Jewelry Care Guide
As with any jewelry you should keep pearls, gemstones and precious metal in a well crafted jewelry box or jewelry pouch. Items should be separated to avoid scratching as well as contamination and tangling. Before caring your Jewel, two general things should not be ignored.
Choosing a Jewelry Box
A jewelry box should offer enough compartments to allow precious pieces to be stored individually. The box should also contain a soft lining which will prevent scratching. Choose a jewelry box which is rigid and capable of protecting your jewelry should it be bumped or knocked. If you wish to secure your jewelry you may also consider purchasing a box with a lock and key. The box should allow you to hang chains which will help prevent kinks and knots.
The Right Spot
Jewelry needs to be kept in a dry location with low humidity. Humid and damp conditions will cause tarnish in silver and problems with other precious metals. Also consider the security and accessibility of the location you choose.
How to store gold and silver jewelry
Your two main priorities when storing your gold and silver are to avoid tarnishing/dulling and avoid scratching. To avoid tarnishing you will need to reduce the amount of moisture in the air. Store each piece of jewelry in a separate cotton or jewelry bag. The bag needs to be able to breathe, if the bag is air tight it may sweat which will cause tarnish. Good quality Jewelry bags are usually treated with chemicals that reduce tarnish. A good quality jewelry bag will save you a lot of trouble in the long run. The pieces should be stored individually, if stored together the pieces will scratch each other. If available place a moisture absorbing product inside your jewelry box. White chalk, charcoal or silica gel will absorb the moisture which causes tarnish.
How to store diamonds
Diamonds are the hardest gemstone in the world. They are perfect for scratching other types of jewelry so once again keep the jewelry store in individual compartments. Diamonds are usually set in either silver or gold so you simply need to follow the instructions above.
How to store Pearls
Pearls are extremely soft and will scratch quite easily and so it is important to store your pearls in a soft bag free of dust or anything which may scratch your pearls. Remember to restring your pearls regularly, particularly if you wear and clean them frequently.
How to store gemstones
Softer gemstones scratch easily, other types of gemstones crack and certain gemstones can also be damaged changes in heat. Store your gemstones in individual bags and keep them in an area with relatively stable temperatures. Certain porous gemstones like Emerald should not become too dry or they may in fact crack. For this reason these gemstones should be re-oiled every year or so depending upon your climate.
At last, I would like to give you a rough guideline to prolong the life of your Jewelry
* Apply makeup and perfume before putting on your jewelry. The chemicals will damage sensitive gemstones (like pearls) and tarnish metals like silver.
* Remove jewelry when cleaning. Ammonia, detergents and other household chemicals will damage jewelry.
* Do not shower with your jewelry on for the same reasons as the above point. In addition to damage from chemicals any jewelry which falls off (soap will loosen rings) you will lose your jewelry to the plug hole.
* Do not swim at the beach or swimming pool with jewelry on. Chlorine and salt will damage your gemstones and metals.
* Gold and silver are soft metals and will bend easily. Avoid doing anything strenuous with gold and silver jewelry on.rub the pearl dry with your cloth. When cleaning pearls you really need to avoid any form of abrasion. Use only soft cotton or jewelry cloth and gentle soaps.
Gemstones Jewel Cleaning
The majority of gemstones are best cleaned using the same method as Pearls. You may also use a soft tooth brush on hard gemstones to gently scrub away additional grime. You should avoid soaking porous (softer opaque) gemstones instead just wet another cotton or jewelry cloth and clean the gemstone. It’s important to dry the gemstone completely to remove any remaining chemicals from the cleaning process. Ultrasonic cleaners will work well for harder gemstones but may cause cracking on softer gemstones, for this reason we suggest taking your jewelry to a professional for heavier cleaning.
Learning about the knowledge of Jewel cleaning is not enough to keep your Jewel and expand their life. There are still something need to pay attention in the process of cleaning. Things to avoid when cleaning are below.
* Many metals and softer gemstones can be easily damaged by abrasive chemicals in certain cleaners. This is why it is always best to start your cleaning with relatively gentle methods before tackling any remaining grime and tarnish.
* Do not clean your jewelry over a sink or you may find yourself frantically sourcing a plumber.
* Rough cloths may scratch metals and softer stones, use soft lint free cloths only.
* Do not under any circumstances use harsh chemicals on gemstones which are porous. Porous stones will absorb the chemicals and damage your stones. Porous gemstones are opaque gemstones like Pearls, Turquoise and Opals.
* Cleaning expensive vintage jewelry is probably a job best left to the professionals.
* Do not use pins, tweezers or other sharp objects to remove small particles of grime, otherwise you will only scratch the metal setting of your jewelry.
When jewelry should be professionally cleaned
Antique or delicate jewelry should nearly always be cleaned by a professional jeweler. Certain metals will naturally change color over time and so your antique jewelry may not be as dirty as you think. Silvers in particular tend to become slightly darker over time. This is not always tarnish which requires cleaning. Professional jewelry cleaning is often complimentary and if not is very inexpensive. A professional jeweler will also inspect and repair any loose settings which may cause problems down the track. Professional jewelers also have access and knowledge of a wide range of dedicated and specialized cleaning methods and chemicals which are much more effective than the methods described above.
info credit: http://www.doristore.com/cms/JewelrySchool/content103.html
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