Mardon Jewelers at the Mission Inn

While beautiful jewelry sparkles and shines, keeping it beautiful can sometimes be a challenge. Things we encounter everyday, from natural to man-made, can steal the sparkle from jewelry and gem stones without proper care.

Hairspray, lotions, makeup and even sunlight can harm or dull precious jewelry. So proper cleaning and storing techniques must be used for each different gem.

Diamonds should be cleaned weekly because the oils from cosmetics and daily use will build up on the back of the diamond, dulling the brilliance of the gem.

Add a detergent like Dawn, Simple Green, or Mr. Clean to water and soak the jewelry overnight to dissolve the buildup that clouds the sparkle–use a toothbrush to scrub the back of the stone, then rinse in clean water.

A good ultrasonic cleaner can really expedite the cleaning process, especially if used regularly. It’s best used for jewelry set with faceted gems like diamonds, rubies, and sapphires, as well as gold and silver items. Be aware that ultrasonic cleaners are not suitable for cleaning all gems so be sure to check with your gemologist/jeweler—he or she will be happy to advise you how to use this technology.

Cleaning some gems is much like caring for a baby’s delicate skin; much care should be taken to be gentle and mild. Jewelry and gem care starts with careful scrubbing with a soft brush in warm water with gentle detergents.

Especially soft gems like pearls and opals can be cleaned with an old make-up brush. Pearls should be laid out to dry so the strings can dry without being stretched.

Gold can also be cleaned with mild detergents and warm water. It is best to dry gold pieces with a soft, lint-free cloth. To return the shine to your silver, it can be rinsed with water and patted dry, then buffed with a soft towel or a rouge cloth. For pieces that are especially tarnished, a good quality silver polish will restore the glimmer—use paste polish, not the dip type, and scrub with a cloth or sponge, then rinse with clean water.

Finally, storing jewelry and gem stones with care will help maintain their beauty for years. Protect jewelry from harsh chemicals, extreme temperature changes and activities that could bang or scratch them.

Store your precious jewelry in cloth-lined cases with separate slots to keep them from rubbing against each other. Be especially careful with your diamonds because they are so hard they can scratch other gems very easlly. Pearls and opals should not be stored in plastic since they need to breathe to keep from drying out. Any necklace that is strung with silk should be kept flat so that the silk doesn’t stretch.

With a little tender loving care, your precious jewelry will stay beautiful for generations.

For more information about jewelry and gem care, visit www.mardonjewelers.com.

Tags: jewelry and gem care, jewelry care

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 17th, 2012 at 7:00 am and is filed under Gemstones, Jewelry Facts, Jewelry Services. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.