ATLANTA, Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Consider this
Valentine's Day gift-giving rhyme:
Roses are red, but they'll soon be dead. Candy is sweet, but it's
not a healthy treat. Jewelry is especially fine, and with proper
care, it can endure the test of time.
According to the National Retail Federation, countless romantics
will chuck the chocolate this Valentine's
Day and head straight for the precious metals and gem
stones. More than $4 billion will be
spent on jewelry around Feb. 14, with
the average shopper shelling out hundreds on treasures for spouses
or significant others.
An estimated 2.3 million couples will also solidify their love
on Valentine's Day by getting
engaged. With smiles as bright as the stones adorning their
fingers, these excited new fiancees will seek to show off their
rings everyday. Proper care such as cleaning, inspecting and
polishing ensures they can do so without worry.
"Most jewelry is small and delicate, so dirt, lotions and creams
can easily get trapped in the crevices, making it easy to break or
damage," said Joe Erdeman, president
of Assurant Solutions' extended service protection business.
"Over time, some jewelry will need repair, but all jewelry
needs maintenance."
To ensure that your precious heirlooms remain in pristine
condition so they can be passed on to generations, consider a
jewelry care plan that covers damage to the accent stones or
mountings and provides routine maintenance such as buffing and
polishing. Such care plans offer cleaning, stone tightening, prong
retipping and rhodium replating to prevent white gold from
discoloring.
Assurant Solutions provides several care plans for jewelry and
watches including a lifetime jewelry care plan through a
partnership with Fred Meyer Jewelers.
"We understand the great value and meaning jewelry holds for our
customers, especially during special times like Valentine's Day," said Peter Engel, president of Fred Meyer Jewelers, a
leading jewelry retailer also operating under the banner of Littman
Jewelers. The company maintains a focus on customer service and
wants to ensure that customers enjoy their jewelry for a lifetime.
"This is why we partnered with Assurant Solutions to offer our
customers a lifetime jewelry care plan."
To further safeguard your fine jewelry, follow these tips:
- Have rings and other fine jewelry cleaned and checked by your
fine jewelry professional at least once a year. The stones may last
forever, but the mounting may not.
- Store your fine jewelry carefully in a jewelry box or the
original case. Keep them out of the reach of children and
pets.
- Remove jewelry when reaching into tight spaces such as under
the mattress or even into your jeans pocket. Also, be careful when
working in small spaces.
- Remove jewelry before doing the dishes, bathing or
swimming.
- Never place jewelry on the edge of the sink where it could
easily be knocked into the drain. Cover drains with mesh to catch
small items.
Assurant Solutions offers customized protection for jewelry,
consumer electronics, appliances and other products well beyond the
manufacturer's warranty. The plans provide millions of customers
with the comfort of knowing their products can be repaired or
replaced. For more information on jewelry care plans, visit
www.fredmeyerjewelers.com or www.littmanjewelers.com.
About Assurant Solutions
Assurant Solutions businesses develop, underwrite, market and
administer specialty insurance, extended service contracts and
other risk management solutions through collaborative relationships
with leading financial institutions, retailers, automobile dealers,
funeral homes, manufacturers, wireless carriers and other entities.
With operations in 25 locations, including executive offices in
Atlanta, Assurant Solutions serves
clients and their customers in 12 countries throughout North America, the Caribbean, Latin
America, Europe and
Asia.
www.assurantsolutions.com.
Assurant Solutions is also part of Assurant, a premier provider
of specialized insurance products and related services in
North America and worldwide
markets. Assurant, a Fortune 500 company and a member of the
S&P 500, is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol AIZ. Assurant has approximately $27
billion in assets and $8
billion in annual revenue. Assurant has approximately 14,000
employees worldwide and is headquartered in New York's financial district.
www.assurant.com.
SOURCE Assurant Solutions