Cleaning & Caring for Your Fine Jewelry
With the right care, fine jewelry can be worn every day & last forever. We have 6 important tips to clean and care for your fine jewelry and keep it beautiful for years to come...
- Safely store your jewelry
- Clean your jewelry regularly
- Avoid products & chemicals
- Wear metal rings & gemstone rings separately
- When in doubt, take it off
- Invest in jewelry insurance
Read below to learn the how to do each of these jewelry care tips!
1. Safely store your jewelry
Many of us are guilty of tossing our jewelry into piles, onto our nightstands or in decorative dishes. Even still, we are surprised when we notice scratches! Storing jewelry properly will minimize scratches, tangles & lost pieces.
Here are a few storage tips… Use the protective pouches or boxes that come with a new piece of jewelry to store it or travel with it. Invest in a good jewelry box to keep all of your jewelry in one organized place with individual sections for each piece. A smaller traveling jewelry box will also quickly become your favorite travel accessory for organizing your jewelry & keeping it safe when you’re on the move.
2. Clean your jewelry regularly
Our jewelry will collect oils, dirt, lotions, etc. as we wear it in our day to day. Just like everything else we wear, it’s important to keep it clean! We recommend a simple at-home cleaning cleaning process for your fine jewelry… Place your jewelry in a small bowl filled with warm water & a dash of mild dish soap. After letting it soak for a few minutes, use a soft-bristled toothbrush to scrub each piece. Carefully rinse each piece & let it dry. Finish by polishing your pieces with a microfiber cloth to really make them shine!
For a deeper cleaning, you can have your jewelry professionally cleaned at a local jeweler every 6+ months. They will use an ultrasonic cleaning, which is great for cleaning pieces made of solid metals & durable gemstones. Please use ultrasonic cleaning with caution, as it can pieces with soft stones like emeralds, pearls, or quartz.
3. Avoid products & chemicals
Precious metals will not tarnish, but they can be damaged. It’s important to be gentle with your solid gold & platinum pieces by avoiding interactions with products, cleaners & chemicals. We recommend keeping your jewelry separate from hairspray, lotions, perfumes, sunscreens, chlorine pools & cleaning sprays. These substances can build up in crevasses between gems & metals & can permanently damage porous gems like emeralds, turquoise and pearls.
4. Wear metal rings & gemstone rings separately
Metals will get mild scratches & dents with normal wear. Rings are at more of a risk of damage because they have the most contact with other things when we wear them. Many of us also wear multiple rings at once. There is a common mistake we need to avoid when wearing rings! When stacking rings, avoid contact between metal and gemstones. Diamonds, sapphires, rubies, etc. are stronger than gold & platinum, so they will scratch the metals when rubbing against them. Further, pressure on prongs holding gemstones can lead to prongs becoming loose over time. So be mindful of how you are storing & wearing your rings to avoid gemstones scratching metals!
5. When in doubt, take it off
Many daily activities have a risk of damaging fine jewelry or getting unwanted substances on it, such as swimming, cleaning, working out, and cooking. When doing these activities, it is best to err on the side of caution and place your fine jewelry in a safe place until you’re finished. Pro Tips - 1) Try to keep it in a designated location to not lose it & 2) avoid removing your jewelry over drains – it can fall in!
6. Invest in jewelry insurance
Insurance is important in so many areas of our lives, and jewelry insurance is no exception! Accidents, damage, loss, theft, etc. are all risks your fine jewelry faces. Caring for your jewelry also includes getting jewelry insurance to give you the peace of mind that you’re protected should misfortune strike. To insure your jewelry, you’ll need a detailed receipt of purchase for new pieces or an appraisal by a certified professional who can determine the value of your existing pieces. (Contact Madberet or a local jeweler for assistance with an appraisal). You can insure your jewelry with your existing insurance plan or with a jewelry-specific insurance company.
Fine jewelry is a beautiful form of style and self-expression that can be worn every day and last forever. Your fine jewelry is an investment that is worth taking the best care of to ensure that it stays beautiful for years to come! These jewelry tips are simple & easy steps to keep your jewelry shining.
Ready to make your next jewelry investment? Madberet’s fine jewelry collection has elegant, expertly crafted designs. We also offer custom design consultations for engagement rings, wedding bands, tennis bracelets & personal pieces. We are here to answer your jewelry questions & bring your jewelry dreams to life! Contact Madberet to inquire about the custom design process.