Tend to Your Gemstones
Take a few steps to help your gemstones maintain their color and clarity.
Store your gemstones: Jewels need space to remain free of chips. Store gemstones individually in soft cloth pouches and prevent jewels from bumping against one another.
Clean your gemstones regularly: Dust, skin oil and other unclean substances can cause your gemstones to lose their sparkle. Clean them from time to time in soap and water. Then let them air dry and polish them with a soft cloth.
Remove dirt from gemstones: Occasional brushing with a worn, soft-bristled toothbrush can help remove dirt from between crevices. For more resistant blemishes, use a weak solution of ammonia and water (about one part to four parts) and a soft brush.
Respect metal jewelry settings: Treat metal settings gently. Gold can scratch. Although four-prong, six-prong, and low-profile channel or bezel settings offer your gemstone more protection than other settings, you should ask your jeweler to make sure your gemstones sit tight in their settings to help prevent stones from falling out.
Know when to have a pro clean your gemstones: Annual checkups with a jeweler help keep your gemstones clean and properly situated in their settings. A jeweler can clean gems with steam or ultrasound, though ultrasound can make internal fissures or flaws worse.
Caring for Sterling Silver Jewelry Store your sterling silver jewelry in tarnish prevention cloths or bags. The treated cloth slows down the tarnishing process and keeps the jewelry from rubbing against harder jewelry that might scratch it. Try to to keep your sterling silver jewelry in a cool, dry place.
Cleaning Your Sterling Silver Jewelry Polishing cloths are an excellent choice for cleaning your sterling silver jewelry. You might read recommendations to use toothpaste to clean sterling silver, but avoid doing that -- toothpaste is abrasive and can leave scratches.
Take a few steps to help your gemstones maintain their color and clarity.
Store your gemstones: Jewels need space to remain free of chips. Store gemstones individually in soft cloth pouches and prevent jewels from bumping against one another.
Clean your gemstones regularly: Dust, skin oil and other unclean substances can cause your gemstones to lose their sparkle. Clean them from time to time in soap and water. Then let them air dry and polish them with a soft cloth.
Remove dirt from gemstones: Occasional brushing with a worn, soft-bristled toothbrush can help remove dirt from between crevices. For more resistant blemishes, use a weak solution of ammonia and water (about one part to four parts) and a soft brush.
Respect metal jewelry settings: Treat metal settings gently. Gold can scratch. Although four-prong, six-prong, and low-profile channel or bezel settings offer your gemstone more protection than other settings, you should ask your jeweler to make sure your gemstones sit tight in their settings to help prevent stones from falling out.
Know when to have a pro clean your gemstones: Annual checkups with a jeweler help keep your gemstones clean and properly situated in their settings. A jeweler can clean gems with steam or ultrasound, though ultrasound can make internal fissures or flaws worse.
Caring for Sterling Silver Jewelry Store your sterling silver jewelry in tarnish prevention cloths or bags. The treated cloth slows down the tarnishing process and keeps the jewelry from rubbing against harder jewelry that might scratch it. Try to to keep your sterling silver jewelry in a cool, dry place.
Cleaning Your Sterling Silver Jewelry Polishing cloths are an excellent choice for cleaning your sterling silver jewelry. You might read recommendations to use toothpaste to clean sterling silver, but avoid doing that -- toothpaste is abrasive and can leave scratches.
