Major sources for zircon are Sir Lanka and Burma other sources include Thailand, Myanmar and Australia.

Zircon is almost always heat treated. The heat treatment is fairly stable, but in some instances a treated zircon will revert wholly or partially to its original color.  Even though zircon is a fairly hard gemstone it can abrade and chip fairly easily. Zircon is relatively safe for steam or ultrasonic cleaners. Zircon can be cleaned with commercial jewelry cleaner or with mild soap and water along with an old toothbrush to clean the setting as well. Always rinse and dry your jewelry after cleaning. 

Blue Topaz
Because of zircons limited availability blue topaz has been gaining in popularity as an alternative birthstone for December. To read about blue topaz refer to Novembers birthstones.

                          Turquoise
Native American cultures have long revered turquoise. In ancient Mexican society turquoise was reserved for the gods. Turquoise, however, has an even more ancient story dating back to as early as 5500BC. Egyptian royalty adorned themselves with turquoise. Turquoise was believed to have metaphysical powers that would guarantee ones health. Ancient manuscripts from India, Persia, Afghanistan and Arabia all report that the owner of turquoises health could be determined by color variations within the stone. Turquoise was also thought to be protection from evil, and would guarantee good fortune. Turquoise most likely first came to Europe in the thirteenth century from Turkish sources. The new stone was called simply “Pierre tourques”, French for Turkish Stone.
Turquoise is generally an opaque stone, but it can be translucent. Its color ranges from light to dark blue and can also be a blue-green color. The most desirable color for turquoise is an intense “robins egg” blue, as a general rule, however, the bluer the blue the more valuable the turquoise.  Turquoise sometimes contains a network of veins of other materials that are often black to brown in color. These networks can often form interesting patters through out the stone and are called spider webs. Although turquoise that is free of these veins is considered more desirable, some prefer the patters the spider webs makes.

The most important sources for turquoise are the southwestern US, Iran, Tibet and China. Turquoise deposits are often found along with copper and sometimes the byproduct of copper mining.

Turquoise is often permeated with plastic to improve its color. This process is stable. Turquoise can also be dyed or treated with colorless oil or wax. These are unstable treatments. Special care need to be taken with any turquoise, treated or not, as it is a porous gem and tends to absorb anything it comes into contact with. Avoid all cosmetics, perfumes, skin oil, soaps or any other chemicals. Turquoise should never be cleaned with ultrasonic or steam cleaners. All commercial jewelry cleaners should not be used. To clean turquoise wipe it gently with a clean soft moist cloth.

                          Tanzanite
Not until the 20th century did tanzanite burst on to the stage and join the cast in the long and noble story gemstones. Discovered in 1967 at the feet of Mount Kilimanjaro, its only known source, tanzanite has rapidly become one of the worlds most sought after gems. It is no wonder; the rich violetish-blue of fine tanzanite speaks of the awe inspiring beauty of its source. The story of tanzanite is said to begin when some of the brown crystals, lying on the dry grass, where caught in a fire started by lightning. Masai cattle herders in the area noticed that the brown crystals had turned to a beautiful blue- violet color and picked them up. Introduced to the United States by Tiffany & Co., tanzanite gets its name in from the country in which it is found, Tanzania.
Tanzanite is a variety of the gemstone zoisite. When tanzanite crystals are unearthed they have a brownish to bronze hue. It is not until gentle heat is applied that the miracle happens and the vibrant, breathtaking, blue of tanzanite is realized. Tanzanite’s beauty is also enhanced by an unusual property the gem has call “pleochroism”. Pleochroism is a gems ability to display more than one color when viewed from different directions. In one direction tanzanite may be blue, in another it may be violet or purple, and in yet another it may be bronze or grey. Tanzanite’s ability to display more that one color ads a depth, a unique subtle richness to its hue; which other gems cannot match. Tanzanite’s color ranges from blue to purple. In smaller sizes tanzanite tends to be lighter shades of soft blue to violet, purple, or lavender. Tanzanite’s depth of color shows itself the best in larger sizes of about four carats and above. The most desirable color for tanzanite is a medium dark, deeply saturated, rich pure blue. Cutters will go to great lengths to achieve this color; even though they know they will sacrifice a great deal of weight, they know the result is so breathtaking that it will leave one speechless.   

Tanzanite has only one source, the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, in the Merelani Hills of Tanzania, eastern Africa.

