How to look after your Jewellery
This week, we’re looking at the best ways to care for all your precious pieces of jewellery, from diamond rings to gold necklaces, we’ll show you tried and tested ways to make sure your jewellery always looks as fabulous as you and stays protected against wear and tear.
Jewellery is often the most special thing we own. Whether it was given to you to celebrate a special occasion or milestone, a gift from the loved one in your life or handed-down from generations above, there is every reason to look after your jewellery to ensure it still brings you a smile every time you wear it. So without further ado, here are our top tips for taking care of your jewellery.
Store jewellery separately
To start, pre-emptive care is very practical and easy to do, so start off by storing your jewellery properly to give it the best chance of continually looking great. Different gemstones have different hardness and can easily scratch or knock each other if stored together. Keep jewellery in soft-lined compartments and take care to close any fastenings so items don’t catch or tangle.
Jewellery should be stored away from direct sunlight, damp, and extremes of heat or cold. Try to keep the boxes and packaging that it comes in, as it is the easiest and often the best way to protect it from dust and damage. This won’t prevent silver from oxidising, however; you could consider storing items in airtight bags to minimise this, while silica gel packs will absorb moisture and sulphur in the air that can cause jewellery to lose its shine.
Keep Jewellery dry and away from contaminants
Soap, cosmetics, cooking grease, and natural skin oils can dull any jewellery and should be avoided. If your jewels do come into contact with water, or any chemicals, use a dry soft tissue or towel to gently pat them dry. Household cleaners or chemicals in makeup, hair products and perfumes can all tarnish or damage jewellery.
Regular, gentle cleans
Gently clean your jewellery occasionally to remove any oils, dust or contamination. Follow your jewellers’ advice: if you are not sure how fragile a piece is, always err on the side of caution and use simple, non-abrasive materials like soap and water, with a soft toothbrush.
Be careful not to rub or to over-handle your jewellery. Silver-dip type cleaners should only be used to clean silver jewellery, which must be rinsed and dried thoroughly afterwards. Gold, platinum and gem-set jewellery can be cleaned using specialist jewellery cleaners, as appropriate.
Seek Professional Jewellery cleaners
If you’re really stuck or have a piece of bespoke jewellery that requires special assistance, Hatton Jewels offer a professional clean which can remove any blemishes or scratches, and usually restore jewellery to brand new condition.
If you’d like your jewellery to be professionally cleaned, just contact Hatton Jewels or book an appointment to bring your jewellery to our boutique shop based in London’s famous jewellery quarter, Hatton Garden.
