Gems and precious metals are gifts of nature, which need special care. The harder the gem, the less vulnerable it is to potential damage.
A diamond is the hardest gem known to man. Hardness is based on a gem-trade standard that was developed in the early 19th century called the Mohs Scale. Diamonds are rated the highest at 10; rubies and sapphires are Mohs 9; emeralds and topaz are 8; and garnets, tourmalines and quartz are 7. Anything softer than a 7 can be scratched very easily. Some examples are; tanzanite, opal, turquoise, lapis lazuli, coral, pearl.
Gold, silver, and platinum are softer than many stones, which means that they require special care when wearing, storing, or cleaning.
To keep your jewelry clean and ready to wear, use a smooth soft 100% cotton cloth to gently wipe each piece of jewelry clean of make-up and skin oils after each wearing. Always use 100% cotton since paper, polyester, and coarse fabrics often contain wood fibers or synthetics, which impart fine scratches.
To clean gold and platinum jewelry that contain diamonds, rubies and sapphires; you may use a solution of water, dish soap and household ammonia to soak your jewelry in. Be aware that ammonia can damage some colored stones! Use only on diamonds, rubies and sapphires!
To help retard tarnish on sterling silver, wrap in soft cotton cloth or special non-tarnish tissue and place in a plastic zip locked bag and seal. To remove fingerprints, oils or dirt, add a small amount of mild liquid soap to a half cup of warm water, soak for 2-3 minutes, rinse thoroughly with clean water and dry completely before storing in an air tight plastic bag.
To remove excessive tarnish on silver, polish with a 100% cotton cloth and a non-abrasive metal cleaner. Be sure to remove any cleaner from the gemstones and rinse carefully with clean water. Be very careful with patiniaed or darkened areas on silver, Silver polish can remove the color. Do not use ultrasonic cleaner or harsh chemicals on cloisonné or opals.
To clean pearl strands; Use a soft bristle brush and soapy, tepid, water. Lay out on absorbent cloth until dry.
To clean other pearl jewelry; Dab with moist warm cloth. Do not immerse in water! Check often for loose pearls. Re-glue any loose pearls with Superglue, or bring into THE RINGMAKER to have professionally re-glued with epoxy.
Here Are Some Do's and Don'ts:
DON'T wear fine jewelry when swimming! The chlorine in pools and Jacuzzi's actually erodes the gold in your jewelry. Ocean waves and other moving waters, especially if cold, are famous for removing jewelry without the wearer noticing. This is why you often see treasure hunters using metal detectors on the beach in the early morning.
DON'T heap your jewelry into one drawer. Remember a diamond ring can scratch that pearl necklace. Keep them separate and, ideally, wrapped in velvet, paper, or silk.
DO check for loose stones frequently by gently tapping the piece with your finger near your ear.
DO get pearls re-strung every two years or annually with frequent use.
DO clean fine jewelry often to maintain its sparkle and beauty. Soaking for 10 minutes in warm soapy water (using a non-detergent soap) can safely clean all fine jewelry. Use a soft brush on harder gems to loosen any dirt around the prongs. To reduce greasy build-up on diamond jewelry, dip it in plain alcohol or vodka before soaking.
DON'T use toothpaste the abrasives can damage softer gems and metals.
DON'T use lotion, soap, oil or butter to remove tight-fitting rings. Use water or Windex to keep your rings from attracting more dirt and oils.
DO store pearls in an area where air can circulate such as in your sock drawer. Storing pearls in a safe or an airtight jewelry box can actually ruin the pearl's finish/lustre over time.
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