Although tanzanite is a fairly hard gem it is not a particularly durable one. Tanzanite can chip and break when exposed to even moderate blows or sudden changes in temperature. Pendants and earrings are the best choice for tanzanite. When tanzanite is mounted in rings or bracelets special care should be taken when worn. Tanzanite should never be cleaned with steam or ultrasonic cleaners. Tanzanite can be cleaned with most commercial jewelry cleaners or with mild soap and water along with an old toothbrush to clean the setting as well. Always rinse and dry your jewelry after cleaning. 

David West Nytch CGA  www.westandcompany.com

Dave’s Top Ten Tips to buying jewelry

A few months ago a very pleasant woman came into the store asking to look at diamonds. She explained that she had come into some money and wanted to buy a nice diamond for herself that she could not otherwise have afforded.

She was interested in a one carat round diamond of good quality. As we sat down and discussed the various differences in cut, color, clarity and carat weight (the 4Cs) I could tell that she was a little bit nervous. I was a bit surprised by this because this lady had obviously done some homework and was quite well versed in the 4Cs.

As our discussion progressed I was impressed by the sophistication of her questions and finally I just had to ask why she seemed to be so nervous when she really seemed to have a very good command of the subject at hand. Her answer has stuck in my mind ever since.

She told me that she had bought and read a book on buying diamonds, had done internet research on diamonds and still she felt she just “did not know what questions to ask.”

Though, I have always tried to be sensitive to what it must feel like to be on the “other side of the counter” this ladie's statement really brought the point home for me. So I got to thinking that it may be useful to people to have a listing of the most important things to consider when making a purchase of fine jewelry.

In the next few weeks or so I will be posting my “Top Ten” things you should know when shopping for or buying fine jewelry. The focus of my “Top Ten” will be to help you get the very best quality and value for your hard earned money. When the list is done I will be making it available as a downloadable pdf on both this blog and my web-sites.

Keep a look out for the first of my “Top Ten” - EDUCATION, within the next day or so.

David West Nytch CGA  www.westandcompany.com

Ask Dave: the Who, What, Why ... and Welcome!

Welcome to my *expert* jewelry blog! My name is David West Nytch and yes, that's me in the header. I am an award winning jewelry designer, master goldsmith, gemologist, and certified gemologist appraiser. Whew! It wears me out just to type all of that! But, it's important to the purpose of this blog, so ... I couldn't leave it out.

Over the years I have seen the need for a neutral public jewelry forum to address peoples' questions and concerns about jewelry, diamonds, gems and precious metals; to dispel some of the myths and half truths,to address current issues in the jewelry business that have a direct affect on consumers and to have some fun with everything that is wonderful and beautiful with diamonds, colored gems, gold, platinum, and jewelry.

I welcome your questions and comments, as long as they are on subject, so I can better address issues that are of importance to you. While the content in this blog will most generally be my opinion, understand that my opinion is based on an extensive level of experience in the jewelry industry.

My focus is on beauty and quality and the best way to achieve it. In the long run, quality is always the very best value because it stands the test of time. I always like to give both the pros and cons to my advice so you can make the best, educated decision that fits your individual jewelry needs. This is not a "how to beat the system" blog because the reality is: You won't, ever, really beat the system. If I had a dollar for every "great deal" I've seen that turned out to be no more than, at best, a mediocre piece of jewelry, I'd be jogging to the bank on a daily basis.

Why am I qualified to advise you on your fine jewelery purchases? Well, I have over 25 years experience in the design, crafting, manufacturing, valuing and selling of diamonds, colored gems, gold, platinum, and sterling silver fine jewelry. And, I have worked in the wholesale side of the industry manufacturing jewelry in volume for major firms, as well as the retail side of the jewelry industry. My work covers all of that plus designing and crafting fine one of a kind pieces for individual clients. Currently I am the owner of a successful, upscale, fine jewelry store [West and Company] in Rochester NY. You'll see some of my designs posted here, on this blog - and I will occasionally link to others that I have on my website.

I hope you will enjoy my postings as much as a look forward to placing them. As I have said, please feel free to ask questions on any jewelry relating topic that interests you. I want to make my blog a valuable resource for you. Just one way I hope to demonstrate that designing and purchasing fine jewelry is truly a personal task - not something you do with a few clicks of a mouse.

And that's how the world of jewelry looks to me from Rochester, NY.

David West Nytch CGA  www.westandcompany.com