Keep Your Jewelry Looking Its Best

We all love our jewelry and want it to look its best. Jewelry needs a bit of TLC to look its best. The following tips will help you to keep your jewelry in tip top shape.

What makes jewelry dirty? Exposure to our own body oil as well as makeup, soaps, lotion, perfume, hair products, as well as everyday activities like gardening and cleaning are some of the culprits. To keep your pieces clean and beautiful, make sure you are visiting your favorite jewelry store at least every 6 months to have your jewelry cleaned and checked for anything that might need fixing. At home you can do the following:

  • It is recommended to clean your jewelry once a month, depending on how often you wear it.
  • Most jewelry can be cleaned with warm, soapy water and brush lightly with a soft, clean toothbrush to remove dirt, then rinse with clean warm water and gently pat dry.
  • For silverplate or brass, clean only 1-2 times per year as removing tarnish will gradually remove the top layer of precious metal. Use a polishing cloth which contains a jewelry-grade light polishing compound.
  • Take note that some gems and stones need special care:
    • Amethyst, aquamarine, citrine, emerald, garnet, peridot should not be exposed to heat as it can cause fading or cracking.
    • Opals and pearls are vulnerable to acids and ammonia and scratch easily
      • Opals are also extremely sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and may get surface cracks if exposed.
      • Pearls should not be immersed in water. Instead, wipe each pearl with warm, soapy water, using a clean, soft toothbrush if dirt remains, then dry completely.
    • Never:
      • Clean in boiling water, use warm water only. Too much heat can cause some gems to crack or fade or cause metal to expand and contract which affects the setting for gems.
      • Use abrasive cleaners, use mild dish soap only. Abrasive cleaners can cause scratches, blemishes.
      • Use bleach, vinegar, lemon juice, rubbing alcohol, vodka.

Hopefully these tips will help to keep your jewelry looking great all year round! Now that you know how to keep it clean, buff up on storage tips. And stop in to Bridgewaters soon for your jewelry check and cleaning!