Whether it's our beloved heirloom pieces or the trendy baubles we love to wear for just one season, jewelry is a fun and versatile way to express one's personality. The jewelry we wear can also tell a lot about us from a classic strand of pearls to a bold cuff bracelet to sparkling, dangling earrings. Jewelry helps us define, adorn and celebrate everyday life as well as special occasions.
However, when it comes to fine jewelry, a little more care and maintenance is required than for inexpensive pieces. If treated carelessly, fine jewelry can lose its luster and value so careful cleaning and storage is always recommended to preserve the life of a jewelry collection. Just as important is also knowing what types of solutions or chemicals to avoid when cleaning fine jewelry.
Prevent Tarnish
Sterling silver, while beautiful, can tarnish over years of wear or neglect. Remember your grandmother's sterling silver tea set? With special care she was able to prevent tarnishing and keep the pieces gleaming for the next special occasion. Sterling silver jewelry needs the same attention as well. One way to help prevent tarnish is to wrap pieces in jeweler's tissue paper and place inside a plastic bag and seal for safe keeping. Because sterling silver is a soft metal, use caution when cleaning, as your grandmother did. Pieces can be easily scratched or marred by any rough treatment.
For pieces that are heavily soiled or tarnished, consider these guidelines:
Remove excess tarnish by polishing the piece with cloth of 100 percent cotton and a nonabrasive cleaner. If the jewelry contains any gemstones, make sure to remove remains of the cleanser and rinse well with clean water.
If soaking jewelry, use caution with any that contain soft stones such as pearls, amber, turquoise or lapis lazuli. Extended cleaning may harm the polish on the stone.
Remove fingerprints on sterling silver with the use of a mild liquid soap and warm water. Soak for a couple of minutes, rinse and dry completely. After letting the piece dry completely, store in an air-tight plastic bag.
Enemies of Your Fine Jewelry
There are products that just should be avoided altogether when trying to preserve the life of fine jewelry. Always remember to remove jewelry prior to entering a swimming pool or hot tubs. Bleach and chlorine can cause irreparable damage to gold and other metal alloys.
Other chemicals which can be harmful to jewelry include pure ammonia, acetone, turpentine and denatured alcohol. Chemicals such as these can cause pitting in softer gemstones or dull the vibrance of stones.
While it's important to use jeweler's cloths to keep jewelry clean and shiny, keep in mind that repeated use of a cloth on jewelry can cause scrapes and pits in the pieces due to the dirt left on the cloth from previous cleanings.
While toothpaste has long been recommended for cleaning jewelry, it is not an accepted practice by fine jewelers. Abrasives that have been designed for cleaning teeth can actually damage the surface of metal. In this case, the skill of a professional jeweler will be required to buff and refinish the piece to restore its brilliance. Toothpaste is also not recommended for the softer gemstones such as amber, lapis lazuli and turquoise. The polish on these and other stones has been produced by skilled jewelers and it can be permanently damaged with the use of toothpaste.
While ultrasonic cleaners are effective for cleaning some types of jewelry, it can be damaging for others. Avoid using one to clean any pieces containing pearls. There are other gemstones, such as tanzanite and emerald, which can also be damaged in an ultrasonic cleaner. Keep in mind that repeated use of this method can also cause settings to loosen.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
