A Quick Guide to Taking Care of your Jewellery

Taking good care of your jewellery is vital to ensure that their original quality is maintained in the long term. In this post, I will discuss a few key factors that you must consider, in caring for your gemstone jewellery. A process which depends on the material used for the jewellery: such as the type of metal and Karat value; the type of gemstones: whether diamond or sapphire etc. Furthermore, the presence of any surface plating on metallic parts of the jewel. And any treatment procedure gemstones had been subjected to, should also consider in determining the caring procedure.

Dust Damage

The hardness of a gemstone is an attribute of its mineral character. One which defines how hard it is. The Mohs scale is used to measure the hardness of gemstones. That scales from 1 to 10. Diamond is the hardest gemstone: having a Mohs hardness of 10. Then come the Sapphires and Rubies. Followed by Topaz and Quartz. A mineral with low hardness could be damaged if it is scratched with a mineral with higher hardness. Ordinary dust has a hardness of 7, which is similar to Quartz. Thus gemstones based on Quartz minerals, such as Amethyst and Citrine could be scratched if you try to wipe out any dust on it. Thus, washing the dust away, before you use any cloth to clean such stones, is recommended. 

Paper Wear

However, having a higher hardness number alone does not prevent the wear and tear of gemstones. Even though gemstones like Zircon has a high hardness in the range of 6.5 to 7.5, it is fairly brittle. So if such stones are carelessly wrapped in paper, their facet edges could get chipped off. This is known as paper wear. Thus it is not a wise choice to wrap your jewellery in paper and paper-like materials. Which may seem like a tempting choice, especially as a quick layer of protection, but this is best avoided. 

When Travelling  

Travelling, depending on the nature of your and location can create new hassles for your jewellery. For depending on how you choose to transport them, either by wearing them or in a dedicated box, or simply in your pocket, there are a few things to consider here. When moving with jewellery, it is wise to keep them in a secure place. This is obvious but many ignore this fact. Jewellery is not just any other item. And if it is something like an engagement ring, its value is greater than its monetary cost. In some parts of the world, wearing jewellery in public can attract unwanted attention. With places in countries like Venezuela, and other areas in Latin America being notable examples. Displaying them draw the wrong kind of attention with serious consequences. 

If your idea of keeping your jewellery away from prying eyes is to put them in your pockets, then you may have to consider the kind of things you already have in them. Gemstones, especially those made with diamonds, and sapphires which have high hardness scale, can scratch and dent other materials. Including metals. Mobile phones used to be such cases but with more advanced screen technology, this is less of a problem today. However, diamond and sapphire jewellery, depending on the cut, can damage other items. So it is best to invest in some case to carefully transport them. 

Storage Considerations 

This follows from the previous point. Jewellery storage is a key part of purchasing and maintaining jewellery. Storing jewellery is different from other kinds of items. Given the higher cost, security is naturally the top priority. In addition to having them in lock-and-key, one must also pay attention to their placement. As noted, gemstones, depending on their level of hardness can scratch other materials. This is especially concerning for precious metals like gold, where scratches can decrease the quality and value of the jewel. So it is best to have dedicated compartments for each jewellery set. Also, when storing your jewels, it is best to avoid keeping them with cosmetics and perfumes. Their chemical contents, in case of spills, could affect the quality of the jewellery. 

Heat Sensitivity

Most gemstones are sensitive to heat. Certain others are highly sensitive to heat, hence their properties could change dramatically if subjected to heat over a long period of time. However, in general, they are all good in normal heating conditions. The factor of heat is best kept in mind with regards to the metal of choice that it is set in. Metals have a lower tolerance to high heat in contrast to gemstones. A point which is worth keeping in mind depending on the environment your in. Whilst it is rare to find oneself in high heat conditions-unless you are working in a factory-the effect of high heat environments combined with the use of rough tools, like welding equipment can affect the quality of your precious jewellery. 

Dealing with Tarnishing

Tarnishing occurs, due to the process of building up a thin layer of corrosion over the surface of the jewellery. Which primarily metals. So in order to regain its original look, silver jewellery, for example, needs to be polished every few years.  The use of rhodium plating can help avoid the tarnishing effect, would benefit your jewellery. And in addition to preventing tarnishing, that gives silver jewellery a white gold look and feels.

Pay a Vist to your Jeweller 

When it comes to taking care of your jewellery, booking a visit to your local jeweller, ideally, the one who made your jewellery item, once every couple of years will be helpful. In modern times, the growth in the use of sophisticated jewellery care techniques: is something you stand to benefit from. As technology is constantly improving, the ability of jewellers to maintain or increase the quality of your jeweller is getting better. And who knows, maybe they might even have a few ideas on improving your jewellery. With many bespoke options, this may open the door to new changes.