Jewelry Care

Diamond Care:

Diamonds can be brittle. If you hit a diamond really hard, it can crack or chip. Don't wear your diamond when doing rough work.

Store diamonds separately. When stored with other jewelry, diamonds may scratch other jewelry or each other.

The best method for cleaning is a jeweler's polishing cloth. Most jewelers will clean your diamond ring for free if you are making another purchase in the store.

Pearl Care:

Avoid wearing pearls when they are wet because the silk threads holding the pearls together become weak; lay them out for 24 hours to allow the silk to dry.

When dressing put the pearls on last. Hairspray, makeup and perfume can damage the nacre of the pearl thus eating away the luster.

Pearls worn often should be restrung yearly because wearing can weaken the silk.

Newly re-strung pearls may not lay flat. To straighten out hang your pearls on a door knob overnight.

Antique Jewelry Care:

Antique jewelry will last many years if proper care is taken. Please see your jeweler and have it checked and cleaned every six months especially if it is worn every day. If you feel a rough spot on a prong of a ring, take it off immediately and get it checked.

With chains and pendants check the jump rings and bales at the top of both as well as the clasps for worn areas. If you find a worn spot take it to your jeweler to be checked. These small repairs will insure safe wearing and less likelihood of accidental loss.

Take your jewelry off before you go swimming! This cannot be stressed enough. There is a new bromide for keeping the pool water clean and this chemical eats the solder that holds many rings together.

Silver Jewelry Care:

Silver can achieve a great polish and does not tarnish in its pure form. Most silver jewelry is silver combined with other alloys. This makes it more suitable for general jewelry use.

Some tips to remember when caring for silver jewelry include: silver is scratch-resistant but not scratch-proof, silver jewelry care can benefit from special silver jewelry cleaning solutions so check with your jeweler about these, prevent your silver from being exposed to direct air and light contact, avoid placing silver in chlorine-containing materials, be selective in what you use to clean your silver. Felt works well, as do special cleansing cloths designed for silver cleaning. Other materials, including tissue, should be avoided. Ask your jeweler for more information.

If you want to clean sterling silver jewelry, try putting a couple of tablespoons of lemon or lime juice in a small container and add a teaspoon of regular table salt to the juice. Drop in your jewelry into this natural cleaning solution and swirl it around. The tarnish is gone instantly and your jewelry is bright and shinny. Be sure to rinse the jewelry well. Your jewelry will sparkle. This jewelry cleaning solution isn't hard to get out of wire wrapped areas either. After this jewelry cleaning your beads are left with a shine as well.

Fashion and Costume Jewelry:

Fashion and Costume jewelry cleaning can be touchy! Mainly because jeweler's cement is often used to create those designs. It is important that you take special precautions jewelry cleaning your costume jewelry. To get your jewelry cleaning under way, wipe gently with a damp cloth that is soft and clean. After jewelry cleaning dry with a soft, clean, absorbent cloth.

Leave the jewelry piece on a towel for a few hours after jewelry cleaning to ensure it is completely dry. Don't use hot water, a steamer or an ultrasonic cleaner for costume jewelry cleaning. Don't soak in water. Don't expose to cleaning agents or other chemicals during jewelry cleaning. Don't expose to extreme heat.