HOW OBSERVANT ARE YOU WITH YOUR JEWELRY?

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR JEWELRY BY SIGHT?

Posted on April 8, 2019 by Richard Scott

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Most of us like to think we’re pretty observant.

Most of us pride ourselves in remembering little details. But, how observant are you with your jewelry?

Do you know your jewelry by heart? Have you really looked at the pieces?

Would you know if your diamond has been switched for a fake? Would you know if a jeweler had replaced your emerald with a synthetic?

Being observant with our jewelry is good preventive medicine. Looking at our rings will tell us if our prongs need retipping. Looking at our chain will tell you whether the links are worn or if the clasp is breaking.

It’s all about taking the time to really look at our jewelry and inspect it.

Take a fun test:

A test? Fun? Yes, you must take this test… First things first; grab a piece of blank paper and a pencil. Come on, do it. Seriously. Take the test. You will love it.

Grab a pencil and paper right now…

Let’s begin:

Without looking at it, take off your watch (or another piece of jewelry) and set it aside… DON’T PEEK AT IT! Just remove it so you can’t see it. Get it out of your line of vision.

Now for the fun part…

See if you can draw what your watch looks like. Don’t worry if the drawing is primitive or highly detailed, the goal here is to see what you can recall.

Start by drawing the basics. Draw the face of your watch. What shape is it? Round? Oval? Rectangle? A lot of us don’t even know the basic outline.

Draw the numbers. Does it even have numbers? Markers? Roman Numerals? Draw whether it has a day or a date (or both). Does it have a dot at the 12 spot?

See how difficult this is?

What do the hour and minute hands look like? Do you have a second hand? What do your links look like? Is there a pattern on the face?

Do your best to draw what you think your watch looks like. Many of you will find this very difficult, if not impossible to do.

I was stunned when I first attempted this. I couldn’t remember the simplest details. Were the hands of my watch pointed or flat? I couldn’t tell you.

It floored me.

What floored me even more is the fact that my watch is the number one piece of jewelry I look at throughout the day. Sometimes every hour. Sometimes more. I view it the most, but I was unable to remember if the date was at the 3 spot or the 6 spot. I found the whole process interesting and fascinating.

What it showed me is, I look at my jewelry, but I never really see it.

The truth is, we never see our jewelry or diamonds until there’s something wrong with them. Like when a prong is snagging, or a stone falls out, or the crystal cracks on your watch.

If we’re not very observant then how are we supposed to identify our jewelry or diamonds and protect ourselves from having them switched, stolen or lost? Could you describe your items to the police?

Fortunately, there are a couple of ways that may help us with these types of situations.

Take a photo:

Take a close-up photo of your jewelry. Use your smartphone. Do it NOW! Keep it safe. Photos don’t lie. Plus, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Get your jewelry appraised:

Getting your diamond jewelry appraised and insured is one of the best ways to protect ourselves. Usually a jewelry appraisal will also have a photo of your piece attached right to the appraisal. It also lists all the important facts and features about your jewelry in detail.

Buy certified and laser inscribed diamonds:

If you buy a laser inscribed certified diamond, the report number will be etched right into the side of your diamond. You can easily view it under a microscope or a 10x jeweler’s loupe. It will show you if your diamond has been switched or not. Just remember to view your diamond under a scope before and after you pick it up from repairing or sizing at the jeweler.