Top 5 Tips to Care for Your Jewellery

Protect your precious pieces and ensure that your jewellery stays in its best condition, as we share our top 5 tips to care for your jewellery.

Cleaning

Take care when cleaning your jewellery and make sure to avoid using any harsh detergents or abrasive cloths. It’s also a good idea to take preventative measures to ensure that loose stones don’t end up down the sink drain. Most coloured gems can be cleaned with a combination of warm water, mild soap and a soft brush or lint free cloth. Soft gems that can be easily scratched, like pearls should be cleaned using an unused makeup brush and warm soapy water and laid out on a towel to dry. Avoid touching a string of pearls until they have dried completely as wet string can stretch!

Storage

A good way to ensure that your jewellery stays in good condition is to invest in suitable jewellery storage. Jewellery that has been haphazardly stored can be ruined with scratches, gem fractures and tangles. Look for jewellery boxes that have separate padded compartments for rings and posts for hanging necklaces and bracelets. To preserve your sterling silver, keep your pieces in an anti-tarnish bag or cloth. For rings containing precious gems, like engagement rings, it’s best to keep them in storage box that they came in away from other pieces. Pearls and opals should always be stored in a dry area as they draw moisture from the air.

Check-ups

For expensive pieces of jewellery, it’s a good idea to get a regular check up from a professionally qualified jeweller who can assess the gems and settings and make any necessary repairs. It’s best to visit either the jeweller who created or sold the piece to you or a reputable accredited jeweller.  Many jewellers also offer professional cleaning services which are a great option for an important event or if you are unsure how to clean a particular piece of jewellery.

Travelling

Invest in a good quality fabric or leather travel jewellery case that not only protects your jewellery, but can easily be rolled up to a size that’s easy to store in your suitcase or carryon. A jewellery travel case prevents your jewellery from being damaged or entangled during transit and also protects any  delicate clothing in your suitcase that could otherwise be snagged by loose jewellery.

Things To Avoid

Excessive heat, sudden temperature changes and exposure to chemicals can all damage and discolour gems and precious metals. Always remove any jewellery before swimming (especially in a chlorinated swimming pool), cleaning, applying any cosmetics, hairspray, perfumes or lotions. While diamonds are quite hardy, coloured gems, along with pearls and precious metals like gold, silver and platinum, are all susceptible to damage.