We know that shopping for jewellery can be overwhelming, especially when you have something specific in mind.
To help you, we have compiled a list of our most frequently asked questions. If the answer to your question is not here, please send us a message and we will answer it for you as soon as possible.
Our store team are professionals who have been trained in helping you with your jewellery needs.
However, if you would like to see the jeweller, we recommend that you make an appointment. You can do so through our contact us, Custom Design Consultations, or Workshop Services pages.
In jewellery, cleaning a piece means removing the dirt and oils from our skin that make a piece grimy. During a professional clean our jeweller also polishes out scratches and buffs the piece to leave a clean and clear surface.
Most rings can be resized but this is dependent on the ring style and setting of the gemstones.
If a ring needs to be resized, please visit us instore or contact us for a quote.
Rhodium plating is a process applied to white gold pieces that gives the metal its exceptional white colour. We recommend that you get your white gold jewellery checked by a professional jeweller annually.
Just like your car WOF we recommend getting your jewellery checked annually. If replating is required your jeweller will let you know and recommend next steps to ensure the longevity of your piece.
Rhodium plating should not be required annually.
Simply put, the colour is the main difference. Gold jewellery is created using an alloy of Gold and other metals like copper, zinc and nickel depending on the colour. White Gold is an alloy of gold and lighter coloured metals like nickel, and yellow gold is created using an alloy of gold and yellow metals like copper.
Both white and yellow gold have a yellow tint, so white gold is often rhodium plated to ensure it shines with clean white lustre.
Pure gold (Au) is a metal that is too soft and malleable to be used in jewellery.The amount of pure gold in a piece is referenced by its caratage. The more Carats (ct) the more pure gold is included. 24ct gold is 99.9% pure gold and 9ct gold is 37.5% pure gold. Gold jewellery is usually crafted using 22ct - 9ct gold.
A carat is a unit of mass that is equal to 200mg. The word Carat is used frequently in jewellery.
It is how the weight of a diamond is defined. It can also be used to talk about the amount of pure gold used in a piece.
Speak to our friendly team in store. They can help you choose a beautiful quality stone for your budget. There are many factors to consider, like the cut, colour, carat and clarity of the gem as well as your budget, wear needs, and personal taste.
Contact us today to see our instore range, or to discuss the option of custom design.
TDW stands for Total Diamond Weight of all of the diamonds set into the applicable product.
The Four C’s of Diamonds is a universal method for assessing the quality of any diamond, anywhere in the world. The C’s are a mnemonic device denoting the four factors that characterise a faceted diamond: cut, colour, clarity and carat. See our blog post on “The 4C’s of Diamond Quality” to learn more.
Precious Metals uses reputable suppliers to source their gems in a safe, ethical and reliable way. Our gems are mined and lab-created all over the world. Emeralds for example, are famously mined in Colombia, while SriLanka is famous for Sapphires and Australia is renowned for Opal and Pink Diamonds.
Talk to us about how we can help you source a beautiful gem for your next piece.
Our diamonds are all sourced from companies that are certified under the Kimberley Process.
The Kimberley Process (KP) unites administrations, civil societies, and industry in reducing the flow of conflict diamonds - ‘rough diamonds used to finance wars against governments’ - around the world. The KP enables nations, governments and organisations to share their expertise and insights, and to have a positive, long-term impact on the trade in conflict diamonds and the lives of people in genuine need.
Created gemstones are man-made. They are grown in strictly controlled laboratory conditions to recreate the brilliance of rare natural gemstones.
Learn more about Lab-Created Diamonds in our "Lab-Created Diamonds" blog post.
Both words refer to a unit of mass equal to 200mg.
“Carat” as a spelling can refer to either diamond/gemstone weight or gold purity.
“Karat” with a K, refers only to the proportion of pure gold included in the metal alloy.
Cultured pearls are humanity’s work at duplicating what nature first started. A ‘seed’ or ‘nucleus’ (typically a round bead made of mother of pearl) is inserted into the oyster and the oyster is returned to the sea. The oyster will coat this ‘seed’ with nacre to create a cultured pearl. Freshwater pearls are also cultured, from mussels that live in fresh water rather than the ocean. Multiple tissue seeds are inserted into a freshwater mussel. The mussel coats these seeds with nacre to produce cultured freshwater pearls.
Their origin and age are the only differences. Natural Diamonds are mined from the earth and are reported to have formed between 1 and 3.5 billion years ago. As the name suggests, lab-created diamonds are created in a lab in a matter of weeks. Both are real, genuine diamonds. They are chemically, physically and optically identical, composed of 100% carbon and are graded using the exact same 4 C’s of Diamond Quality Grading system.
Learn more about diamonds and lab-created diamonds in our Gemstones Blog
Moissanite is an exceedingly rare mineral called silicon carbide discovered in 1893 by French Chemist, Henri Moissan, when exploring meteorite fragments in a crater in Arizona. Analysis found that the fragments originated in distant stars.
Thankfully this beautiful mineral can be replicated in labs and cut and polished the same as other gemstones. Moissanite used in the jewellery industry is always lab grown and frequently offered as a diamond simulant. It is used primarily in engagement rings. These stones can be batch made to a high quality and present very similarly to diamonds at a more affordable price point
Sterling Silver is a metal alloy containing 92.5% silver (Ag) and 7.5% other metals (usually copper or zinc). Pure Silver, like pure gold, is soft and not suitable for creating jewellery for regular wear. Sterling Silver on the other hand is much more durable and strong. Sterling Silver tarnishes easily, and requires proper care and maintenance. To get the best out of your jewellery we recommend that you work carefully with it, clean it regularly and never wear your jewellery to bed, in the shower, while exercising or cleaning using harsh chemicals.
Under the experienced guidance of our Master Jeweller, Michael, Precious Metals has a team of jewellery designers. The team are specially trained to bring your jewellery dreams to life. Creating your own jewellery is a simple process and can be done online via email/video call or in person at our store.
Booking a consultation is easy through our Custom Design Page to meet with a designer in person to discuss your ideas and options.
Proper care for your jewellery is important to ensure its longevity and to prevent damage which may not be covered by your product warranty.
We recommend that you wear your jewellery like you would use high heels. It should not be worn while sleeping, showering, swimming, or during extreme physical activity. This can bend, dent or otherwise damage it.
Avoid contact with body care products, and harsh chemicals, including perfumes, hairspray, lotions and household cleaners. These can cause tarnishing, weakening of the metal and damage to gemstones.
Finally, just like high heels, jewellery should be the last thing to put on while getting ready and the first thing you remove when you get home.
Please refer to individual brands for more information and care instructions.
At Precious Metals we understand that jewellery can be a significant financial commitment. We offer finance options through Gilrose Finance for items over $1000, and After Pay and Layby options for some of our brands and lifestyle products. Please note that terms and conditions apply, please contact us directly for more details and further assistance.
Yes, we are happy to offer a layby payment plan in store. Our normal layby terms require a 20% initial deposit, and regular payments of the balance within 3 months of the original transaction date. See instore for further details.
Yes, we are experts in jewellery repair and servicing. Contact us today for advice or present your item/s to any of our friendly team in-store and we will be able to provide you with an estimate for the repair.
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At the moment, we are only able to ship within New Zealand.