How to Care for Your Jewelry

Jewelry is a substantial investment and therefore great care should be taken to keep your fine metals and gems looking bright and sparkling.

· Remove your jewelry when cooking, deep cleaning or gardening. Chlorine can damage and discolor the mounting on your jewelry.

· Remove jewelry before showering. Soap can cause a film to form on karat gold jewelry making it appear dull and dingy. By preventing the formation of this film you reduce the occasions your jewelry will need to be cleaned.

· For protection of your jewelry and for safety reasons jewelry should be removed when working around machinery with movable parts.

· Have your fine jewelry inspected annually by a professional. Inspection will insure that deep crevices are cleaned and settings are solid and secure preventing loss of valuable stones.

· Clean your jewelry as needed using jewelry cleaner made especially for this purpose or with a non abrasive soap or mixture of ammonia and water mixture. Use caution when cleaning jewelry to avoid damage to your precious metal. A soft chamois cloth is an effective way to keep your pieces shining and your jeweler can give you specific advice as to which commercial cleaners are available and suitable for your needs.

· A soft, discarded toothbrush is ideal for cleaning jewelry as the bristles will get into tiny spaces where dirt likes to hide and the brush accustomed to cleaning delicate surfaces is designed to clean without scratching.

· Sterling silver will oxidize and tarnish unless covered with a protective layer of rhodium to help prevent tarnishing. Over time this covering may breakdown. Commercial polish will restore the original color and luster. However, you may also clean sterling silver by mixing mild soap, water and a drop of ammonia and wipe with a clean soft cloth. Never use vinegar on sterling silver.

· To clean stainless steel simply moisten a cloth with undiluted white or cider vinegar and wipe clean.

· Take special care of silver jewelry making sure it does not come into contact with swimming pools, hot tubs or the ocean. Silver will react with chlorine causing discoloration and then there is also the issue of loss at a public pool or in your own filter system.

· Pearls should be kept away from chemicals including hairspray, perfume and detergents. Use fragrance and hair products prior to donning pearls. Pearls when cleaned should be done so with a mild soapy water solution and rinsed well, never put in an ultrasonic cleaner. Before storing you pearls, wipe them with a soft, damp cloth to ensure that they remain free from any harmful buildup. Pearls are easily scratched and should be stored in a soft cloth pouch or in a separate lined jewelry box to avoid being bumped by other jewelry. If you wear your pearl strand several times a week, consider having your jeweler restring it once a year to prevent strand breakage. Pearls aren’t just for formal occasions they look just as fashionable when you’re having a “dress down” day.