If you’re going to spend your hard earned money on jewelry, it’s imperative that you know how to take care of it to ensure that it last and keeps its shine throughout the years.
Even the highest quality of jewelry requires special care in order to keep its look.
Whether the jewelry you own is mostly custom pieces or you have an extensive collection, knowing how to care for your most precious treasures is important. From proper storage to a quick, gentler cleaning, taking care of your jewelry will help you get the most out of your collection. Plus, proper maintenance can prevent your jewelry from depreciating in value should you choose to sell it.
Here are some tips on how to properly care for your jewelry.
When to Remove Your Jewelry
Jewelry is delicate, no matter what materials are involved. If you are working with chemicals and/or abrasives and have jewelry on your hands, you should always remove them first. Take off your jewelry before any of the following:
- Playing any sports
- Working outside
- Cleaning your home
- Swimming in chlorine treated water
Put Your Jewelry on Last
If you’re getting dressed in the morning or getting ready for a night out on the town, it’s tempting to put your jewelry on first. However, it’s better to wait until you’re ready to head out the door. Why? Because chemicals from perfume, hair products, and makeup can damage your jewelry.
Avoid Putting on Lotion When Wearing Jewelry
Lotion seems like a harmless product since it’s helping restore moisture in your skin, but lotion can actually damage the finish on custom jewelry pieces.
Store Each Jewelry Piece Individually
Damage to your jewelry can happen no matter how careful you are. Pieces can knock together and cause a diamond to fall out and chains can become tangled. The most vulnerable materials are pearls, gemstones, plastic, wood, etc. That is why storing your pieces individually makes it easier to avoid situations like that.
Always Travel With a Jewelry Case
While knowing how to properly store your jewelry is important, it’s also essential to travel with a jewelry case. Just throwing your jewelry in a toiletry bag or inside your suitcase can cause unnecessary damage to your prized pieces.
With a jewelry case made specifically for your jewelry, you can store it safely while traveling.
Regularly Check Your Pieces
Before you put on one of your pieces of jewelry, always inspect it.
Is the clasp secure? Are the stones solidly set in place? Does the item have tarnish or other finish issues? Are there scratches or damages to other areas? Is the item dirty?
These are questions that you should be asking yourself.
Learn About Your Jewelry Before Cleaning
Before you clean any of your jewelry items, it’s essential to know about the materials and how to clean them properly. Examine your jewelry for more information about the materials.
Not all materials can be cleaned the same way, so it’s imperative that you know what kind of materials you are dealing with and the best way to clean them to avoid damaging your pieces.
Always make note of the gems or any other materials when you make a new purchase.
Make Yourself a Jewelry Care Kit
When making yourself a jewelry care kit, it helps to have all your items in one place. You can create a simple jewelry kit by using a small storage container and some household applies, like Q-tips for polishing hard-to-reach spots and tweezers for removing any lint.
Give Your Jewelry Enough Time to Dry
Cleaning your jewelry and then wiping it off with a soft chamois cloth sounds easy, but there’s more to it than that.
Small amounts of moisture can be left over from cleaning and cause damage to your jewelry. Wait at least an hour after cleaning your jewelry before putting in back in your jewelry box. That will give your piece enough time to fully dry.
Know When It’s Time to Call on A Professional
Cleaning and minor repairs are something most people can accomplish at home; however, there are some repairs that are best left to professional jewelers. That’s where we come in.
Have your jewelry repaired professionally in-house at Aaland Diamond. We repair and restore all types of jewelry, including items purchased from another store. Call 219-240-0224 to schedule an appointment.
