Spring is when new light begins to shine in our house windows and we feel this incredible urge to clean everything in sight. We really start to see all the dust that has settled over the winter months, especially here in the Midwest.
It’s time to get organized! Don’t forget that jewelry drawer full of earrings with lost backs or mates, the unwanted and unused jewelry and our every day pieces that need a scrubbing. For me, there is nothing more satisfying than having my home and goods completely organized. Talk about an instant mood changer. And with the popularity of professional organizers like Marie Kondo, I know many others feel the same way. However, with jewelry, “does it spark joy” is just the first question. There are other things to think about. So, I bring you my sure-fire method for spring cleaning your jewelry box and getting your jewels in tip top shape.
Take Inventory of Your Jewelry
Take inventory of what you have, what you are wearing and what is being neglected and, most importantly, why? If you aren’t wearing something, just as with your clothes, ask yourself why. The answer usually is:
- it needs repaired
- it needs cleaning
- I don’t like it
- it doesn’t suit my lifestyle
All of these are valid responses, easy to remedy.
Jewelry Repairs
Collect everything that needs repair and bring it to us. We will review and give you a cost to fix each. Then, decide what gets fixed based on importance and cost. For the items you don’t proceed with, place them in a baggie with a description of what needs to be done and the approximate price to fix. It will give you goals and great gift ideas throughout the year.
Jewelry Cleaning
We will gladly clean your jewelry and check that all your stones are secure at no charge. Simply bring it to us at your convenience and let us do the hard work. We are open Monday through Saturday, 10-5pm. Appointments are not necessary. If you would like to keep your jewelry clean at home we also recommend Hagerty Jewel Clean, which we sell here, or even just a good old toothbrush and warm water. Many stones shouldn’t be cleaned in chemicals or extreme heat, so if you have any concerns or questions, just bring it in and we will take care of it for you.
Selling Your Jewelry but wait…
For all those pieces you will never wear again, yes, we will be glad to help you sell of repurpose them. We specialize in pre-1940’s estate jewelry and although we emphasize this period, we will entertain items of exceptional design & quality from any period. We also buy platinum, gold and sterling jewelry and sterling hollowware.
However, is there any element of the piece you do still love or want to salvage? Perhaps, a sentimental stone or you love the mounting but don’t like the stone. We can always explore repurposing your jewelry. So, please, don’t disregard a piece without really thinking it through. You should see some of the lovely pieces we’ve made from jewelry that just wasn’t someone’s style.
Below is an example of a ring which the customer didn’t like, so we collected a bit more information and found she actually loves minimal style with a bit of originality. We went back & forth and quickly landed on the ring to the right. She loves it and wears it as her engagement ring daily.
Estate Planning
If you have recently been placed in charge of an estate which includes jewelry or would like to organize your own jewelry estate, we can assist. We help you identify what you have and the value of the piece to aid in the division of assets. This is a complimentary service but we do ask that you schedule an appointment with our gemologist in advance. To schedule an appointment you can email or call/text us at 614-457-6261.
So sit back and enjoy the season change while we help with spring cleaning your jewelry box.