How To Care For Your Jewellery: 7 Tips
Princess cut diamond four claw engagement ring with a diamond band
Owning and loving a piece of treasured bespoke jewellery is one thing, but knowing how to care for your jewellery is another. Many of us buy, or gift, a stunning ring, a gorgeous bracelet, or a fabulous necklace with little thought of how to clean jewellery at home.
There are a number of genuine benefits to buying custom jewellery, not least being able to hand it down to future generations, but that means you need to know how to look after your pieces while they’re in your possession.
Luckily for you, here at Simon Wright, we’re the people to speak to when it comes to all things sparkly, and we’ve listed some helpful tips to let you know how to care for your jewellery without damaging either the gemstones or the metal.
How to care for your jewellery at home: 7 general tips
First of all, we’re going to take a look at some general pointers for caring for your jewellery on a day-to-day basis, and then we’ll advise you on how to clean your jewellery at home.
If you’re engaging in any kind of activity that could knock, scratch or otherwise damage your jewellery - particularly a ring - take it off and place it somewhere safe. Experience has shown us that weights at the gym, gardening, DIY and moving house (catching it on a door frame when carrying boxes) are the jewellery killers!
If there’s any chance your jewellery could come into contact with chemicals, such as those used for cleaning, remove it first. Chlorine is also a big no-no, so leave jewellery at home or in your locker if you’re going for a swim.
If you have managed to splash yourself with something harsh or potentially damaging, rinse your jewellery as quickly as possible in clean water.
Always apply perfumes and creams before you put jewellery on - and don’t be tempted to spritz a top-up of your scent onto your neck or around your ears if you’re wearing a necklace or earrings. This is particularly bad for pearls and other organic gems like turquoise.
Try to remember to remove your jewellery at bedtime. Chains can get tangled, claw settings can get caught on blankets, and we have even had customers scratch themselves in their sleep with their engagement rings.
When it comes to caring for your jewellery when you’re not wearing it, store pieces separately in a box with a soft lining. Ensure that items don’t rub or scratch one another and fasten chains so they don’t tangle.
How to clean jewellery at home: gemstones
Chances are you chose your coloured stone engagement ring for its lustrous hue and its sparkle. And it makes sense that you want to keep it looking as lovely as the day you (or your partner) popped it onto your finger.
And that means that you need to know how to look after your jewellery! Follow the guidance below and you should soon have your coloured stones looking as good as new.
For the majority of coloured gemstones, a simple solution of warm water with a couple of drops of washing up liquid will be more than adequate.
Use a toothbrush and don’t be shy. You can be quite aggressive, and make sure you get the bristles in behind stones to clean their backs.
Cheap ultrasonic cleaners can be bought online, and these are great. The rule of thumb for an apprentice jeweller is don’t put any green gemstones or any gemstone you can’t see through into an ultrasonic cleaner. Use the trusty old toothbrush instead!
Drying with a t-shirt is fine. You can get lint-free cloths marketed specifically for jewellery cleaning, but a t-shirt does just as good a job.
How to look after your jewellery: diamonds
Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, if you take Marilyn at her word. But are YOU your diamond engagement ring’s bestie too?! If you don’t know how to care for your jewellery you won’t be!
Diamonds might be tough, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t show them some love. Here’s how to do that:
Diamonds can scratch and damage other gemstones, including other diamonds, so store diamond jewellery separately in individual pouches or cases.
As with your coloured gemstone jewellery, use warm water and a few drops of washing up liquid, as this will help dissolve grease, which diamonds are prone to attract.
Again, a toothbrush is ideal for giving your diamond jewellery a thorough clean, after which you should dry it with a cloth.
Looking after your jewellery with Simon Wright
Knowing how to care for your jewellery by storing and cleaning it properly is essential to ensure it looks good and enjoys a long and beautiful life. One thing we would suggest if you are in any doubt whatsoever about looking after your jewellery, is to speak to us at Simon Wright.
We’re more than happy to advise you on the correct way to look after and clean your jewellery at home, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we’ll be delighted to help.
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