If you’re like me, you have a tremendous collection of jewelry that probably costs quite a bit, so you want to keep them looking new. There’s nothing worse than planning an outfit around a piece of jewelry, only to discover that it doesn’t look so fresh when you take it out of your jewelry box.
Normal wear and tear is expected, so here are some tips to caring for your jewelry.
1. Remove your jewelry before bathing – Soap can cause a film to form, making your pieces appear dingy and dull. By reducing how quickly this film forms, you reduce the number of times you have to take it in for a professional cleaning.
2. Never clean damaged jewelry – Never try and clean anything that’s cracked or broken as handling it can make the problem worse. Have the piece prepared first.
3. Inspect your jewelry regularly – Have your pieces checked often by a professional or yourself with a magnifying glass. It’s better to catch a loose gemstone or loose link before it breaks completely or a piece goes missing.
4. Use warm water – When cleaning off any pieces, always use warm water, not hot water. Hot water can cause a reaction with cleaning supplies on some materials (especially Sterling Silver) and create tarnish.
5. Polish with jewelry polishing cloth – For best results, use a dedicated jewelry polishing cloth to clean your pieces. The fibers in Bath tissue or paper towels can cause scratches on your pieces.
6. Use a jeweler with positive reviews – If you need a piece of jewelry repaired, use a jeweler with plenty of positive customer reviews. You are trusting an item that’s special to you (and probably cost you a few dollars), so don’t trust it with just anyone.
7. Store your pieces in a secure container – Ideally, your jewelry should be kept in a container that locks. It should also store each piece in a position so it doesn’t move around much.
8. Keep an inventory – It helps to have a list of all of your pieces. You can keep this in an Excel file or a simple piece of paper. Check your jewelry box every so often to make sure something isn’t missing. This will also help if you ever have to file a police report for missing items.
9. Prevent your collection from tarnishing – Tarnish is the enemy of jewelry. Place anti-tarnish strips in your jewelry case to absorb the oxidants that tarnish your pieces and preserve your luster.
10. Avoid bleach at all costs – Bleach can cause irreparable damage to several different materials. This includes swimming pools and hot tubs.
Written by Elaine Helmig, Co-Founder of Jinja Jewelry
Elaine has traveled far from her beginnings in the aviation industry with a background in engineering. Her eye for beauty and natural symmetry led her to partner with artist Australian Joy Daniels. The two of them have joined forces to build a Jinja Team with a creative flair for beautiful fashion jewelry. The results have been truly extraordinary as the handmade jewelry has found a following with an international clientele as diverse as the jewelry itself. Jinja Jewelry is slowly becoming a fashion statement and is treasured for its simply beautiful coral and elegant silver designs.
For more information, visit www.jinjajewelry.net
Interested in writing a guest blog for Jinja Jewelry? Send your topic idea to elaine@jinjajewelry.net
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