Limited Lifetime Warranty

Joseph Schubach Jewelers offers a limited lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects so you can enjoy your jewelry with complete peace of mind.

All of our pieces are inspected before shipping to make sure they pass our stringent standards. We guarantee that the mounting for your diamond, diamond alternative or other gem is free from defects in material or workmanship. We will repair or replace your mounting without charge if any defects are found.

We understand the time and care involved in choosing and purchasing your special piece of jewelry. It’s with the same care and attention to detail that we create and manufacture our pieces as well as stand behind our workmanship and quality.

So with a lifetime guarantee, my ring will never need repair or maintenance, right?

Fine jewelry (like a luxury car or designer shoes) will need repairs and maintenance over time. While our warranty covers defects pertaining to the production of the ring, it does not cover wear-and-tear from daily activities that fine jewelry endures over time.

Something as simple as carrying heavy grocery bags, hard clapping or lifting weights at the gym can warp a delicate band or fracture stones over time.

Prongs can bend or loosen up from simply digging through a purse or putting hands in a tight pocket. (Yes, those seemingly innocent activities can have an effect on rings.)

Jewelry Insurance

So, you’ve chosen a ring and love it for the tiny treasure it is. But life is full of unexpected twists and turns. Accidents happen.

You need insurance. Cover yourself!

Many jewelry stores offer warranty or service plans that are suddenly null and void when the “required” check-up appointments are not met. Most of these “fine print” plans frequently do not cover accidents such as major damage, loss or theft.

They may also require you to send your jewelry to an out-of-state service center for several weeks where you have no idea who may be working on your piece.

At Joseph Schubach Jewelers, we believe that jewelry insurance should provide peace of mind, so you know your investment is completely protected, under any circumstances.

The most comprehensive coverage available is through specialized third-party insurers, such as Jewelers Mutual Insurance.

With rates as low as 1 - 2% of the coverage amount per year, you’ll receive affordable insurance protection that extends well beyond typical warranties, including:

• Mysterious disappearance
• Damage
• Loss or theft
• Preventative maintenance
• Prong retipping and repair
• Clasp replacement
• Restringing of broken/stretched pearl strands
• Earring post issues

Jeweler’s Mutual insure:

• Engagement Rings
• Wedding Bands
• Necklaces
• Pearls
• Earrings
• Bracelets
• Watches
• Pendants
• Charms
• Smart Jewelry
• Loose stones during setting (heirloom stones)

Other advantages to Jewelers Mutual Insurance:

• Claims do not go against your homeowner’s insurance so they will not affect those rates or jeopardize your homeowner’s insurance status.
• You’re free to work with your jeweler of choice for replacement or repair so you’ll have confidence your repair or replacement will be done correctly. You are not obligated to work with an unknown jeweler assigned by the insurance company or send your piece to a service center to an unknown area.
• Zero-deductible policies are available and rates range between 1 - 2% of the insured value.
• Worldwide coverage, so you’re protected while away from home.

See Jeweler’s Mutual for more details.

Joseph Schubach Jewelers is not affiliated with Jeweler’s Mutual and receives no compensation from clients who insure with them. You have many insurance options including homeowner’s and renter’s insurance, among others. Do your research and find the best option for you.

Jewelry 101 - Choosing and Caring for your New Piece

Choose jewelry according to your lifestyle.

Activities, jobs and hobbies are all factors to consider when choosing jewelry, such as an engagement ring. After all, it is fine jewelry and deserves the utmost care. Just as you wouldn’t likely wear Louboutin shoes to go hiking or an evening gown to garden in, the same principles apply to jewelry.

• Do you work with your hands?
• Do you do office work?
• Do you have children?
• Do you knock your hands often (like shelving dishes)?
• Do you do heavy lifting?
• Do you travel frequently?
• Do you participate in sports or workout at the gym frequently?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, it’s important to realize all of these activities can impact your jewelry.

Certain designs can leave the edges of gemstones exposed, making them more vulnerable to stone breakage (than those protected by channel walls, larger prongs, more metal, etc).

Realities such as these should not discourage you from owning the ring of your dreams or make you worried every time you wear it. One simply needs to be mindful: not all designs are suitable to wear 24/7. We will expertly assist you in selecting a style that is compatible with your lifestyle if you do wish to wear your piece all of the time.

Or we can help you chose an alternate piece to wear during the times when your ring will be subject to strain.

Just remember the Golden Rule of Jewelry: show your jewelry love and it will love you back...for a lifetime.

Diamonds - not as tough as you think.

Most of us have heard that diamonds are the hardest material known to humankind. There’s some scientific truth there...but that doesn’t mean your diamond ring is as tough!

According to GIA: Diamond is very stable and extremely hard, but only somewhat tough. The hardness is uneven along different directions of the crystal, and this has important implications both for the cutting process and the durability of diamonds cut in various shapes.

This means that diamonds can fracture or chip from hard impact. Certain settings (like tension settings) leave a diamond more vulnerable to damage while other settings are considered safer (bezels, partial bezels or V-shaped prongs). But no setting is 100% safe.

