Jewellery maintenance

Even if jewellery is worn properly, it will develop scratches, darkening or other marks over time.

How can I look after my jewellery to keep it looking new for longer?

Jewellery needs to be looked after properly to keep it looking beautiful and to prevent it from losing its shine and colour. Here are some simple tips.

Don't use any aggressive cleaning products to maintain your jewellery. Toothpaste is not suitable, nor are stiff wipes. It is best to clean your jewellery with a clean, soft cloth.

Another way is to clean your jewellery with a soft brush. First, soak the jewellery in warm water with a little soap. Then wipe with a soft brush and rinse with warm water. Leave to dry.

You can also buy special jewellery care products. These will be effective if you strictly follow the instructions for use on the packaging.

For gold jewellery, you should be particularly careful with chlorine products, which can permanently change the colour of the gold. If your jewellery loses its shine, polishing with a soft cotton cloth is often sufficient. You can buy special jewellery polishing cloths and cleaning products in jewellery shops or online. They are inexpensive and can be used for a long enough period of time.

Silver jewellery should be wrapped in a thin paper napkin or packed in a dark bag with a tight seal to prevent tarnishing. To prevent silver jewellery from tarnishing for longer, it is a good idea to buy rhodium-plated silver jewellery, which is much more durable and does not tarnish.

The easiest way to clean silver jewellery is to buy a special silver cleaning product. Pour it into a bowl and dip your jewellery in it, stirring gently. Then rinse with warm water and leave to dry.

Silver cleaning products often contain ammonia, so we recommend that you take precautions according to the instructions on the packaging of such products.

We do not recommend the use for jewellery care:

aggressive detergents;

iodine; 

products containing chlorine;

washing powders, bleaches; 

acetone and its dilutions;

hard and sharp brushes.

It is important to be aware that the biggest enemies of jewellery are direct sunlight, grease and humidity. If you want to go to the seaside or lake dressed up, when the sun is shining or when you go for a swim, or when you go to the sauna or for sports, you should hide your jewellery deep in your handbag. When exposed to direct sunlight, jewellery can fade and lose its shine very quickly. Metal jewellery can quickly start to blacken and lose its shine due to moisture, sweat, perfume or other body care products. You should also avoid spraying perfume on your jewellery, applying creams where you wear your jewellery, and leaving it near water (on the sink, in the bathroom, or on other damp surfaces). Therefore, wear all jewellery (whatever it may be) only after the body cream, perfume or hairspray has dried completely. Remember to remove bracelets and rings when doing routine household chores at home, as the surface of jewellery can scratch or even break. Jewellery should also be removed when going to bed. 

It is best to keep your jewellery in a special box, padded with fabric, with small separate compartments to prevent scratching. It is best to keep all jewellery individually wrapped so that it does not touch each other, scratch each other or change its appearance due to possible interaction with other metals. In addition, an activated carbon tablet can be placed in the jewellery box to absorb moisture.

It is not recommended to store gold jewellery in cardboard boxes. The moisture vapour emitted by the cardboard leaves dark stains on the gold jewellery.

How do I care for jewellery with various stones, diamonds or pearls?

Jewellery with inlaid stones requires more care and should be cleaned more often, but be sure to take into account the type of stone and its characteristics. Some stones react to direct sunlight, water and can change colour. Therefore, the care of each stone must be appropriate. Ultraviolet rays are harmful to precious stones. Keep such jewellery in a dark and cool place. 

Diamonds are not afraid of external influences, so the main problem may be a yellowish surface coating or contamination at the point of setting. A soft brush dipped in soapy water is best for cleaning stones. After the cleaning procedure, the stones should be rinsed with clean water and dried.

Rubies and sapphires easily tolerate almost all types of mild detergents. However, these stones are particularly sensitive to sunlight.

Emeralds need gentle care, so they are cleaned with a very mild soap solution and rinsed with water or special products. These stones are afraid of alkalis, so when wearing an emerald ring, it is essential to remove it before washing dishes, doing laundry or working with household chemicals.

Topaz tolerates mechanical stress quite easily. However, salt, for example, is easily deposited on this stone and it is recommended to wash it off with distilled water.

Pearls do not like excessive humidity, so it is not recommended to moisten it heavily. Pearls should be gently wiped with a soft cloth soaked in soap suds and after cleaning should be rinsed in clean water and dried thoroughly at room temperature.

To enjoy your jewellery for as long as possible, there are a few important rules to remember: to wear it properly and protect it from the negative effects of the environment, to take it off when you work, play sports, swim or sleep, to store it in a jewellery box, and to clean it in a way that takes into account the materials it is made of.