Home  Information Jewelry Tips for Care & Cleaning of Fine Jewelry
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Tips for Care & Cleaning of Fine Jewelry |
GEMS and precious metals are gifts of nature, which need special care. Even
though a gem may be millions of years old, once mined and worn, it is exposed
to conditions and chemicals that can damage it.
The harder the gem, the less vulnerable it is to potential damage. Hardness is based on a gem-trade standard called
the Mohs Scale, developed in the early 19th century. The scale is structured so
that material rated at each higher number can scratch substances with lower
numbers. Diamonds are rated the highest, at 10; rubies and sapphires are Mohs
9; emeralds and topaz, 8; and garnets, tourmalines and quartz, 7. Anything
softer than a 7 can be scratched with less difficulty, including opal,
turquoise, lapis lazuli, coral and pearl. Gold, silver, and platinum are only Mohs 2-1/2 to 4, which means that they
require special care when wearing, storing, or cleaning.
Here are some Do's and Don'ts:
DON'T wear fine jewelry when doing housework or gardening.
DON'T heap your jewelry into one drawer. Remember a diamond ring can
scratch that pearl necklace. Keep them separate and, ideally, wrapped in
velvet, paper, silk or plastic zip-lock bag.
DO get pearls restrung when the cord begins to fray.
DO clean fine jewelry often to maintain its sparkle and beauty.
DON'T use toothpaste as its abrasives can damage softer gems and
metals. Most fine jewelry can be safely cleaned by soaking for 10 minutes in
warm soapy water (using a mild detergent soap). Use a soft brush on harder gems
to loosen any dirt around the prongs. To reduce greasy build-up on diamond
jewelry, dip it in plain alcohol before soaking.
DO store jewelry in a dry place and avoid extremes of temperature and
humidity.
DO keep gemstone-studded jewelry, pearls, and gold and silver pieces
separated from each other to prevent scratching. Store fine jewelry pieces in
soft pouches, soft cloth wraps or plastic "zip-lock" bags to help
protect them.
DON'T overcrowd your jewelry box. Crowding can result in misplaced or
lost jewelry if a small piece falls unnoticed from the case. Occasionally,
forcing too much jewelry into the box may even bend a fragile piece or chip a
delicate stone.
Note: an inappropriate cleaner may actually damage stones or settings.
Household Cleaners: The simplest and safest way to clean any kind of jewelry is
to wash it with warm sudsy water. Prepare a small bowl of sudsy water, using
any mild liquid detergent and ammonia. Soak the piece a few minutes, and then
brush it gently with an eyebrow brush or soft toothbrush while holding it under
running water.
Make sure the drain is closed. Some people prefer to place jewelry in wire
strainer before holding it under running water. When the piece is clean and
sparkling, pat it dry with a soft lint-free cloth or paper towel.
Commercial Cleaning Solutions
Use commercial jewelry cleaners with caution.
Commercial jewelry cleaners are usually no more effective than the household
cleaners suggested above, but they are more convenient.
Never soak gemstone jewelry in commercial cleaners for more than a few minutes.
Note: Commercial cleaners are not recommended for opal, pearl, coral, lapis
lazuli, turquoise and emerald. They may damage or reduce the luster (shine) on
these stones.
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