We've all had a moment when we've looked down at our ring, or checked our hair in the mirror, and noticed that either there is a diamond missing from the ring, or that an earring which was meant to be in your ear was missing and you no longer have a pair of studs. Horror!! What do you do?
Well there are a few options open to you and they won't necessarily cost you a fortune.
The first reaction is normally panic and then the thought that your insurance premium will skyrocket should you make a claim, at the next renewal. This is not necessarily the case. First and foremost make an appointment with a jeweller who can assess there and then what the replacement cost will be. I wouldn't bother with the high street multiples as they need to send the ring to a workshop. What this normally means is that there will be an extra hidden cost to you for this service. If it's a cluster ring, or the diamond is a small one, then the chances are it won't cost more than £100 maximum, probably less than this, and with this in mind, you don't really need to claim on your insurance.
If, on the other hand, it's a central diamond from your engagement ring, an heirloom piece or a new purchase, then of course you will need to contact your insurance company. They will ask you to get some quotes and send them in for evaluation. Often they will insist that you use their preferred supplier to replace your diamond, however you should be able to insist on using your own family jeweller if you have one.
The thing I find upsetting is when I meet people who need valuations done and in their jewellery box they have old pieces which are just lying there with the odd stone missing. When I ask "what happened to this?", the reply I normally get is that I lost a diamond years ago and never got round to replacing it, or that I didn't bother replacing it as I didn't want to call my insurance and risk my premium going up the following year.
My advice to you is the following. I'm a firm believer that all jewellery should be worn. If you are going to invest in a lavish piece of jewellery then you should have the option to show it off when the occasion dictates. This could be your everyday engagement or eternity ring, or your party piece cocktail ring. There is no point having a broken piece of jewellery sitting in your jewellery box and waiting for it to magic itself better. That just won't happen!
By all means give me a call and arrange an appointment with me and I would be more than happy to give you a free no obligation consultation, and let you know the best way to proceed. After all as someone once said, we never really own a piece of jewellery we simply look after it for the next generation!
If you would like an appointment, then please do call for a free consultation at our Cleckheaton Workshop and we would be glad to try and help you out.