Jewellery Care Guide
When it comes to buying jewellery, odds are that you dedicate a lot of time and effort into finding pieces that really speak to your heart. Whether it's jewellery that is a representation of you, or whether it matches the clothes you wear, you put a lot of importance into finding the right piece of jewellery for you.
It's also because of this that it's important to take good care of your jewellery so that it lasts in its perfect condition for as long as possible.
So here is a guide that you can use to make sure that any type of precious jewellery you own looks sparkling and amazing every time you wear them -
Maintaining your Jewellery
When preparing to put on your jewellery, make sure that it is the last item that you put on. This is because putting any chemicals on your jewellery, such as make-up, perfume or lotions will end up tarnishing them.
*Tarnish is a layer of corrosion that causes jewellery to become a dark brown or black colour
So, three things you put on before putting on your jewellery:
- Perfume - All perfumes contain chemicals that can ruin the way your jewellery looks. It's generally recommended that you apply your perfume and then wait at least 15 minutes for it to dry before putting your jewellery on.
- Applying creams or lotions - The same rule applies here. Chemicals in most non-natural creams and lotions will tarnish your jewellery, so it's best to try to avoid wearing jewellery when applying lotions or creams
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Suncream - Avoid wearing your jewellery to the beach altogether, or places where you might apply sunscreen. The combination of salt water and chemicals from sunscreen can significantly ruin your precious jewellery, so it's just best to avoid wearing them altogether.
It's also best to avoid these activities if you want to avoid long-term scratches or tarnish:
- Sleeping - Lots of things can potentially damage your necklaces, bracelets or earrings while sleeping. These include getting them getting caught on the bed fabric, hitting them on furniture or even sweating at night can cause tarnish
- Exercise - Running up a sweat can tarnish your jewellery or even playing a rough sport or exercise may cause your jewellery to break if not careful.
- Swimming - The chlorine in swimming pools is not at all good for jewellery and can speed up the tarnish process on most types of jewellery. It can even cause corrosion which can render your jewellery beyond repair.
- Cleaning - Cleaning chemicals such as bleach can quickly react with your jewellery and even cause corrosion if regularly exposed to it. Try to remove any rings or jewellery that can easily come into contact with chemicals while doing your cleaning.
When storing your jewellery, it's importan to keep them in anti-tarnish boxes or air-tight plastic bags. This helps prevent them from being exposed to pollutants in the air or moisture.
You can also purchase anti-tarnish strips which help absorb pollutants in the air around them. When placing these next to your jewellery, they act as a magnet for the harmful substances in the air, keeping your jewellery untarnished.
Finally, it's recommended that you polish your jewellery regularly (once a week if you wear it daily) to prevent the build-up of dirt and dust. Here's how you can do that best:
- Get between 100-200ml of warm water and mix 2-3 small drops of water of mild dishwashing detergent or baking powder for tougher tarninshing. Soak the jewellery in the soapy water for between 5-10 minutes, you can use a soft bristled toothbrush to clean the hard to reach places.
- Take it out and let it dry for 5-10 minutes.
- Use a microfiber/silver polishing cloth to polish your jewellery.
- Store your jewellery in an anti-tarnish box or air-tight plastic bag