Jewelry Care

Treat your jewelry with loving care and it will adorn you for many years. Even the best made, highest quality jewelry is delicate and if not handled properly will suffer breakeage and damage. Each of your jewelry pieces should be handled with love and care and they will last you and your heirs a lifetime.

Jewelry Storage

Jewelry is best stored in a separate compartment in a jewelry box or other container. It is best to keep each of your jewelry pieces from coming into contact with each other to minimize scratches or other damages. When individual jewelery pieces rub against each other, the result can be a scratching of the metals and/or fragile beads. This is especially important if you have any diamonds, emeralds, rubys, sapphires and other hard stones which contribute to scratches.

How to Clean Silver

Sterling silver should only be polished using products designed for Sterling silver. Toothpaste is a common technique that many have used to polish silver. Always use a phosphate free product. The 3M Tarni-Shield Silver Polish product, is a good choice for removing light tarnish, it is a very low abraisive product. Most experts do not recomment the use of tootpaste due to the abrasivenes of most brands. These abrasives can create small scratches on the silver and a dull finish.

When polishing silver, be careful not to get any of the polishing agent on beads or other precious stones to prevent damage to these items. A silver polishing cloth is recommended for use on jewelry which contains beads and precious stones. Store Sterling silver in an airtight container to minimize oxidation of the metal. Small plastic bags work well for this purpose.

Sterling Silver Patina

Sterling silver jewelry can develop a lovely patina if it worn continually. This is glow which is in conjunction with darker areas. Many wearers love this look, and it is OK to leave it alone. For those who prefer a bright, shiny look using polish will restore the jewelry to its original appearance.

Storing Sterling Silver

Storage of sterling silver jewelry is important to prevent it from tarnishing. Airtight plastic or soft velveteen cloth bags are perfect for this. Ttreated cloth can slow down the tarnishing process. Keeping the jewelry separate keeps your jewelry pieces from rubbing against harder jewelry or precious stones both of which can scratch the silver. Sterling silver jewelry is best stored in a cool, dry place.

Tip

Here is a tip my grandmother told me years ago. If you place a penny (Pre-1982 which are 95% copper) in the container you store your silver, this will prevent the tarnish. My grandmother kept a penny in her sterling silverware box, and she never had to polish her silver, even though she only used it 2 or 3 times a year! I've tried this by placing a penny in one of my jewelry box containers which are felt lined, they are exposed to the air in the box and just a penny and it works! The tarnish, while not completely absent, is noticably different from those in a compartment without the penny.

How to Clean Gold

Gold can be easily cleaned with a soft tootbrush using soapy water. Dishwashing liquid is fine. The toothbrush can be used to get into all the crevices. Rinse the item in warm water until the water is clear. Once clean, use a dry lint-free cloth to shine the gold. A non-abrasive jewelry cleaner can be purchased as an alternative way to clean. Always check the cleaner is safe to use on any gemstones that may be in the jewelry piece.

How to Care for Gold

It is best not to wear your fine gold jewelry items constantly. Wearing them 24 hours a day makes them more susceptible to damage. When not wearing your gold jewelry, they should be stored in a velvet-lined jewelry box or case that contains seperate compartments. Alternatively, each peice can be wrapped in tissue paper and kept in small bags or pouches. It is important to keep any diamond jewelry separate. The hardness of the diamond can scratch your gold very easily as gold is a very soft metal. It is important to be sure your jewelry is dry when put it away. Moisture can cause springs and clasps to weaken over time.

Jewelry Inspection

Inspect your jewelry before you wear it. Make sure all attachments are secure. Look for links that look as though they might come apart. A small set of needle nose plyers are useful for fixing some of the problems you might see. For earrings, ensure they are securely placed in your ears. Clear earbacks can be placed on french-wire earwires just behind the ear to

Be sure that items with clasps are securely fastened. I also recommend putting on jewlery AFTER your clothes - there's less chance of it getting snagged on the clothing.

General Suggestions

It is best not sleep, shower, bathe, swim, or exercise when wearing your jewelry. All those movements during sleep and exercise can result in broken jewelry. Tap, well, sea, and pool water all contain a variety of chemicals which can result in damage or excessive wear to metals and stones. Common sense rules when handling your jewelry. Tugging, pulling, and rough handling can result in broken links, wire, and thread.