Philippe Medawar has the philosophy that everyday life is a special occasion and wants his clients to wear their fine jewelry with joy, accepting that the inevitable scratches, dents and yes, even chips are reminders of exotic destinations, celebratory affairs and laughter-filled events with family and friends. With a few precautions, you can enjoy your jewelry for many years to come. Please consider the following questions before wearing your jewelry:

Where am I going and what will I be doing?  Because gemstones and noble metals respond differently to various environments, it’s vital that you are informed if your jewelry item can withstand the weather and activities…

Philippe Medawar’s goal is to help you make wise decisions when wearing your jewelry so that you won’t incur potential injury, expensive replacement costs or jewelry repairs by helping to protect your jewelry investment for generations to come.  

When skiing in St. Moritz leave your tanzanite jewelry securely at home. Sudden temperature changes, such as going from the snowy slopes to the steaming hot tub, could potentially cleave your beautiful blue-purple gem. Before working out at the gym and participating in sports, protect yourself and your jewelry by keeping it safely at home. High-profile, prong-set gemstones can pose a dangerous threat to sport enthusiasts. A Colorado gymnastics coach is a Philippe Medawar client who commissioned her wedding ring specifically with her occupation in mind. Philippe Medawar specially designed her ring so that before coaching she is able to slip the large, high-profile diamond engagement ring from its jacket and leave it safely at home while wearing the jacket to work, which is a beautiful low-profile double row of sparkling diamonds. 

Philippe Medawar strongly cautions clients that certain gym equipment and free weights can damage ring shanks (the portion of the mounting that encircles the finger), and chlorine and bromine in hot tubs and swimming pools can dramatically discolor and also destroy jewelry metals. A new client, who came to Philippe Medawar to replace her wedding ring, told us how she had innocently put her dirty diamond ring to soak in a household cleaner inside a clear drinking glass on a ledge in her kitchen. Life is busy and she forgot about her ring. Days later she was shocked to find her ring was gone! The chlorine-rich solution had dissolved her ring mounting and she had thrown the contents (including a large, loose diamond) down the drain. 

Many jewelry-related maladies can be avoided when advised by your trusted jeweler, Philippe Medawar. Our staff welcomes your unique inquiries and looks forward to assisting you in navigating how to safely and confidently wear your jewelry, with joy, for generations to come.