Care & Ownership

I'm Gavin Ruschin, a jeweller in Illovo, and this section is about the long part of owning a piece, the years after it leaves the studio. Most of it is ordinary habit: a valuation that describes the piece properly, cover that lists it by name, a few minutes of cleaning each week, and a check of the settings before they fail. None of it is difficult, and almost all of it is easier to do early than to explain to an insurer later.

I start with insurance and valuation: why an invoice is not a valuation, what specified all-risks cover means, the clause about inspecting settings that many policies carry, and how often a valuation goes stale. Then the practical side: cleaning at home, the signs that a ring needs repair, when and how it can be resized, and what each metal and stone needs. Then the unlucky side: travelling with a piece, keeping it secure at home and away, and what to do if one is lost or damaged.

Pieces I did not make are welcome. I can value jewellery I did not make, and I check settings on rings I did not make. The insurance articles are general guidance, because policy wording differs between insurers and changes over time. Where an article and your own policy disagree, the policy wins, so read your wording and put your questions to your broker.