Like in all industries, consumers look for savings when purchasing their jewellery. With the explosion of internet shopping over the past decade, there is now a web of options for consumers to choose from. Shane is seeing many issues with a lot of the current mass produced jewellery lines.
“Many people are opting to buy their Engagement rings online and even their diamonds, which is fraught with danger. I have had many clients come to see me, who have purchased their Engagement ring online from overseas. They come to me because stones have fallen out when their new ring has only been worn for just a week. I have seen poor quality diamonds, ring mounts, stones set crookedly and even cracks in the gold. The difficulty is returning the overseas purchase, and even then it is often replaced and not repaired. Would you like this to happen with the ring that was given to you at your Proposal? Some of the ring styles are unable to even be repaired and many of the mass produced mounts can’t be repaired at all.”
Beware the pitfalls of buying jewellery and gemstones online.
“You get what you pay for.”
Handmade jewellery is designed to give years of service, but most importantly it is serviceable, can be repaired if damaged or worn out which makes it far superior in its quality, workmanship and longevity.
Mass-produced jewellery is made by pouring metal into a mould, often designed on a computer with a CAD program, hollowed or thinned down to make it lighter, and often (now with the fashion being so delicate and fine) the diamonds are set with a microscope with microscopic claws so fine and delicate that they simply don’t stand up to normal every-day wear and tear, and are often so delicate that it’s nearly impossible to repair them. And even if you do, it’s just a matter of time before the next stone falls out.
If you want your jewellery to last – then have it handmade. It is more solidly constructed and will be able to be worked on, altered or repaired if ever the need arises. A large portion of Shane’s work is in the re-designing and re-modelling of jewellery that has been passed on from a loved-one from a previous generation, because it was handmade in the first place and has endured. Handmade pieces stand the test of time and are simply far better quality.