MAINTAINING YOUR JEWELERY

Ownership of jewelry can be a delightful experience for many people. Purchasing a new item sometimes marks a major lifetime event such as an engagement, marriage, anniversary or birthday. These items often take on a symbolic and sentimental significance to the wearer and are sometimes worn everyday. This can subject them to very harsh treatment that can destroy or deface them. However, jewelry will retain beauty as well as longevity if proper care is taken to maintain it.

Do's:

•  Regular cleaning is important for keeping gems and metal looking their best.
   Soak in a 50/50 water and ammonia bath for 10 to 15 minutes.
   Another good cleaning mixture is three parts water, one part ammonia and one part
   dish detergent. Use a soft brush to help remove any build up and then rinse the piece
   with warm water, then dry. Alcohol will also remove greasy build-ups.

•  It's also important to check the security of the stones. Raised prongs can catch on
   sweaters and break off causing a possible loss of the stone. Inspecting them regularly
   can prevent this.

•  Chains on bracelets and necklaces should be cleaned and inspected before wearing.
   A defective clasp is a sure way of losing a chain. Inspect the clasp for distortion and
   make sure it fully closes.

•  Lotions, powders and soaps should be cleaned from the surface frequently.
   Applying cosmetics first, then the jewelry will reduce exposure to these substances.

•  Proper storage that keeps pieces from rubbing together is very disireable.
   Just throwing jewelry into a common box or drawer will take its toll on the
   finish of the pieces. Softer gemstones can be chipped or scratched by rubbing
   against other pieces. Soft lined jewelry boxes that store items in separate
   compartments are worth the investment.

•  Chains should be stored by hanging because they can become tangled and knotted.
   These knots can be difficult and tie consuming to remove and they can cause kinks
   in some chains that are impossible to fix.

•  Clean organic gems such as pearls, amber, coral and ivory with mild osap solution.
   These materials are relatively soft and can be damaged with alcohol or heat.
   They are best stored so that their surfaces will not come in contact with other gems
   or metal. Mineral or crystalline gems are harder and should be cleaned with ammonia
   and water.

Don'ts:

•  Don't expose jewelry to harsh conditions that are sometimes encountered during
   daily wear. Many of these situations can be avoided by simply taking off the items
   while performing the task and then putting them back on again later.