How to take care of your jewelry
When you have an amazing necklace that’s been passed down for generations, when your partner spent months picking out the perfect ring to put on your finger, when you’ve spent a lot of time and money picking out the perfect pieces, you start to treasure the jewelry in your jewelry box.
But when it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter whether you have the most perfect diamond, pearl, gold, etc. or not – if you don’t take proper care of your jewelry, it will never look as great as it should.
We’ve got a few tips.
Keep it away from water
We all know people who wear their favorite piece of jewelry all the time – in the shower, in the pool, to the beach. But the water often contains chemicals that cause serious damage to your jewelry. In the shower, that could be your shampoos or soaps. In a pool, the chlorine could corrode the metal. If your jewelry does come in contact with anything damaging, immediately rinse it in clear water.
Know when to take it off
Whenever you’re doing any activity that may cause you to scratch, bump or hit your jewelry, it’s best to take it off. That includes any strenuous physical activity – anything from going to the gym to moving to a new home.
Be sure to take your jewelry off before bed as well to keep from scratching, bending or losing it in your sleep. Instead, keep everything safely tucked away in a jewelry box on your nightstand.
Fragrance first
Make sure to apply any fragrance – like perfumes and lotions – before putting on your jewelry. Many metals and gems react badly to the acids in those products. The same goes for using cleaning products while wearing jewelry.
Have it checked out
When you have jewelry you really love, keep up with its care by having it checked out by your local jeweler every once in a while. They’ll be able to look for stones that are loose in their settings, missing or damaged claws, strains or breaks in the metal, loose clasps, creaky hinges, worn colors – even make sure it still fits and make any adjustments as needed.
Store your pieces separately
To be sure your necklaces and bracelets don’t become tangled beyond repair, always place each piece down flat and separately when you take them off. Jewelry boxes with separate containers or individual cloth pouches are great options.
Clean regularly
A simple jewelry cleaner can turn even the most lackluster piece into something just as shining as the day you bought it. If you’re planning to clean your jeweler yourself, be sure to do your homework first. All gems and metals have different properties, which means they’ll react differently to products. What works for your pearls won’t necessarily work for your sapphires, so be sure to read the labels carefully before you apply any products.
Apply all cleaning products with a soft or extra soft towel as opposed to a hard or rigid brush to keep from accidentally scratching your jewelry in the process.
Not only does it only take a few moments, but you can also bring it to your jeweler to be cleaned (for free!).