Shine Bright: The Ultimate Guide to Jewellery Care

Whether it's a family heirloom, a gift from a loved one, or a statement piece you've invested in, taking good care of your jewellery is essential to ensure it remains beautiful and usable for years to come. In this blog post, we're going to chat about some down-to-earth tips for taking care of your precious pieces, from keeping them clean to giving them the TLC they deserve.

First up, keeping your keepsakes clean!

One of the most important aspects of jewellery care is keeping it clean. Over time, your jewellery can accumulate dirt, oils, and residue from just day-to-day wearing. Some pieces may be best left to the experts to clean, however a really easy thing to do is simply a gentle soak at home. Use a mild detergent and a soft-bristle toothbrush to gently scrub away any dirt or grime. Once done, make sure you rinse them thoroughly and pat dry with a soft cloth.

For delicate or more intricate pieces, consider having them professionally cleaned by a jeweller and in most cases we don't even charge you for cleaning your precious pieces. We also have specialised equipment and knowledge to clean jewellery without causing damage. Different gemstones also require their own cleaning methods. For example, avoid using harsh chemicals on porous stones like pearls, opals, and turquoise and instead use a soft, damp cloth to wipe them clean. Some treated stones like Emeralds need to be cleaned a little differently as they are usually oiled or coloured, and if not done properly there's a risk the stone can become discoloured.

The second-most important part to caring for your precious pieces is proper storage. 

Storing pieces the right way is a crucial part to not only preventing scratches, tarnish, and other forms of damage but also security! When considering a jewellery box or safe, make sure you invest in one that has compartments or individual pouches to prevent pieces scratching each other or elements such as fine chains from tangling. Best yet, if it's possible, simply avoid storing multiples in the same compartments. 

In most cases we recommend storing your jewellery in a dry place, away from bathrooms and other humid areas. You can even consider using silica gel packets in your storage container to absorb excess moisture. For pearls and opals however, the opposite is true as they are organic gems and need to be kept moist if storing in a dry bank vault, otherwise they will dry out over time and can damage.

Anti-tarnish strips are a cost-effective way to protect your silver jewellery, they are paper strips that you leave near your precious metals to absorb sulphides and other pollutants in the air which cause tarnishing. You need to keep an eye on them and they should be placed around every six months. 

Our last element to consider when taking care of your jewellery is how you wear and handle it. A simple start to this is to ensure that your pieces are fitted properly. Items that are too loose or dangling, risk catching on things and falling off or even breaking. What we also want to stress is that you take off your jewellery before playing sport or exercising, as no fine jewellery is designed with playing sport in mind. You are better off playing it safe and storing them properly (such as in your bag) while you have fun getting active. This also means not leaving them by sinks or on benchtops, it’s very common to have precious pieces go missing by falling down drains or simply rolling away out of sight. 

Also, we recommend removing your jewellery before swimming, showering, cleaning with chemicals, or applying lotions and perfumes. The chemicals in many products can damage metals and gemstones. 

Properly looking after your jewellery isn’t just about keeping its value, it’s also about making sure it’s able to be enjoyed for years to come. Contact us now, or visit us in store for more on how to make sure your jewels keep shining.