There aren’t many material things that people value more than jewelry. While the primary purpose of these cherished and intimate accessories might be to elevate fashion and style, they can also be heirlooms that carry significant sentimental value. For some, they’re investments that can produce desirable returns. Whatever the reason may be, you’ll want to know how to properly care for the items to maintain their beauty and worth. This guide will cover some practices you need to adopt to keep your jewelry in pristine condition.
Consider heat and light
In the same way that intense sunlight can be harmful to the skin, both heat and light can impact the finish of jewelry or its gemstone’s color or durability. In excess and over time, they may even cause considerable damage to certain pieces, such as topaz, amethyst, and kunzite, to name a few. Delicate materials like ivory can also end up bleached if put under extreme light exposure, while the likes of amber may become much darker if put under the same situation.
Keep the items away from chemicals
The chemicals from everyday products like lotions, perfumes, and hair sprays can cause more damage than you might think on jewelry, discoloring precious metals, such as platinum, gold, and silver, and damaging colored gems. Therefore, you must keep the items away from chemical substances at all costs. It may not sound like a big deal, but you’ll be surprised at how much of a difference it can make when it comes to maintaining your jewelry.
Be careful with ultrasonic cleaners
Ultrasonic cleaners are a popular option when it comes to cleaning jewelry. However, you must be careful when using them. After all, they can’t clean every type of accessory. They may even damage some items. With that in mind, here are some items that you should never clean them with:
- Any gemstones with damage or breaks in their surface that have been repaired by resin, glass-like substances, or oil
- Amber, ivory, coral, pearls, and other organic gemstones
- Gemstones coated with non-permanent substances, such as wax or plastic
- Jewelry that is heat-treated
Another thing to remember is that the machine’s vibration can potentially shake any gemstones loose or chip them. For this reason, it’s usually a good idea to let a professional do the job instead of trying to use the cleaner yourself.
The simplest cleaning methods are usually the most effective
There are many online resources available for those who have plans to sell their jewelry for a profit, like this guide about how to sell an engagement ring online. But one thing that all the articles and posts will have in common is that the items will need to look as presentable as possible to maximize their profit potential. Luckily, the simplest cleaning methods tend to be the most effective and safe approaches.
For example, you can clean most colored gems with little more than a warm brush, dish soap, and warm water. However, for softer gemstones, you’ll want to use a makeup brush because they can scratch easily.
Conclusion
There are many benefits to owning jewelry. However, to get the most out of the items, you must take care of them. And with the simple maintenance practices listed above, you’ll be able to keep them in the same condition as when you first purchased them.
