Joyce & Gendreau Jewelers

You have those pieces you LOVE to wear but they could use a little TLC to get them sparkling again. We sell bottles of both gold and silver cleaners- yes there is a difference! Regular (gold) jewelry cleaner is “detergent” based. It removes dirt, and more importantly, grease. Read the directions – some gemstones, opals, malachite, emeralds, coral (the soft stones) should be quickly cleaned and not soaked. Diamonds actually attract grease and the dirt gloms onto the grease making things a little dull looking. If you need a quick cleaning, a little Windex in a cup, a fast scrub with an old toothbrush and a quick rinse with water will do the trick – you will cover that drain, right? Silver, on the other hand, needs a little more care. A quick dip in regular jewelry cleaner will help a bit. Silver tarnishes and silver cleaner will clean that right up. Again, please READ THE DIRECTIONS, a 2 or 3 second dip then rinse with water, repeat if necessary.

The main reason for considering a synthetic stone to a natural is the pricing – much cheaper, but not the real thing. I’m obviously pushing for real diamonds here but there is something magical in something that took at least 900 million years to form, which are very durable and can give someone years of enjoyment. If the concern is for mining practices, the industry supports the livelihood of 10 million people globally including 1.5 million artisanal and small-scale miners and their families in Africa and South America who provide 15% of the world’s diamonds as opposed to a lab where a technician flips a switch. The miners and their families rely on the demand for the diamonds they mine. Every child in the corrupt country of Botswana receives free schooling until the age of 13 that is paid for by diamond revenues that represent almost a third of its GDP. It is much the same in India where in Gujarat the diamond sector alone employs about 1 million and funds hospitals and schools.

This is a situational question! Silver - is obviously the most affordable but it’s not a very strong metal (thinking of ring prongs here), it is prone to tarnishing and it is pretty soft and items can be easily damaged. Gold- either white or yellow gold - is usually the most effective. It is stronger, wears well and stays bright. However it is gold and pure gold is yellow. To make white gold, alloys are mixed to make it white. After wearing white gold for a while, the metal develops a yellowish cast which requires polishing and/or rhodium plating. Platinum- is the prime white metal. Hypo-allergenic, very dense and strong, it is a more expensive due to the purity used in the jewelry industry (90 or 95% pure) and its density (comparable piece in gold is almost half the weight). That said things that our grandfather made are still worn today whereas in gold,not so much without repairs. Platinum stays white and takes on a stainless steel-like, very rich-looking patina.

We do our repairs on-premises so we will be happy to fit you for your correct size. If you are trying for ‘stealth mode’ there are a couple of things you can try: borrow a ring (knowing what finger it fits on is key!) and we will take the size from it, try a ring on your finger and we will determine what size it is or we can estimate the size based on a physical description – height and shirt/dress size. The string thing, wrapped paper thing and ‘it looks like’ really don’t work.

We offer appraisals for insurance, loss, estate and ‘need-to-know’ purposes. We attempt to take information while you wait but sometimes items must be (or can be) left with us for a day or two. The cost is based on the time necessary and not the value of an item. Typically insurance companies will ask for updates between three to five years.

Not the ‘right’ gift? Thinking of something else? No problem. We offer full refund, no questions asked policy for one full week and store credit for one week after that. Gifting in the future? We will be happy to note that on your receipt and adjust the timing as needed. Custom/special order items cannot be returned. Please understand we are small and work to replace sold items as soon as possible.

Virtually all work is done here. For this reason, we can provide rapid service on most repairs. While we do not provide while-you-wait services, we expedite repairs whenever possible. We will supply a completion date when an item is left for repair. There are certain things that we do not do here: stone cutting, engraving, watch glass fitting, pearl restringing and rhodium plating – each is its own discipline and we leave those to trusted professionals whom we have used for years.

We are considerate of the needs of our customers and ourselves in these 'interesting' times so face masks must be worn (properly), we clean with an antibacterial at least twice a day, Clorox wipes and hand sanitizer are available and a plexiglass shield is used at checkout.

There are two main reasons people buy gold: as insurance and as an investment. People who are concerned about the recent economic crisis tend to view their ownership of precious metals as an insurance investment.

We offer everything, ranging from bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings, pendants, and watches.

Yes, we do! Give us a call to find out more information.

Sterling Silver consists of 92.5% silver and the remaining 7.5% consists of other metal, mostly copper. This is the reason why Sterling Silver is popularly referred to as 925 Sterling Silver or just 925 Silver. The reason silver needs to be combined with other metals is that it is very soft, making it difficult to work with. A bit of hardness has to be introduced, by adding other metals. Fine silver is 99.9% silver and has a small content of other metals such as copper.

1. Remove, examine and clean your jewelry regularly. Ideally, do not bathe, workout, swim or use cleaning products while wearing jewelry. Dirt, bacteria, oils and chemicals can all lead to metal and skin reactions if these tips are not followed. 2. If cleaning is needed, use a soft bristled toothbrush and mild non gritty soap with water to gently wash the piece. Dry thoroughly. A soft polishing cloth (widely sold in stores for silver polishing) can be used to remove any tarnish and restore shine. 3. About once a year(or whenever a concern arises), have a professional look at your fine jewelry to check for any damage to the settings, metal and stones. This can help catch any issues early.

The “K” stands for karat, which represents the percentage of pure gold in the metal alloy. Because pure gold is very malleable, jewelers mix it with other alloys to make it more durable and harder. The higher the karat number, the higher percentage of pure gold exists in the jewelry. The higher the karat, the higher the cost. Price is based on the percentage of pure gold. Because pure gold is naturally yellow, the higher the karat, the more yellow the item will be.