We frequently hear similar jewelry questions from our customers, and we have the answers for you. In fact, we might give you the answers before you even ask the questions.
Diamond Castle Jewelers of Novi has existed since 1902, after all. That makes us one of the longest-lasting jewelry stores in southeast Michigan, as well as one of the oldest businesses in southeast Michigan. In that amount of time, we’ve seen it all and heard it all. At this point, we consider the community part of our extended family, and our loyal customers feel the same way.
For that reason, we will do our best to provide you with the answers to your jewelry questions to ensure you are delighted with our service and products.
Here are 10 of the most common jewelry questions we have heard over the years, along with the answers you need to make informed decisions about your purchases.
1. How much does this diamond ring cost?
Let’s get this out of the way first. Clearly, that’s a question we here all day, every day. With so many designer brands and types of jewelry available in our store, the prices run the gamut – from $1,000 to tens of thousands of dollars. We will help you identify the perfect piece of jewelry to fit your needs and your budget.
In general, the average cost of a 1-carat diamond from most jewelry stores is about $6,900, but the cost varies greatly depending on brand, size, cut, clarity, weight, and color.
2. What is the best way to clean diamond rings?
The best way to clean diamond engagement rings and weddings rings is to bring them into our Novi jewelry store for a professional cleaning about once a year.
For regular maintenance at home, soak your ring in a solution of all-natural dishwashing liquid and warm water for about 30 minutes. Use a very soft toothbrush afterward to gently polish dirt off the ring.
3. What is diamond cut and clarity? What does “the 4C’s of diamonds” mean?
The 4C’s of diamonds are “cut, clarity, carat weight, and color.” See our past blogs for more information about the 4C’s of diamonds, which will determine the cost of diamonds.
4. How can I tell the difference between a real diamond and a fake diamond?
There are a few ways to tell. Some of them require an experienced eye, however, such as using a magnifying glass to identify imperfections. Ironically, imperfections indicate pure diamonds. Our favorite and easiest way to tell if a diamond is real or fake is to drop it in a glass of water. Real diamonds will sink toward the bottom. Fake diamonds will float around the middle or top.
5. Do the cuts and shapes of diamonds have any significant meaning, or is it all about preference?
There may be some urban legends about the cuts of diamonds, but it’s mostly about preference. Round diamonds typically always have been and remain the most popular, although oval-shaped diamonds are trending in 2021.
See our blog about options for styles and shapes of diamonds and other gemstones, and browse through our blog channel for answers to similar jewelry questions. Through our website, you may also use our interactive diamond search tool to find the perfect piece for you.
6. I need a new wedding ring, but I want to keep my original diamond. What are my options?
We can customize wedding and engagement rings for you while using your original diamond. We can add to the ring, simplify it, add uniquely colored gemstones, and so much more.
7. How long will my ring last? Can I resize it several years from now?
With our quality diamonds and ring designs and your careful maintenance, you can rest assured that your ring will remain as beautiful as the day it was purchased. In the event that you need to resize the ring, we can take care of that for you in the future. If you lose one of the diamonds in the ring, we have an exquisite selection of loose diamonds and other gemstones that we can use to replace it.
8. Why is it sometimes written as “carat” and at other times spelled “karat”?
It’s not just a variation of the spelling. They’re actually two different words.
Carat refers to weight, while karat refers to ratio. A carat is a unit of weight used for measuring the size of gemstones. Karat is a measurement indicating the proportion of gold in an alloy out of 24 parts, so 18K gold is 18/24 parts gold, for example.
9. My ring is tight on my knuckle but circles around my finger once I get it past the knuckle. What should I do?
This is perhaps one of the most common jewelry questions we hear, and it’s an understandable concern. If you can’t get it past your knuckle, your can’t wear it; if you can get it past the knuckle easily, it may be too loose and could slide off.
The ring should slide over your knuckle relatively easily but fit comfortably yet snugly around your finger. Choose a ring size that is somewhere in between the size of your knuckle and the size of your finger. If you need to resize the ring, bring it into our Grand River Avenue jewelry store.
Resizing the ring might not be the solution, however, such as in the case of arthritic hands or knuckles that are significantly wider than the finger. Other options in this situation include:
- Placing the ring on a different finger, perhaps even the ring finger of the right hand. Our hands are not completely symmetrical, so the fingers on your right hand may be slightly bigger or smaller than those on your left hand.
- Using sizing beads or pips, which can be placed inside the band to support it while allowing the ring to slide easily on and off your finger.
10. Why does gold make my skin turn black or green?
Contrary to popular belief, this is not necessarily a reflection of the quality of the jewelry. It’s actually about having makeup or other chemicals on your hands, leading to metallic abrasion. Another reason rings may make your skin turn black or green is the corrosion of the silver and/or copper alloys in the ring.
