Gold, diamonds and precious pieces deserve to be looked after. From wedding rings to special stud earrings, looking after your jewels keeps them looking beautiful for longer. Below, we’ve explained more about caring for your jewellery and how to get it right.
Why is jewellery care important?
Jewellery can be immensely sentimental, but it’s often a valuable investment too. No matter how or why you cherish yours, proper care will ensure that it looks at its best for longer.
Just a few of the benefits of looking after your jewellery include:
- Preserved appearance: Metals like silver can oxides or lose their colour in time, so regular cleaning and maintenance will help your favourite pieces to keep their shine for longer.
- Reduced corrosion: Cleaning keeps dirt and debris at bay, which in turn helps your jewellery look and feel newer and cleaner against your skin. This reduces the risk of contact dermatitis and other reactions.
- Protection: Many materials and gemstones can fade when they’re exposed to sunlight or harsh conditions. Likewise, gold can be damaged by chlorine in swimming pools and spas.
- Longevity: The best jewellery can be passed down through the family. Looking after yours will keep it looking new for longer and protect the materials against the effects of aging.
How to look after your jewellery: By type
Gold
For gold jewellery, we recommend gentle, regular cleaning.
Use a mild soap solution and a soft, clean cloth, rubbing gently in circular motions around the details and shape of your piece. Make sure to dry it with a lint-free cloth afterwards to polish it gently without scratching it.
When you’re not wearing it, it’s worth storing your gold jewellery in a specialist fabric-lined box or pouch to prevent damage. Timeless and glamorous, gold jewellery makes a stylish choice for any occasion.
Silver
Silver boasts timeless and elegant shine, but every wearer knows that it needs some TLC. The main risk with this metal is tarnishing, a gradual chemical process that occurs when silver reacts with gases in the air. This removes the sheer shine and often adds a dull, greenish tinge.
To reduce the risk of tarnished silver jewellery, you should clean your pieces with a silver polishing cloth and mild cleaner. When you’re not wearing it, it’s worth storing your silver jewellery in airtight packaging away from other jewellery too.
Gemstones
Finally, jewellery with precious stones needs to be looked after properly. From diamonds to opals, you should separate the pieces by stone type and make sure you know how to look after each one.
Hard gems like diamonds won’t demand too much attention, but it’s still worth cleaning them regularly. Asking your local professional jeweller to inspect your diamonds once a year could help to identify subtle signs of damage or wear.
Likewise, pay attention to the condition and cleanliness of your other gemstones too. From rubies to sapphires, you might need a magnifying glass to cover the details – but your efforts will be worthwhile.
When you preserve the sparkle that your jewellery had out the box, you can feel proud to wear it. With the right care and maintenance, your jewellery collection will reflect your love and attention.
Additional Jewelry Care Tips
Wear Jewelry Less During Certain Activities
Remove jewelry while exercising, swimming, or cleaning. Metals and stones lose shine and durability from sweat, chlorine, and strong cleaners. Opals may break under pressure or significant temperature fluctuations, whereas gold and silver scrape easily.
Get Professional Cleaning
Home cleaning is necessary, but professional jewellers clean jewelry deeper and safer. Professionals can restore the brightness of your favorite items using specialized techniques and understanding of delicate jewels and complicated patterns.