How to care for your jewelry

Jewelry is often an investment and, for many people, has a great sentimental value attached to the pieces. Therefore, it is important to take care of your jewelry to make sure they look their best for years to come. Whether you are trying to clean necklace, bracelet, rings, pendants or earrings, follow our guide and take care of your jewelry with confidence.

General Care

1. Take it off when you go to bed.
2. Keep it well away from chemicals, especially chlorine. If it does come into contact with chemicals, rinse it in water immediately.
3. Bathe and apply any lotions or perfumes before you put your jewelry on.
4. Store it separately, ideally in a soft-lined box or case, so that your favourite pieces don't tangle, rub or scratch one another.
5. Make sure chains and necklaces are fastened when storing to avoid tangling.
6. Remove jewelry while cooking, cleaning and washing up.
7. When storing Jewelry, please keep it away from sunlight, excessive heat or damp conditions.

Cleaning Gold

It doesn't take long for gold jewelry to lose its shine. Fingerprints and a daily build-up of dirt can quickly dull even the brightest gold. Thankfully, we have some tips to help you to get it shining once again.

If the gold jewelry has gemstones or pearls, please be extra careful when cleaning the piece. Check out the rest of the guide for how best to clean the individual gems so that you don't cause any damage to the jewelry .

A cleaning solution designed exclusively for jewelry is a safe option, but make sure any solution is intended for the correct precious metal or gemstone. If in doubt, it is best to stick to using the following steps:

1. Add a few drops of washing-up liquid (or other mild degreasing solution) to a lukewarm bowl of water. Extreme temperature changes may damage the jewelry, so avoid hot or ice-cold water.
2. Soak the jewelry for ten minutes to loosen any build-up of dirt.
3. Gently clean with a soft-bristled brush such as an unused toothbrush.
4. Make sure to clean the whole piece of jewelry and get into hard to reach places while being extra careful when cleaning fragile parts of the jewelry(for example, at a stone's setting).
5. Rinse thoroughly in clean water to remove soap residue and any other remnants of dirt.
6. Dry gently with a lint-free cloth or leave on a cloth to air dry.

Gold is a very soft metal that is susceptible to scratching. Remember this fact during the cleaning and drying process and be as gentle as possible.

Cleaning Silver

Silver is subject to tarnishing over time, resulting in dull or even black jewelry. Tarnishing occurs when silver is exposed to oxygen in the air. It is unavoidable, but, thankfully, it doesn't damage the metal and can be removed easily with cleaning.

How to prevent tarnishing:
Simply wearing your silver jewelry will slow the process of tarnishing. Being careful with how you store and wear the silver will also help reduce the speed of tarnishing.

1. Remove silver rings and bracelets when washing your hands. Residue from soap and hand gels can result in a dull surface.
2. Keep silver jewelry in separate airtight bags.
3. Avoid humid environments.

However, when the metal begins to look dull or starts to turn black, it is time to get the cleaning products out to get the jewelry looking like new.

How to clean silver:
The simplest way to clean silver is to buy a specialist cleaning solution or cloth. There are numerous examples on the market. Just make sure that they have been specifically designed for cleaning silver. Silver cleaning cloths should be soft and infused with anti-tarnishing agents.

If you don't have specialist cleaners at home, then do not fear as there are household options to get your silver shining. A bowl of lukewarm water and a few drops of washing-up liquid will help remove tarnishing.

1. Soak the silver jewelry for ten minutes in a bowl of warm water with a few drops of washing-up liquid.
2. Gently scrub the silver with a soft, clean brush.
3. Rinse in clean, warm water.
4. Leave to air dry.

For more stubborn tarnishing, you can use a white vinegar and water mix.

1. Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water in a bowl.
2. Soak a clean toothbrush in the solution and gently brush the affected areas of silver.
3. Rise and leave to air dry.

Gemstone Cleaning

Gemstones are bought for their sparkle and color, so it's essential to keep them looking their best. However, it is important to know what type of gem you are cleaning and how to get it back to looking like new.

Many colored gemstones have been treated to enhance their appearance. These treatments can negatively interact with some cleaning products and damage the jewelry. If you have any questions, reach out through email service@tripodjewelry.com. We will provide you with a fast response as soon as possible.

Although a gemstone may appear tough, many can be susceptible to heat. Whenever cleaning, make sure that you use warm water rather than hot or boiling water. Inclusions within gemstones can weaken their structure if aggressively cleaned. Gemstones, such as emeralds that have been oiled to improve color, can be negatively affected by mechanical cleaning such as steam and ultrasonic cleaning.

For nearly all colored gemstones cleaning with warm water, a couple of drops of washing-up liquid and a soft brush will be more than adequate. Make sure to avoid hard and rigid brushes. A toothbrush is usually an excellent tool due to head size and flexibility. If using a toothbrush, it is important to buy one labelled with a soft or extra-soft brush.

Looking after your watch

Your watch is a very intricate piece of engineering and works non-stop day after day. You would not expect your watch to do this without a service so follow the instructions on servicing. As a guide a service every three or four years should help it last for decades.

Give your watch a quick check on a regular basis, making sure that the strap or bracelet is securely attached to the case. If you have a mechanical watch wind it in a clockwise direction. Often it is recommended that you do this about the same time each day. Remove the watch from your wrist when winding so as not to place undue pressure on the winder. 

Water resistance is often misunderstood, for example, a watch saying 30 meters on the dial sounds like it is perfectly safe to swim in. The 30 meters is actually a static pressure that the watch can take. Did you know that just jumping into a pool can exceed this pressure therefore possibly letting water into the watch.

If you really have to know the time when you are in the pool, it is recommended that you have a watch with a 100-meters water resistance or greater. Even then don't wear it in the bath or while taking a shower.

Final Thoughts

In general, gentle cleaning with a solution of mildly soapy water is the best option for cleaning jewelry (except for the specifics we have pointed out above). Safe, clean storage also plays its part.

When you buy jewelry from Tripod jewelry, our staff are more than happy to discuss how to best care for your piece.