Jewelry does not need complicated care to keep its shine and neat look. Keep it away from water, household chemicals and unnecessary friction, wipe it after wearing and store it properly. Below are simple recommendations for different materials.
- Put jewelry on last and take it off first.
- Take it off before showering, swimming, sports, cleaning and sleep.
- Wipe the piece with a soft dry cloth after wearing.
- Gold plating and rhodium are never cleaned with baking soda, pastes or other abrasives.
- Pieces with crystals and pearls are better not soaked.
- Store pieces separately from each other, in a dry place.
1. General rules
Put your jewelry on at the very end — after cream, make-up, perfume and hairspray. And when you get home, take it off first. That way less cosmetics and other products reach the metal and the stones.
It is better to remove jewelry before cleaning, washing dishes, training, showering and sleep. Constant friction, moisture and strain can damage the coating over time, loosen stones or bend thin details.
After wearing, gently wipe the piece with a soft dry cloth. This removes traces of sweat and skin oils, which make metal lose its shine and darken faster.
Do not use paper towels or rough tissues for wiping: they can leave fine scratches on the surface.
2. Silver jewelry
Silver can darken over time from contact with air, sweat and cosmetics. This is a natural property of the metal, not a defect of the piece. After careful cleaning the original shine usually comes back.
A special silver polishing cloth works well for regular cleaning. You can also use warm water with a little mild soap and a very soft brush. After that the piece must be dried thoroughly.
Treat rhodium plated silver with extra care. Use a soft cloth and water without abrasive pastes: cleaning too vigorously gradually thins the rhodium layer.
Silver is best kept in a closed pouch or a separate compartment of a jewelry box. The less constant contact with air, the slower silver darkens.
3. Gold jewelry
Gold itself does not darken the way silver does, but traces of cream, cosmetics and skin oils gradually build up on the surface. Because of this the piece can look less bright.
You can freshen up a gold piece with warm water, a little mild soap and a soft brush. Clean the area around and under the stones especially carefully — that is where dirt collects most.
Handle thin gold chains, rings and other delicate pieces gently: gold is a fairly soft metal, so strong pressure or an accidental knock can bend the piece.
4. Gold plating and other coatings
Gold plating is a thin layer of gold on the surface of another metal. What it fears most is not ordinary dust but constant friction, cosmetics and household chemicals.
Gold plated jewelry should not be cleaned with baking soda, toothpaste or abrasive products, or soaked in alcohol. A soft cloth is enough, and if needed a little water followed by thorough drying.
Perfume, deodorant, cream and other cosmetics are best applied in advance. Let them dry and only then put the piece on.
Over time the coating can wear a little in places of constant friction — on the inside of a ring or near a clasp, for example. This is natural wear of the coating.
The same gentle rules apply to rhodium plating and black oxidising: their layer is just as thin and just as sensitive to friction and harsh chemicals.
5. Crystals, stones and pearls
Swarovski® and Preciosa™ crystals may be set in a mount or fixed with glue. That is why pieces with crystals should not be left in water for long: moisture can weaken the glue.
For care, gently wipe the crystals with a slightly damp soft cloth and dry them right away. Ultrasonic cleaning and steam are better avoided for such pieces.
Pearls and some natural stones are especially sensitive to cosmetics, acids and harsh cleaning products. Pearl jewelry is best wiped with a damp cloth and left to dry naturally on a flat surface.
6. Storage
Store jewelry in a dry place, away from direct sun, radiators and other sources of strong heat. Temperature swings and prolonged heat can harm some stones and glued joints.
It is better for each piece to be stored separately — in its own compartment of a box or in a soft pouch. That way pieces do not scratch or catch on each other.
Chains are easier to store fastened. Like this they tangle and knot much less.
7. What jewelry does not like
Pools and sea water. Chlorine and salt can affect the coating and speed up the darkening of silver, so it is better to remove jewelry before swimming.
Cosmetics and perfume. Perfume, creams, deodorants and hairspray leave a thin film on the surface and gradually reduce the shine.
Household chemicals. Cleaning and dishwashing products are especially unwelcome for plated pieces.
High temperature. It is better to take jewelry off before the sauna, a hot bath and a solarium — heat is unwelcome for glued joints, pearls and some natural stones.
8. What not to do
Do not clean jewelry with toothpaste, baking soda or scouring powder. Abrasive particles can leave a mass of fine scratches on the surface.
Do not use alcohol, acetone or solvents for soaking. They can damage the coating and the glue under the stones.
Do not use a home ultrasonic cleaner for pieces with crystals and pearls.
If a stone starts to move in its setting or a clasp no longer holds well, it is better not to repair the piece yourself. Write to us at info@diamondsky.lv — we carry out small repairs at our partner workshop.