In order to preserve your jewelry, you will have to take good care of it. It does not make sense to buy expensive jewels and ruin them for lack of care or knowledge. Read this article to find out how to give your beloved jewels the care they deserve.
It is a good idea to visit a jeweler every 6 months to clean your jewelry or show you how to do this at home. When cleaning jewels at home, never use toothpaste! It contains abrasive elements which will damage both the gems and metal parts of your jewel.
Silver gets oxidized in time. If it is well maintained, it will form a shiny patina on the surface. Clean your jewels in a solution of water and soft soap. Dry them with a soft towel. If the dirt and staining are considerable use a silver bath and follow with polishing tissue. Anything else may harm the jewel.
Do not wear silver jewelry when going to the pool or to a SPA center. The minerals and the chlorine in the water will damage the silver. If you will not be using your silver jewels for a while store them in a cool, dark, and dry place. If your silver jewelry is not set with gems you can preserve it by storing it in an air-tight bag to prevent oxidation. There are special jewelry storage bags on the market that contain a silver-cleaning chemical.
Never put your jewelry in plastic bags. Some precious stones such as opals and pearls contain water and need to breathe.
Golden jewelry is almost always made of alloys. That means that the gold in them is mixed with other metals to improve the pliability. This can cause the golden jewelry to darken, especially if it is of a lower carat. A darkening can also be induced by spraying the jewel with perfume or aftershave, mineral water or even from the acidity of your own skin. This is why you should remove all jewelry when bathing, showering or spraying perfume. A polishing tissue and a special solution designed to remove the layers of oxidation will help your jewels look shiny and clean. Such tissues and solutions can be acquired at a jeweler’s shop. You can clean them at home with a soft dishwashing liquid and a very soft toothbrush, but you have to be careful not to scratch them.
If you have diamonds, keep them in separate bags, because they are hard and can scratch your other jewels, even other diamonds. Chlorinated bleach can undermine and discolor the diamond’s setting. Lotions, dust, soaps, and even your natural skin fats can form a film over the diamond which will lessen its shine. You can avoid these problems by regularly cleaning your diamonds. Special diamond cleaning solutions can be found in specialized stores and you can clean your diamonds yourself using a soft toothbrush, but at least once a year have a jeweler check your gems for wearing off and cracking. Wipe your gem embellished jewelry after each use with a soft dry towel. Saltwater and raw chemicals like chlorinated bleach can do a lot of damage. Chemicals erode the polished stone and cloud its shine. Before cleaning your precious stones at home you will do well to consult a specialist because different cleaning procedures are used for the different gems. Besides, you can also check with him whether the gem needs repair.
Opal is softer than the other precious stones. It contains water and needs extra care. Keep it away from ultrasound devices, pressure hoses, bleach, chemicals, and jewelry cleaning solutions. In order to wash an opal, place it in a bowl of cool water or soap water. Opals should not be exposed to high temperatures, direct sunlight, low humidity, or rapid temperature changes.
Pearls should be whipped with dry tissue after each use. Do not wear them while bathing, gardening or doing housework. They have to be protected from bleach and all kinds of acids. From time to time check if the silk thread they are strung on shows any signs of wear and tear. Skin fats can be absorbed in the necklace and cause significant buildup between the pearls and the thread, which can obstruct the holes. This is why it is advisable to have your pearl necklace restrung every couple of years. Take your pearls to a jeweler once a year for cleaning and examination, and possibly repair.