Simple Tips to Protect your Jewelry Investment
For many of us, jewelry is a milestone marker for special times and a look into the jewelry box can be a mini trip back in time marking the major events in our life. As a child, many of us received our first real piece of jewelry when we chose to have simple gold studs or tiny birthstone earrings as our first pair of earrings. Later on, birthdays and graduations were marked with a traditional pieces such as a watch for men or a strand of classic pearls for females. After that, holiday gifts, birthdays and engagements became the main reasons for fine jewelry gifts. When you consider the powerful memories attached to those pieces it’s easy to see why it’s important to clean and store your jewelry in a way that will make the investment last forever.
Noe’s Jewelry recommends that all fine jewelry pieces are professionally cleaned twice a year and that they are checked by a jeweler at least once a year. During these check-ups, the jewelry experts at Noe’s Jewelry will check the piece for loose prongs, worn down mountings and damage caused through general wear and tear. In between cleanings, you can use a store-bought ultra-sonic jewelry cleaner machine to maintain the shine and brilliance of your jewelry, but it’s recommended that you have a jeweler check the machine first to make sure that it does not accidentally cause damage.
In between wearing, Noe’s Jewelry recommends storing your jewelry in a fabric-lined case or wrapped individually to prevent tangling and scratches. Just be aware that some soft metals such as sterling silver should only be stored in a pouch or polishing cloth made specifically for sterling silver pieces. Paper towels and tissue paper have the potential to cause tiny scratches in the metal.
Diamonds – Lotion, soap, natural oils and powder can dull the surface glow by inhibiting the flow of light through the stone. Clean the dulling residue with a commercial jewelry cleaner or dip the piece into a solution of water, a mild detergent and a couple drops of ammonia and rub the diamonds with a soft brush to remove the residue. It’s important to always remove diamonds before putting your hands into chlorine, bleach or other household cleaners.
Colored Gems – Depending on the gemstone, these stones can be more delicate so treat them with extra care. After wearing, clean colored stones using a soft, slightly damp cloth. This will help remove the natural skin oils that can dull the luster. It’s also a good rule to always put on jewelry last, after you have applied make-up, hair spray and perfume.
Gold and Platinum – Regular wearing can leave gold jewelry dull, but it can be easily removed with a simple solution of soap, water and a couple drops of ammonia. If you need to remove grease, dip the gold jewelry into rubbing alcohol. While platinum is the most durable jewelry available and is strongly resistant to tarnishing, platinum jewelry with stones is more vulnerable and should be cared for like gold jewelry.
If you’re in doubt about how to care for your fine jewelry, contact one of the jewelry experts at Noe’s Jewelry. To learn more, check out our Noes’s Jewelry care guide.