Studded Gold Jewellery care
Care Store your jewellery in a clean, dry place out of direct sources of heat and light. Keep your jewellery in a fabric lined jewellery case or in a box with compartments and dividers.
Jewellery pieces can scratch and damage each other if not kept in separate compartments or wrapped separately. Store you jewellery in small pouches to prevent scratching.
See your jeweller at least once a year to have your jewellery checked for loose prongs, worn mountings, and general wear and tear, and to have it professionally cleaned.
Diamond Care
Even though diamonds are the hardest substance known, diamonds can chip if you hit your them against a hard surface. Remove your diamond jewellery before engaging in any sports or swimming activities.
Chlorine is harmful to the settings, as well as your diamond. Diamonds can get smudged and soiled. Hand lotions, powders, soaps, natural oils, and perfume can put a film on diamonds and reduce their brilliance. Try wearing rubber gloves while doing household chores to protect your hands as well as your diamond jewellery.
You can easily clean your diamonds at home by using a commercial jewellery cleaner, or you can make your own by mixing water and a very mild detergent. Dip the jewellery into the solution and using a very soft brush remove any dirt or grime from around the stones and under the settings. Dry by using a soft cloth.
Gemstones care
There are many different coloured gemstones - some require specific care and cleaning procedures. Here are
some
general care and cleaning rules which apply to allcoloured gemstone jewellery.
A. Many natural gemstones are treated or enhanced by one or more traditionally accepted practices. These treatments affect how you should clean and care for your coloured gemstone jewellery.
B. After wearing, wipe your gemstone jewellery thoroughly with a clean, soft, slightly damp cloth. This will enhance the gemstone's luster and ensure that your jewellery is clean before storage.
C. Store gemstone pieces individually in soft pouches.
D. Do not expose your precious gemstone pieces to salt water or harsh chemicals such as chlorine or detergents. These chemicals may slowly erode the finish and polish of gemstones. Hair spray and perfume cause jewellery to become dull.
E. Apply all cosmetics, perfumes and colognes before putting on coloured gemstone jewellery.
F. Sudden temperature changes can cause some gemstones to crack.
G. If you lead an active lifestyle, take extra precautions with some types of gemstone jewellery. Emeralds and opals, for example, are brittle and should not be worn when doing household chores.
I. Some gemstones can be damaged by ultrasonic cleaners, particularly organic gemstones such as amber, coral, pearls, and also opals.
Karat Gold Jewellery care
Remove all gold jewellery before showering or cleaning. Soap can cause a film to form on karat gold jewellery, making it appear dull and dingy. To clean your jewellery at home, commercialcleaners available.
A treated jewellery cloth is an inexpensive method of keeping your jewellery shiny and clean. An ultrasonic cleaner would be appropriate for gold pieces that do not contain coloured gemstones. See Cleaning your Jewellery.
Be very careful with chlorine. Chlorine, especially at high temperatures, can permanently damage or discolour your gold jewellery. Do not wear gold jewellery while using chlorine bleach or while in a pool or hot tub.
Silver Jewellery Care
Sterling
silver will slowly tarnish when exposed to air. Properly maintained silver
jewellery can improve with age and develop a lovely patina. Most people
prefer their silver jewellery to be bright and shiny. See Cleaning your
Jewellery. Store your silver in a cool, dry place. Store pieces individually so that they don't rub together and scratch. Cloth pouches and tarnish preventative strips with plastic ziploc bags are recommended.
Do not rub silver with anything other than a polishing cloth or a soft lint-free cloth. Do not use tissue paper or paper towels, because these can cause scratches. Do not wear sterling silver in chlorinated water or when working with household chemicals.
Pearl Care
Pearls
are precious jewels and should be treated as such. Always apply cosmetics,
hair sprays and perfume before putting on pearl jewellery. Upon removal
of the jewellery, wipe it carefully with a soft cloth to remove any traces
of these substances. You can wash your pearl jewellery with mild soap and water or you can use a mild commercial solution. Do not clean pearls with chemicals, abrasives or solvents. These substances can damage your pearls. Place pearl jewellery in a cloth pouch or wrap them in tissue when putting them away. Cosmetics, perfume, oils and ordinary wear weaken and stretch the strings on which pearls are strung.
Bring your pearls back to your jeweler for re-stringing at least once a year. Pearls are traditionally strung with a knot between each pearl which helps to prevent loss of pearls if the string should break.