What You Need To Know About Jewelry Warranties

If there’s one concrete symbol of your love and devotion for your partner, it’s your rings. Engagement and wedding rings are an important way to show the world and each other how much you care. They’re a huge investment — both emotionally and financially — which is why it’s so crucial that you keep your jewelry safe, sound, and looking its best.

And that all starts by choosing a jeweler with a strong warranty.

While many jewelers advertise their warranty as ironclad, it’s so important to read the fine print. One of the benefits of the Ritani Warranty is that it lasts a lifetime. Warranties for from other jewelers vary in coverage length. For example, Sam’s Club Jewelers only provides a 7-year warranty and makes you pay nearly $150 for it. Pandora Jewelry only offers one year, and Pagoda Jewelry only offers a one-time replacement during the first 12 months.

Even among those who provide longer coverage, the Ritani lifetime warranty is unlike other lifetime warranties, because we do not require six-month inspections. Many jewelers, such as Kay Jewelers, not only require regular inspections to make sure the warranty remains valid, but they also require that you keep the paperwork of all inspections.

This isn’t always realistic for your busy life. Instead, owning a Ritani engagement ring means that if there’s a manufacturing defect, we’ll take responsibility — guaranteed.

Even with all these varying types of manufacturing warranties, one of the most crucial things to understand is the difference between a manufacturer’s defect — which is covered by a warranty — and regular wear and tear, which is not. The distinction isn’t always obvious to those outside of the industry, but understanding the difference will allow you to protect your investment and keep your jewelry looking stunning for years to come.

Here’s what you need to keep in mind.

Most Manufacturing Defects Will Be Visible Very Quickly

Manufacturing defects normally refer to fundamental issues with the ring — and this will usually be clear to you very quickly.

The truth is, rings get treated a lot more roughly than you might realize. You bang your hand, you dig in your bag, you travel — there are a lot of opportunities for defects to become clear. Most loose stones, defective prongs, or structural issues will appear within the first weeks and months or wearing your ring, so this is when you should be paying the most attention.

If something looks wrong with the structure of your ring or you feel that it’s not as stable as it should be, please bring it in and we’ll be happy to assess the issue and take care of any repairs as necessary.

Wear And Tear Happens More Than You Think

Wear and tear is not normally covered by a warranty — and it’s important to understand that your ring will go through wearing over the years and that it’s completely normal. You’re wearing this ring every day, so over time it may suffer from discoloration from chemicals, makeup, or swimming pools, a natural wearing of the prongs which will need to be ‘built up’, or even chipped stones or stones that have fallen out of the ring.

Luckily, all of our engagement rings also come with the Ritani Lifetime Care Package which includes free lifetime cleaning services at your local Ritani partner retailer. Getting your ring cleaned and examined regularly will help combat wear and tear and keep your ring safe and sparkling.

We also offer complimentary annual prong tightening, repolishing, and rhodium plating as part of your care package.

A Warranty Is Not The Same As Insurance

While we pride ourselves on our warranty — especially when some jewelers don’t provide one at all — it’s important to note that a warranty is not the same as ring insurance. When you’ve invested significant time and money in your ring, you may want to consider insuring it.

This is especially a good idea during the early stages of wearing your ring, when you’re still getting used to it and ring loss does sometimes occur. Think about it. You take off your ring to do the dishes or leave it in the locker at the gym. When you’re just not in the habit of wearing a ring yet, it’s easy to leave it behind. If that sounds like something you might do, consider insuring it — even if it’s just for the first year.

Your ring isn’t just an important symbol — it’s a huge investment. Protect your ring and everything it means by choosing a jeweler who cares about you. And if you have any questions about our warranty, just get in touch — we’re here to provide you with peace of mind.