Jewelry Care : How to Keep Your Jewelry Looking Like New for Decades
That is, if your jewelry collection is made up of more than just the sight of shiny pieces but actually reflects your style, personality, and often, a serious financial investment. However, no matter how durable or high-quality your jewelry may be, the improper care will quickly dull its shine, reduce its value, and cause lasting damage. In fact, studies show that failure to clean and maintain jewelry regularly can cut its value by as much as 50%. Good news? Looking after your bits doesn’t have to be rocket science. Let’s break down how best to care for your jewelry, so it looks more stunning for years to come.
Understanding Your Jewelry
Your jewellery continually interacts with the environment, such as dust, dirt, oils from skin, and sometimes even chemicals from household items. Such things can cause dullness, tarnishing, and even destroy materials. From a gold bracelet to silver rings or earrings bejewelled with precious stones, every type of jewelry has its special care. Proper care not only maintains the beauty in your jewelry but also maintains its monetary worth.
- Precious Metals: Gold, silver, and platinum require gentle care. Avoid harsh chemicals and excessive moisture.
- Gemstones: Different gemstones have varying care needs. Soft gemstones like opal and turquoise require extra care.
- Pearls: Pearls are delicate and need special attention. Avoid contact with perfumes, hairspray, and acidic substances.
Best Practices for Daily Wear
Many people wear their jewelry daily without being aware of the impact their daily habits have on it. From showering to exercise, habits that at first seem trivial in themselves eventually add up and collectively impact the overall wear and tear.
- Avoid direct contact with water: Some metals will get increasingly dull, and stones will break loose over time from exposure to water. Remove jewelry before swimming, showering, or washing dishes.
- Do not engage in sports: Any type of exercise, playing sports, or doing high-intensity jobs leaves dents, scratches, or even destroys your jewelry.
- Do not expose chemicals: Products with you use daily such as perfumes, lotions, cleaning products tends to stain or damage. So wear jewelry after applying your beauty products.
- In the event that the stone loses its color, a dip in oil, such as baby oil, for the entire day will restore its brilliant shine.
Cleaning Your Jewelry at Home: Quick and Effective Techniques
You don’t need special equipment or inexpensive cleaners to maintain jewelry in your home. Most jewelries can shine like new with common household items.
- Gold Jewelry Soak in warm water mixed with mild dish soap for around 15 minutes. Use a soft brush for crevices and dry it on a soft cloth.
- Silver Jewelry: The biggest issue with silver is tarnish. Make a paste using baking soda and water, rub this gently onto the jewelry, rinse and dry.
- Gemstones: For those objects containing gemstones such as zircon, soak in warm water with mild soap; brush gently with a soft brush. Avoid strong chemicals, as they can damage the gems.
Proper Storage: Protect Your Investment
Improperly stored jewelry can scratch, tangle, or become tarnished.
- Store in a fabric-lined jewelry box: This will prevent your pieces from rubbing against one another, most likely causing scratches. More susceptible to scratching are softer metals.
- Store pieces separately: Put the rings, necklaces, and bracelets separately in pouches or compartments to avoid getting tangled or scratched.
- Avoid direct sunlight and heat: Direct sun rays or overheating might make the stones lighter and damage some of the metals used.
Keep Your Jewelry’s Value and Beauty Intact
Caring for your jewelry doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With just a few simple steps, you can keep your pieces looking new, preserve their value, and ensure they last for generations. Remember, jewelry is not only an aesthetic accessory but a financial investment—one that deserves proper care.
Can humidity damage my jewelry?
Humidity can be very destructive to silver and gold-plated jewelry. Any high moisture in the air speeds up the rate at which tarnishing occurs, dulls the metal, and corrodes faster. Hence, keep your jewelry in a dry, airtight container with anti-tarnish strips to absorb the excess moisture. Silica gel packs or storing jewelry in rooms with dehumidifiers would be a good idea for people living in hot and wet climatic regions.
How can I prevent my pearls from losing their luster?
Pearl-Wear the pearls only for special occasions. Avoid frequent contact with them. If you take care to avoid harsh chemicals, perfumes, or strong heats, your pearls will always maintain their luster. If you have worn them out, gently wipe them with a soft, damp cloth.
How does body chemistry affect jewelry longevity?
You sweat, and your skin has natural oils and pH, so it can cause the jewelry metals to tarnish and corrode quickly. People with more acidic skin might notice faster tarnish on their silver jewelry. Such tarnish can be minimized if the jewelry is removed before exercise, regularly cleaned, and kept at a bit of a distance by being over clothing so that it does not touch the skin.
Should I avoid wearing earrings or necklaces in the hospital?
Yes, earrings and necklaces can pose a safety risk within a clinical setting. Choking hazards come with dangling earrings since they have the opportunity to be caught in clothing or equipment, which can cause some injury. Necklaces, also known as long chains, can entangle and cause choking. Both are better avoided by removing all jewelry, or for patient care, stud earrings no larger than 4×4 millimeters can be worn.
Can mercury exposure permanently damage my jewelry?
Yes, mercury can permanently damage gold jewelry among other thing. The mercury makes an amalgam with the gold; the amalgam that is formed can alter the appearance of the metal and make it weak. Damage caused by mercury is very difficult to restore without a professional. In some cases, jewelry that has been damaged by mercury does not have much hope being restored.