Scrubbing Baubles

How to Care for Jewelry

Photo by Sabrinna Ringquist on Unsplash

Yay, you have bought some beautiful jewelry. Now what? First, wear it, wear it, wear it. Psychologists say the worst thing you can do for your jewelry’s self-esteem is to neglect it while it suffers, alone and scared inside a jewelry box.* So wear it and then read below for some helpful tips to keep in mind so that your jewels age as timelessly as Paul Rudd. (Seriously how has he not aged a day since Clueless?)

First, always remove rings and bracelets before washing your hands or applying lotions. You don’t want to gum up your gems with these concoctions. Nothing takes away a diamond’s sparkle faster than a paste of Softsoap and Jergens…but whatever you do… please don’t stop washing your hands!

Beware the ultrasonic cleaners. Sure, they look innocent enough, but they can loosen some stone settings faster than a string around a tooth. Check with your jeweler to see if an ultrasonic cleaner is safe for your piece.

When you take off your jewelry, store it carefully. Be sure your pieces are surrounded by soft fabrics. You don’t want your jewelry knocking up against one another in storage as they could scratch one another. Diamonds are hard, but if you have diamond on diamond action they can actually scratch one another. All the more reason to give each diamond piece in your collection its own slot in…