Jewelry Care
General Jewelry Care
Wait until you’ve applied your make-up, perfume and hairspray before putting on
your jewelry. Remove your jewelry before doing any household work. Never wear pearl
earrings or necklaces when getting hair color. Store your jewelry in non-leather
pouches, boxes or zip lock bags. Make sure they are wrapped individually (in tissue
or cloth) to avoid scratching.
Cleaning Gold and Platinum
Before cleaning your jewelry, examine it carefully to make sure that all settings,
clasps, and prongs are secure. Use either a nonabrasive jewelry cleaner, which you
can purchase at a local jewelry store, or a cleaning solution of mild dish soap
and warm water. Dip the jewelry in the cleaner or cleaning solution. Use a soft
toothbrush to gently loosen any dirt. Rinse in warm running water and buff dry with
a soft, lint free cloth until it is shiny.
Cleaning Stones
To clean most stones, soak them in warm soapy water. Warm soapy water should not
be used for the following: chalcedony, onyx, turquoise, coral. Do not use jewelry
cleaner on pearls or porous stones such as lapis lazuli, coral or turquoise. Emerald
is a fragile, brittle stone that needs to be handled with special care. Wipe them
clean with a soft damp cloth or have them cleaned professionally. Consult a jeweler
when in doubt about a particular stone. It is recommended that you get your jewelry
professionally cleaned periodically and have pearls restrung every few years, especially
if you wear them often.
Cleaning Doublets
Doublets should be cleaned carefully with clear detergent, a toothbrush and warm
water. These stones should not be exposed to heat, harsh detergents, ammonia based
cleaners, oils or cleaners containing alcohol. They should not be worn while in
the shower, immersing hands in hot water, or working with commercial cleaning compounds.
They should not be steam cleaned or submerged in water.
Cleaning and Caring for Sterling Silver
Avoid exposing sterling silver to harsh chemicals such as chlorine, cosmetics, hair
spray, and perfume. When cleaning sterling silver, use a phosphate-free detergent
or low abrasive cleaner designed for cleaning silver. You can wash your jewelry
periodically with mild dish soap and warm water. Make sure to rinse well and dry
completely with a soft cloth before storing. Use silver polish to restore the finish
and protect sterling silver from tarnishing. Store sterling silver jewelry in tarnish
prevention cloths or bags that are treated to slow down the tarnishing process.
It is also important to separate jewelry when being stored to avoid scratching.
If you are not going to wear the piece for a long time, use small zip lock bags
to keep it sealed and dry. Do not store the silver jewelry directly in contact with
wood surfaces as wood may contain acids that can damage the finish.
General Jewelry Care
Wait until you’ve applied your make-up, perfume and hairspray before putting on
your jewelry. Remove your jewelry before doing any household work. Never wear pearl
earrings or necklaces when getting hair color. Store your jewelry in non-leather
pouches, boxes or zip lock bags. Make sure they are wrapped individually (in tissue
or cloth) to avoid scratching.