How to Keep Your Jewellery Looking Great

Just like clothes, jewellery can get dirty with daily wear. Keep your treasured pieces looking great with our four simple steps.

Step 1 - Check your jewellery

Before you put on any piece of jewellery, give it a quick check for signs of wear and tear. Clasps on necklaces or bracelets or stone settings can be damaged by hard surfaces or can get caught on clothing. Even the hardest of gemstones can loosen in a setting. Check clasps close fully and that stones don’t rattle in their setting.

If you do find a damaged clasp or a loose setting, bring your piece to a local jeweler who can carry out the necessary repair for a small fee. Ideally, claw-set gemstone rings should be checked by a local jeweler every year to eighteen months. This will ensure the claws are strong and are holding your precious stone safely.

This is the most important step in jewellery care that can be the difference between cherishing or losing a beautiful family heirloom.

Step 2 - Protect your jewellery

It is best to remove your jewellery if you are going to do anything that will expose it to chemicals, sweat, moisture, or grime. We know it can be hard to remember, but swimming pool chlorine, hand sanitizer, and regular household cleaning products can badly damage both precious metals and gemstones. Beware of rubber gloves for cleaning too; many contain sulfur which can discolour or tarnish precious metals like silver.

Cosmetics, perfumes, and moisturizers can build up on jewellery which can cause irritation to sensitive skin, or lead to the tarnishing of the jewellery itself. Remember, always put your jewellery on last. Give your lotions and perfumes time to dry before adding those finishing touches and you will sparkle brighter for longer!

Jewellery can also be damaged through impact or snagging, We advise removing your jewellery for any activity that might damage it. Remove pendants while sleeping and longer chains if you are playing with children - many a chain has been broken in these situatios!

It's also important to avoid wearing rings in the gym to prevent damage to both your rings and your fingers! The metal in the ring can get scratched or bent during workouts with machines or weights, and in extreme cases, it can pose a safety risk if it gets caught on equipment. Always store your rings safely before hitting the gym.

Step 3 - Clean your jewellery

Even with care, the dust and grime of everyday life can build up on a piece of jewellery. Use a clean and dry soft cloth for light cleaning. We advise doing this for a precious metal piece every time you take it off. This is especially important for pieces set with stones that don't like to get wet, like Connemara Marble or emerald.

Forgot to take off your ring when gardening or baking? It happens. You can safely clean off real dirt and grime at home for precious metal jewellery and jewellery set with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, or CZ stones. Mix 1 part liquid soap with 6 or more parts warm water and give your jewellery a light brush with a soft toothbrush. Rinse and be sure to dry well with a soft clean cloth. And remember to put the plug in the sink before you start!

We wouldn't advise this for jewellery set with connemara marble, emeralds, and pearls as they are very sensitive to water and cleaning products.

So if you have a piece set with gems that can be damaged by chemicals or If cleaning sounds like a little too much work, treat your cherished jewellery to a spa day at a local jeweler! They will typically have trained experts who provide safe cleaning of your heirloom for a small fee.

Step 4 - Store your jewellery

For pieces you don't wear daily, we advise storing them in individual containers. Airtight containers or small zip-loc bags are ideal, especially the case of sterling silver, which will slowly tarnish and oxidise when exposed to moisture or humidity. These pieces in particular benefit from being stored in a dry, airtight container.

We also recommend avoiding storing your collection of precious pieces in multi-item jewellery boxes, which ironically can be a dangerous place for your treasures!

With lots of other pieces to scratch against or snag on, clasps and settings can be easily damaged. Finally, avoid storing your jewellery in places with extreme shifts in temperature e.g. near a radiator, heater or even a sunny window. This can damage precious gems like emeralds.

Any Questions?

Following the above steps will go a long way toward keeping your jewellery looking great and ensuring you can treasure it for a lifetime. And of course we are here to answer any further questions you might have about caring for your jewellery - we would be delighted to help. Just get in touch.