Ask Zachary's

Have a question about diamonds or colored gemstones? Need help surprising that special someone? Looking for proposal or wedding ideas? Ask Zachary's! Selected questions and answers will be posted here.

Q & A

I really want to purchase a beautiful piece of jewelry for my wife for our anniversary. What is a gift that I can be assured she'll love?

Good question! A wonderful gift for every woman is a classic pair of diamond studs. No matter the size, this is a staple piece of jewelry that most women would love to have as part of their collection. In our opinion, it's the jewelry's version of the "perfect black cocktail dress" - a must have in any women's closet. If she has diamond earrings, perhaps a diamond pendant that she can wear everyday or a diamond tennis bracelet.

I recently had my pearl necklace restrung. When I picked it up from my jeweler, the necklace was shorter. How could that have happened? I counted the pearls and they were all there.

Pearls are typically strung on silk, a very durable thread. Like any natural fiber, silk can stretch, particularly if it gets wet. If it's been a while since you've had them restrung and if you wear them often, your necklace most likely stretched. Since you had them restrung, the new silk was new and therefore slightly shorter. If you wear your pearls often, it's smart to have them restrung every year. Do your best not to get your pearls wet. Keep them out of contact from perfume, hairspray and make-up. Always wipe them with a soft cloth before putting them away in a soft cloth pouch which will keep them from getting scratched.