With the proper care, precious
jewellery should last for
decades and remain a valuable possession. By taking good care
and applying
practical advice, you can safeguard your
jewellery and ensure that it will stay
with you forever.
Protect your jewellery from sharp blows, scratches,
chemicals, sunlight, and extreme temperatures. Store your jewellery in a
soft-lined box or pouch. Try to keep your jewellery pieces apart, so that they
don’t rub against each other or get tangled up.
Wear jewellery for appropriate occasions. Avoid wearing
rings when doing household chores or engaging in sports activities. Stones can
be knocked loose, and jewellery may come in contact with abrasive elements
which discolour the metal.
Don’t let your jewellery come into contact with nail polish
removers, perfume, or hairspray. This may discolour gold or make pearls turn
yellow. Put jewellery on after you have applied cosmetics or sprays.
Settings can become clogged with soap and hand cream. Take
off rings or bracelets when washing your hands. When using a public lavatory,
secure hand rings to your necklace or place them in a pouch inside your handbag
or purse.
Heat and hot water can loosen jewellery settings in which an
adhesive has been used. Pearl rings, earrings, and pendants have this type of
setting, so take extra care of them.
Never go swimming with your jewellery. Chlorine in swimming
pools can cause extensive damage.
Clean your jewellery periodically. Use a soft toothbrush and
warm soapy water to get into any difficult nooks and crannies. You can also
purchase a professional jewellery cleaning product. Make sure to read the
manufacturer’s instructions.
Like all jewellery, gold should be periodically cleaned and
checked for wear and breakage. You can clean it with warm, soapy water, or let
your jeweller re-polish it.
Many people think that diamonds are indestructible, but
special care is still required to protect them from loss or damage. While they
are resistant to heat, scratches, and can be cut only by another diamond,
strong impace against a diamond’s girdle can cause chipping or abrasion.
Platinum jewellery should be cleaned using a pre-packaged jewellery cleaner, or
have it done professionally by your jeweller. As with all precious jewellery,
store pieces separately to avoid scratching.