How to Care for Jewelry

From precious metals to semiprecious gemstones, jewelry adds sparkle and shine to any outfit or occasion. Properly cared for, fine jewelry will bring years of pleasure to the wearer. Here are some suggestions on how to care for your jewelry.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

General Care Advice

1. Keep jewelry away from household chemicals. Chlorine bleach can damage jewelry mountings, while some jewels can react with other chemicals, such as acids, alkalies, salts or detergents.

2. Put your jewelry on last and take it off first. Hairspray, lotion, perfume and cosmetics can damage softer gemstones, such as pearls, and create dulling buildup on harder jewels, such as diamond.

3. Remove jewelry before doing any housework, yard work or playing sports. Some gemstones can be knocked out of their mountings, while others can splinter or shatter if struck just right.

4. Separate pieces of jewelry from one another when you're not wearing them. Hard jewels, such as diamonds, rubies and sapphires, will scratch softer gemstones, such as opals, turquoise and pearls, and gold, silver and platinum mountings. Each piece should be stored in its own soft cloth pouch, which you can get from a jeweler.

5. Clean your jewelry regularly to remove excess skin oils that can take away its luster. Pearls, however, need the oils from your skin to maintain their luster and should be worn regularly.

6. Visit your jeweler annually to professionally clean your jewels and gems, inspect them for damage and repair as needed.

7. Store jewelry in a cool place away from harsh sunlight. Avoid extreme temperatures because they can shatter otherwise durable jewels.

Cleaning Fine Jewelry

8. Use the right cleaner for the right jewel. Warm sudsy water is always safe and allows soaking for up to 20 minutes if the piece is especially dirty. Clean gold, silver and platinum, and harder jewels, such as diamonds, rubies or sapphires, with a mixture of 1 part ammonia to 6 parts water. You can use commercial jewelry cleaners for harder gemstones, but these are usually no more effective than soap and water. Soak jewelry no more than a few minutes in a commercial cleaner.

9. Remove dirt from jewelry with either an old toothbrush or a soft cloth. Avoid abrasives such as toothpaste, which can scratch metal and soft gemstones. Diamonds, rubies, sapphires and garnets may be dipped in rubbing alcohol to remove greasy buildup before cleaning with soap and water.

10. Rinse jewelry in plain warm water to remove the cleaning solution, then pat it dry with a soft, clean cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• Wipe down your jewelry with a soft, clean cloth after each wearing to remove excess oils.
• Consult with your jeweler before cleaning any jewels that have been "clarity-enhanced."
• Ultrasonic cleaners are suitable only for hard jewels, such as diamonds, rubies and sapphires. They are not suited for softer gemstones, such as opals or pearls, or for stones that have been treated in certain ways to enhance their luster, such as emeralds covered with thin oil to fill in cracks and gaps in the stone. Consult your jeweler before buying a ultrasonic cleaner.