January 01, 2020 2 min read
Congratulations! You have adopted a beautiful new piece of jewelry! Now you need to know how to provide the best home possible for this sparkling addition to your collection.
Many people choose to sleep in their
jewelry. They also wear it in the shower, the pool, while lifting
weights, etc. There are better ways to enjoy your jewels.
Sleeping in your jewelry can cause chains to kink and prongs to
snag on sheets and sleepwear weakening their ability to hold
their shape. Exposure to chemicals in water and bath products can
leave a film on gemstones and metal, occasionally causing damage.
Wearing jewelry at the gym can leave scratches on settings and
gems and can also become a safety hazard if a ring or a chain
gets caught on equipment. It is best to treat your jewelry kindly
and remove it before bed or any activity more strenuous than
ordering room service (and we highly recommend room service, by
the way).
As one of the few organic stones,
pearls can be
especially delicate. Exposure to perfumes, hairsprays, and other
cosmetics can permanently damage a pearl’s luster. The rule with
pearls is that they should be the last piece you put on before
you leave the house and the first thing you remove when you
return home. Pearls should also be stored away from your other
jewelry to avoid abrasions from contact with metal settings and
harder gemstones. Ideally, once you have worn your pearls, they
should be cleaned with a soft cloth and stored in a velvet lined
box or jewelry bag.
Opals are another delicate stone.
Basically a form of natural glass, when exposed to extreme
conditions, opals
can shatter. And while we all love glitter, that’s not the best
way to make it. Treating your opals as if they are pearls will
help preserve their beauty for years to come. Be sure to avoid
dropping them or knocking them against hard surfaces and avoid
exposing them to extreme heat or cold. Opals can be susceptible
to becoming dull with wear, especially in rings or bracelets.
When an opal loses its shine, the best bet is to visit your local
jeweler to see if the stone can be re-polished.
In reality, treating all of your jewelry like fragile pearls and
opals will keep it looking as beautiful as the day you fell in
love with it. Try to keep your jewelry box a little neater. (By
the way, if you need a new jewelry box, let us be the first to
introduce you to Ray Jones
Woodcrafts. He crafts fine wooden boxes that are fit for,
well, fine jewelry!)
Drop us a line on Facebook and
let us know what your favorite piece of new jewelry is -- and how
you care for your jewelry.
Comments will be approved before showing up.
June 20, 2024 6 min read
March 07, 2023 8 min read
February 02, 2023 5 min read
Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more …