How to take care for your jewelry: the ultimate guide

Jewelry is often one of our most precious and beautiful possession. When wearing one of your favorite pieces around your neck, finger or arm, you want to keep it in the best condition possible. Precious metals such as silver and gold, however, are regularly the victim of small scratches and damages. Gemstones can lose the brightness of their color. Therefore, it is important to take care for your jewelry to make sure they look their best for years to come. Luckily it doesn’t require large efforts. Follow our tips and tricks and enjoy them for a lifetime.

#2 Avoid contact with chemicals

Planning on wiping your face with make-up remover or cleaning your nails with nail polish remover? Take off your jewelry first and don’t give products a chance to react with your favorite pieces. Bath and apply lotions – such as day cream or sunscreen-  or perfumes before you put your jewelry on. Organic gemstones are vulnerable to acids and diamonds attract oils. Did you in any case forget to take off your necklace, bracelet or ring? Use an old, soft tooth brush and a drop of dishwashing liquid to clean them in no time or rinse them in water.

#3 Solutions for jewelry cleaning

Every jewel needs its own specific treatment. Always seek the advice of your jeweler when cleaning your bracelets, rings, necklaces, diamonds and gemstones. He knows the right care and cleaning solutions for your favorite pieces. Silver and golden jewels for instance, are taken care off in a completely different way. Pearls and diamond jewelry deserve a unique treatment as well.

Silver is subject to tarnishing over time, resulting in dull or even black jewelry. Tarnishing occurs when silver is exposed to oxygen and sulfur in the air (or even on our skin). However, it can be easily removed with cleaning. The simplest way to clean silver is to buy some silver polish and a cleaning cloth. It doesn’t take long for gold jewelry to lose its shine. Dirt can quickly dull your golden jewels. Yet, they can quickly be rinsed. Add a few drops of neutral washing-up liquid or a mild degreasing solution.

Does your jewelry consist of diamonds? Then your pieces require attention and care. Oil and dust can quickly adhere to diamonds, affecting their brilliance. Clean the diamonds regularly. Let them soak in warm water with a degreasing solution and gently brush them with a soft and clean toothbrush. Do you have a pearl necklace or pair of earrings? You should clean the pearl with a moistened cloth in order to make it shine again.

#4 Store your jewelry safely

Not wearing your jewelry? Stock them safely in a jewelry box or dust bag. Silver and gold plated jewelry is stocked preferably in an airtight plastic bag to prevent tarnishing. Make sure you never store your jewelry in the kitchen or bathroom. Due to the humidity, your jewelry could be damaged or lose their shine.

#5 Check, check, check

Prevention is better than cure. Regularly check whether you have damaged or missing claws on your rings, lost stones, see fractures in metals, notice scratches or small damages. Is the lock of your bracelet broken or is a claw around a diamond or gemstone damaged? Make sure you let your jeweler repair the issues, since a quick fix is cheaper than a new diamond to replace a lost one.

#6 Professional jewelry cleaning

If your jewels are hard to clean or if you aren’t able to fix the damage yourself, make sure you check in with your jeweler for a professional cleanse of your favorite pieces. A jeweler is able to thoroughly purge your bracelets, rings and necklaces or to repolish them. You’ll be amazed by the result and will enjoy your favorite jewelry even longer.