How to care for your jewellery

For many people, jewelry holds significant sentimental value and is frequently an investment. To ensure that your jewelry continues to look its best for many years to come, it is crucial to take care of it. Use this advice to confidently take care of your jewelry, whether you're cleaning a gold bracelet, a diamond engagement ring, or a priceless pearl necklace.

General care

Jewelry should be frequently inspected by a professional for wear or damage. Take it to your local NBJ member if you are worried about the state of your jewelry. They will be really proud to assist you in maintaining the original appearance of yours. The following advice will help you maintain it in excellent condition.

• Take your jewellery off if you're involved in any activity which could scratch, knock or damage it. If in any doubt, take it off and keep it safe.

• Take it off when you go to bed.

• Keep it well away from chemicals, especially chlorine. If it does come into contact with chemicals, rinse it in water immediately.

• Bathe and apply any lotions or perfumes before you put your jewellery on. Organic gemstones like pearls and opals are particularly vulnerable to acids, even perspiration.

• Store it separately, ideally in a soft-lined box or case, so that your favourite pieces don't tangle, rub or scratch one another. Pearls in particular should be kept separately as they are easily scratched by hard gemstones.

• Make sure chains and necklaces are fastened when storing to avoid tangling.

• Remove jewellery while cooking, cleaning and washing up.

• When storing jewellery, please keep it away from sunlight, excessive heat or damp conditions.

Gemstone jewelry cleaning tips

Because people purchase gemstones for their color and sparkle, it's critical to maintain their best appearance. It's crucial to understand the kind of diamond you're cleaning and how to restore its original appearance.

To improve their beauty, several colored gemstones have undergone treatment. Certain cleaning chemicals may react poorly with these treatments, causing harm to the jewelry. Take your jewelry to a jeweler for help if you're unsure.

Despite their robust appearance, many gemstones can be affected by heat. Avoid using hot or boiling water for cleaning; instead, use warm water. If extensively cleaned, inclusions within gemstones may impair their structure. 

A gentle brush and a few drops of dish soap will be more than sufficient for cleaning almost all colored gemstones with warm water. Steer clear of stiff, rough brushes. Because of its size and versatility, a toothbrush is typically a great instrument. It's crucial to purchase a toothbrush that is labeled as soft or extra-soft.

Because malachite is extremely sensitive to heat, hot water might harm the gemstone. Therefore, while cleaning it, use cool water.

Diamond jewelry cleaning tips

Despite being the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth, diamonds require care and attention. They are hard, but they can still fracture and be scratched by other diamonds due to their directional hardness. Oil deposits from fingers and general dust and grime can quickly adhere to the diamond surface and affect a diamond's brilliance.

Handle the diamond carefully and store it away from other jewellery to avoid scratching the other pieces, including other diamond jewellery. Keeping the diamond in individual small plastic bags or a fabric-lined case will help reduce damage, wear and a build-up of dirt.

Clean the diamond regularly. Soak in warm water with a degreasing solution (a couple of drops of washing-up liquid will suffice). Gently brush with a soft, clean toothbrush before drying with a lint-free cloth. Be extra careful with the stone's setting as this may be fragile. Avoid using bleaches or other hard abrasives. This can easily damage the precious metal in which the diamond is mounted.

Cleaning organic gems tips

Mineral gemstones like sapphires and diamonds have distinct chemical compositions than organic jewels like pearls and opals. As a result, they also need other forms of care. Since most organic gems are softer than mineral jewels, improper treatment can cause scratches and other damage. They are susceptible to acids and other chemicals present in cleaning products because of their chemical composition. This short tutorial should help you protect your amber, opal, and peal jewelry.

How to clean pearl, coral and amber jewellery:

Keep the jewels out of the water. Instead, lightly rub each stone separately after wetting a delicate cloth with warm water. The string may stretch or get damaged if the stones are pulled through the fabric. A gentle brush should be able to gently remove any tenacious dirt that may still be present on some of the gemstones. Proceed with caution and gentleness.

Use a cloth free of lint to dry the jewels. Discoloration may result from too much moisture accumulating in the drill holes and near the knots. This should be eliminated with a forceful blow to the breath or a cloth daub. A hair dryer will harm the stones, so avoid using it to eliminate moisture.

Never clean with steam, boiling or ultrasonic tools as these will irreversibly damage the gems.

Gold jewelry cleaning tips

A gold piece of jewelry quickly loses its luster. A regular accumulation of grime and fingerprints may soon dull even the most brilliant gold. Fortunately, we can help you restore its shine with these tips.

When cleaning gold jewelry that contains pearls or gemstones, please take additional care. For information on how to properly clean each gem without damaging the jewelry, see the other sections of the guide.

A cleaning solution designed exclusively for jewellery is a safe option, but make sure any solution is intended for the correct precious metal or gemstone. If in doubt, it is best to stick to using the following steps:

• Add a few drops of washing-up liquid (or other mild degreasing solution) to a lukewarm bowl of water. Extreme temperature changes may damage the jewellery, so avoid hot or ice-cold water.

• Soak the jewellery for ten minutes to loosen any build-up of dirt.

• Gently clean with a soft-bristled brush such as an unused toothbrush.

• Make sure to clean the whole piece of jewellery and get into hard to reach places while being extra careful when cleaning fragile parts of the jewellery (for example, at a stone's setting).

• Rinse thoroughly in clean water to remove soap residue and any other remnants of dirt.

• Dry gently with a lint-free cloth or leave on a cloth to air dry.

Gold is a very soft metal that is susceptible to scratching. Remember this fact during the cleaning and drying process and be as gentle as possible.