Folks, we're serving up some tough love today. We saw over a dozen pieces of jewelry come in last week whose damage could have easily been avoided. Since some of our customers acted surprised when we told them how, we thought we'd share some tips on how to get the longest life out of your jewelry.

1. Sleeping in it. Yep, seems harmless, you're just resting for hours, right? But prongs can snag in sheets and hair gets tangled around chains overnight EVERY night and can cause them to break.

2. Wearing it to the gym (or golfing, or mowing the lawn, or tennis, etc). Any activity where you are lifting or pushing a heavy object is going to damage the back of a ring (see Photo). These activities are the perfect time to pop on a silicon band to protect your finger AND your fine jewelry rings.

3. Dirt. The #1 thing we hear is "I wear it all the time." And that's ok, but you need to clean your jewelry, and not just so it LOOKS pretty. Dust from the air (or dirt from your garden, sand from the beach) and oils from your skin (lotions, sunscreens, bugspray) can combine to act like a sandpaper and wear away at the metal links in your bracelets and necklaces, and between rings to wear them thin.

Listen, there's no law against wearing your jewelry 24/7. And we certainly don't suggest you put your jewelry away and not wear it; you should enjoy it! Just set the correct expectations if you do. The more you wear it, and the rougher you wear it, the more you will need to maintain it. Remember, we always do cleaning and checking at no charge, so don't hesitate to come by. And as a reward for those who read this whole thing, the first 6 people who come in the store and can name these 3 reasons will get a free gift! Remember diamonds are forever, but the metal holding them needs care and maintenance!

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