The last words you ever want to hear in your local jewelry store is, “That probably isn’t a good idea.” The internet is a great place to browse for ideas about the kind of jewelry you want to design, but some of these ideas can be truly complicated and involve lots and lots of maintenance over the years. Many women want custom rings that no one has ever seen before. This seems like a great idea in the beginning, but then when you present the picture to your jeweler, they are more than happy to voice their concerns about that particular design. Maybe it is for your benefit or maybe they are just not comfortable making that kind of ring.
Jewelry stores are in the business of making money just like every other business in the world. They want to offer you quality products and services that will withstand the test of time. After all, they are no different than any other company in that they thrive on return customers and repeat business. The concept is simple really. By putting out a product they are confident in, people will be satisfied with their purchases and want to return to do business again. When your jeweler voices a concern about some aspect of your design, he or she is not being rude or uncertain in his capabilities as a jeweler, but instead he just wants you to be aware of any problems this design could cause you down the road. For instance, people have been raving about “black gold” recently. They see pictures on the internet of these lovely black/grey metal bands used in a variety of jewelry.
It seems like a great and creative idea for their ring or other such piece of jewelry, but it is actually kind of high maintenance! Maybe the old saying is true, “The prettier it is, the more pain it is!” Black gold does not exist. Instead, this is regular white gold that has been dipped into rhodium to create a plating of a different color around the band. Eventually, this color will wear away and the white gold will be exposed, making your jewelry completely change in color.
Although this specific color is achievable from a jewelry store perspective, it will involve lots of maintenance to keep it looking black. If you are willing to be without your ring for a few days every other month, then by all means design this ring. It truly will be one of a kind!