You want a tension-set engagement ring anyway?

That’s great. We love tension-set rings too! Simply wear your diamond ring with care. A little caution goes a long way.

Understanding yesterday’s rings versus today’s rings.

Many of the jewelry styles of today are narrower, delicate and more intricate than the styles of a generation ago. In the 1980’s and 90’s, it was common to have stones channel-set into heavy, solid rings where the channel edges alone were wider than the entire width of a ring today. Along with this reduction in design size comes a corresponding drop in structural support and strength. Today’s delicate designs can easily weigh 50-75% less.

Today’s styles are also influenced by antique designs which have delicate narrow bands, filigree/wire designs, hand-engraving and other minimalist detailing like pavé setting.

Pavé-setting involves setting many tiny diamonds in a row (like a halo) with minimal metal holding them in place, giving the appearance of floating diamonds. Fine pavé settings often involve prongs that are less than ½ millimeter thick which are made of soft, precious metals like gold or platinum.

Delicate features like these mean special attention be given when wearing.

You may be harder on your jewelry than you think.

On numerous occasions we’ve had clients insist they’ve done nothing to cause damage to their rings. “I hardly wear it” or “I don’t knock it on things” are common responses from clients with broken pieces.

Upon inspection, their rings reveal obvious signs of heavy wear: damaged/missing stones, damaged prongs, misshapen bands or deep scratches and dents, conditions that the customer wasn’t even aware of.

No matter how easy you think you are on your jewelry, if conditions like these are apparent, you’re not being as kind as you think!

If you’re missing a gemstone, it’s typically due to breakage rather than loss due to faulty workmanship. (There are always exceptions to this workmanship rule, especially with mass produced jewelry where individual attention isn’t given to ensure proper stone setting).

Keep in mind: gemstones are fragile (sapphires, moissanite and other semi and precious gemstones). Diamonds may be the hardest of all gemstones but as mentioned earlier: if the stone can be cut, it can be broken.

Tips for ring care:

Regularly inspect prongs for damage. Prongs serve as protection for your diamond. A broken or bent prong can leave a diamond unprotected. If they’re loose or broken, then they’re not doing their job.

Don’t wear a ring if you have chipped a diamond or gemstone!

According to GIA: That knife-edged portion of the diamond that is chipped has an extremely high risk of getting chipped far worse. Stop wearing it until you can have it repaired.

What about moissanite? Do I still need to be as careful?

A good rule of thumb: if the material can be cut, it can be broken, chipped or scratched. This stands true for both diamonds and moissanite. Each stone may be extremely hard, but certain shapes create potentially vulnerable spots on the gem (points of marquise shapes, corners of princess cuts and the girdles or the edges of any cut).

So yes, moissanite can be damaged! Check out the chart below. (Moissanite is silicon carbide.) As you’ll see, moissanite falls below the hardness level of a diamond...and as we’ve learned, diamonds can be damaged.

Here are a couple of damaged diamonds we’ve witnessed over the years.

First and foremost, be mindful of the delicate nature of your jewelry. Realize that you are wearing a piece of fine jewelry--a little work of art--made with precious gemstones and soft precious metals.

Take note as you go about your day with your new piece. Notice when it makes contact with something that could potentially damage it (like while driving or heavy lifting).

And of course, remove your piece before doing anything that may cause damage. (We recommend taking your ring off when you get home.) Also, never wear it under circumstances that may clearly damage it (such as housework, gardening, working out, etc.)

Remember: delicate jewelry is not something you wear all of the time. Some of our clients have multiple rings to wear for different occasions, like a plain tungsten carbide ring or a simple gold band while doing outdoor activities.

Have your jewelry inspected at least once a year. This can be done at our store or any jewelry store. A quick cleaning and inspection not only gives you insight as to the overall wear and tear of your piece but can also help you avoid costly repairs down the road.

You can also send it to us for a Full Spa Treatment. We will not only inspect your piece, but professionally clean, polish, refinish, re-rhodium plate, tighten any stones and bring to your attention any proactive maintenance that needs to done. Contact us for more information and pricing.

Give your jewelry a weekly bath. For jewelry set with diamonds, moissanite and most faceted gemstones, any standard drugstore jewelry cleaner will keep your pieces looking sparkly and new in between professional cleanings.

[Pearls, opals and other soft/organic/porous gemstones will need a special cleaner. Be certain to get the correct cleaner for these gemstones and follow the instructions on the label.]

The more often you clean your piece, the easier it will be to keep it clean and looking great. Simply purchase a jewelry cleaner with a plastic basket and a brush. Once a week, soak the jewelry overnight then use the brush to get underneath the gemstones.

Finally, if you notice anything wrong with your jewelry (a loose or broken stone, a broken or bent prong, a loose earring back, etc.), remove your piece and have it repaired before wearing it again to prevent further damage or potential loss.

A lot of rules, right? Not really. Maintaining your new piece quickly becomes a rewarding habit and a natural form of respect for something you love. In return, we guarantee you’ll experience a lifetime’s worth of enjoyment!