Top 5 tips for taking care of your jewelry
The right investment in gold jewelry always pays off both financially and emotionally: for sure, each piece in your personal collection has a separate story worth telling.
Things that are dear to your heart deserve careful handling: with proper care, they are guaranteed the status of family heirlooms, and your great-grandchildren – an impressive collection. So we will give you some advice on how to care for your luxury jewellery.
1.Know how to keep your jewelry
Jewelry can lose its attractive appearance even when we are not wearing them. For example, if you leave it on a windowsill, then direct sunlight can change the color of the stones or even discolor them. The bathroom is not the best place for jewelry: changes in humidity can play a cruel joke with the precious metal, and dark spots can appear on it. Accordingly, one of the main rules of the “happy life” of your jewelry is proper storage.
Ideally, store your favorite jewelry in a separate box, lined with soft fabric that absorbs moisture. The more compartments it contains for rings, earrings and bracelets, the better. The main rule: the contact of jewelry with each other should be minimal. Gold and silver, for example, tarnish when they interact, and diamond inserts leave tiny damage to other pieces. To avoid this, you can put accessories in small cloth bags or flocked cases (these can be purchased at any jewelry store).
The box should be stored in a dark, cool and dry place – for example, in a closet or dresser. Wipe down with a microfiber, flannel, or suede cloth before placing jewelry in it. This will help remove dirt and plaque.
The latter, as a rule, contain mini-collections: earrings are inserted into holes specially provided for this, rings are “strung” on a soft shelf, chains are broadcast and folded into pockets to avoid kinks and knots.
2.Keep away from water
Water is one of the main enemies of jewelry, causing corrosion and unsightly stains. Short-term contact with water will not spoil the accessory – we all get caught in the rain, and this most often does not affect the appearance of the jewelry in any way. But regular interaction, repeated from day to day, can lead to sad consequences – remember the saying about a stone that wears away with water.
Use the following life hack: place special plates or holders for rings near the sinks – this will remind you to remove jewelry before washing your hands or dishes. Plus, we often drop jewelry down the drain, and these stands are the best way to avoid this.
If you get caught in the rain, hide the jewelry in your purse, and when you come home, dry it immediately. Swimming is a separate topic: since chlorinated water has a detrimental effect on many materials, it must be especially avoided. Plus, as great as a swimsuit and necklace vacation photo is, jewelry doesn’t belong on the beach either. Sea water with a high salt content and bright sun are good friends of immunity, but not jewelry.
3.No cosmetics and household chemicals
Creams, lotions, hairsprays, perfumes and deodorants can significantly spoil the look of your jewelry pets. When they accumulate on the surface of stones and in the setting zones, they lead to stains, discoloration and damage to the metal due to oxidation. Beauty products containing alcohol are especially dangerous: they dissolve the coating and make the surface dull – as a result, the shine of gold fades, and the stones no longer play so brightly in the light. Therefore, jewelry should be put on after all the manipulations, when makeup is applied, the hairstyle is fixed, and the hand cream is well absorbed.
You should not clean your jewelry: household chemicals are destructive for any jewelry. Substances included in its composition can enter into a chemical reaction with stones and metal and either lighten them or leave dark spots on the surface. Before doing household chores, all rings must be removed – yes, even engagement and engagement rings. Many brides are afraid to part with their engagement ring even for a minute because of signs and superstitions, but this jewelry deserves to be taken care of. Did you know that diamonds literally attract fat? If you wash the dishes without first removing the diamond ring, the stone will become covered with a greasy film and stop shining.
4.Clean from dirt
Due to dust and dirt, jewelry can lose its splendor, therefore, at least once a month, you need to clean it using home or special jewelry (sprays, liquids, soaked in different compositions of napkins). But never use whiteners, toothpastes, abrasive cleaners or any products with small particles, chlorine or ammonia for cleaning – they can scratch the surface of the product.
Once a year, you should resort to professional care from a master. Jewelers clean a ring with a stone. They have a special ultrasonic bath in which they pour the ammonia solution and process the products. However, it should be borne in mind that this procedure is contraindicated for pearls, emeralds, turquoise, corals, jade and amber, since high-frequency vibrations can damage them. A qualified specialist will advise you on the best way to care for your jewelry. By the way, professional prophylaxis are also needed to check the reliability of the setting: the jeweler will be able to prevent stones from falling out.
5.Take off jewelry when exercising
Any rough mechanical impact can scratch or even deform the metal part of your jewelry, and cracks and chips will appear on the stones, so do not forget to remove it before training and other physical activities.
In addition, jewelry is not shown to be exposed to high temperatures: remove all chains, earrings, bracelets and rings when going to the bathhouse or solarium.
This is maybe the most popular way to take care of your jewelry. There are of course so many ways to do this, for instance, do this job for brands or masters who can clean your jewelry and repair every sketch on them or polish.