Jewelry is often an investment and our most beautiful possession. For many people, they can also hold great sentimental value. It is therefore important to take care of your jewellery to make sure they look its best for decades to come, especially precious metals such as silver and gold, which are regularly the victim of scratches and damage.
Luckily looking after your jewellery doesn’t require a huge effort. Here are our 4 top jewellery care tips to keep your precious pieces lasting a lifetime.
1. Store Your Jewellery In A Safe Place When Unworn
It goes without saying that in order to prevent your jewellery from getting lost or damaged, it needs to be kept in a safe place, such as a jewellery box or dust bag. If you have the space, you could even get creative and make a jewellery drawer, which not only keeps your jewellery safe and secure but also allows you to view all of your pieces at once in an open space.
Make sure to never store your jewellery in the kitchen or bathroom, as the humidity can damage them or make them lose their shine.
2. Handle them with care
Another obvious (but crucial) tip is to respect the preciousness of your jewellery. Jewels are delicate and luxurious items and must be handled with care at all times.
Remove your jewellery if you are involved in any activity which could damage your jewellery, such as sports, climbing, lifting weights, or any other sports which could risk scratches. It’s also a good idea to remove your jewellery if carrying out household chores, such as gardening or cleaning. Yet if so, pop on some gloves to protect rings and bracelets, as detergent, chlorine, and cleaning products could cause damage (which brings us to our next point).
3. Avoid contact with chemicals
As mentioned above, harsh chemicals such as cleaning products, lotions, cosmetics, etc. can react with your jewellery and seriously affect how they look. We recommend removing your jewellery prior to using these chemicals. Even salt (aka sodium chloride) should be avoided (for example, in the ocean).
4. Clean them regularly
Now, however well may you look after your jewellery, they will still require regular cleaning to ensure they stay looking their sparkly best. Naturally, the oils we produce from our skin alongside general outdoor grime will make our jewellery dirty and can dull the items down. How often you clean your jewellery is ultimately down to how often you wear it.
What solution should I use to clean my jewellery?
The cleaning solution isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation when it comes to cleaning your jewellery, as every jewel will need its own specific treatment.
Silver is at risk of tarnishing over time, resulting in dull, discoloured jewellery, but with the correct cleaning process, it can be easily removed.
Gold jewellery can also dull quickly from dirt, Rinse well and leave to air dry on a clean cloth. Avoid using a paper towel as these can scratch the surface.
If your jewellery consists of diamonds, it’s important to know that dust and oil can quickly cling to the diamond and affect its shine. For pearls, all you need to do is wipe the jewellery with a moistened cloth to bring its shine back.
Looking after Your Watch
Watches are built to last, but like any other luxurious piece of jewelry, they must be taken care of. Just like you would with your car, a watch needs professional servicing, so follow the manufacturer’s advice on when to get this done – typically every 2-3 years.
When at home and on the move, it is important that you keep your watch in a safe place when unworn, such as a watch case or watch winder (for automatic watches), away from heat or direct sunlight. Some people like to use watch boxes for storing their watches, but taking and putting your watch back most frequently could damage the box.
Regular cleaning is also needed, as dirt can not only dull a watch but can also damage it by wearing down the links and blocking the dial and crowns.
