10 Tips for THE WIFE: Cleaning Your Jewelry

The one women you should trust with cleaning tips for your precious jewels is Amber Berger. She began her career at Michael C. Fina, before learning and excelling as a luxury goods buyer at Gucci, Cartier, and Henri Bendel and HauteLook.com. Then Launching AStarr, As a full service personal jeweler, Amber exceeds her customer’s expectations while simplifying their lives, With unique style, invaluable experience and an impeccable reputation.

You’d be shocked at how dirty your jewelry gets if you looked through the lense of a microscope. Soap scum, grease, dirt, skin cells, and little hairs will collect in crevasses and beneath gemstones unless you carry out a routine cleaning program. The least bit of film from skin oil, soap or hand lotion will change the sparkle of stone, especially a diamonds, and most of the brilliance will be lost so make sure jewelry cleaning is a priority on your list so you can show off your sparkly gems. We suggest weekly cleaning followed by professional cleaning twice a year. – Amber Berger for Astarr

1. Separate out your jewelry Divide your jewelry to be cleaned into 3 groups: Delicate, Medium and Strong. Each category will have to be cleaned differently so it is best to separate first in order to avid confusion.

2. Do not clean Some items that you just should not attempt to clean at all include hair jewelry (popular in the Victorian era); jewelry set with real scarabs, butterflies and other delicate materials; jewelry with foil-backed stones; and jewelry whose materials are in doubt. In addition, there may be a natural patina (as opposed to dirt) on antique jewelry that should not be removed, and some modern jewelry may have applied finishes that could be damaged if not handled with care. When in doubt, ask a jeweler.

3. Create a safe environment You want to ensure that you do not lose any stones during cleaning, especially for jewelry that has been worn a lot or pieces with lightweight settings. It is gross to think about but the build-up of dirt may actually be all that is keeping a stone in its setting!

Have your supplies handy:

• Soft flannel cloth
• Soft brush: child’s soft-bristled toothbrush, Eye shadow brush
• Ivory liquid or similar mild dishwashing liquid
• Carry out the cleaning in a small bowl, and check carefully for missing stones before pouring out the solution.

4. Your delicates Dampen a soft flannel cloth with warm water and wipe the jewelry. Use this method for cleaning pearl strands, amber, jet, ivory and other delicate organic gems and colored stones.

5. For a slightly more intense cleaning For your medium stones, soak jewelry for a few minutes in a small bowl of warm water with a little dishwashing liquid. Brush gently using a soft facial brush or a cosmetic brush such as one used to apply eye shadow. This would be a good method for cleaning jewelry set with turquoise, lapis lazuli, malachite, coral, and similar stones.

6. The Strong Soak the jewels for 20 minutes in a solution of one-cup warm water and 1/4 cup ammonia. Then gently scrub with a soft-bristle toothbrush, dip the brush in sudsy household ammonia and brush the stones on all sides, especially the bottoms and sides. Brush the mounting and rinse with warm water and lay on a tissue to dry. Use a soft flannel cloth to wipe any remaining film off the metal, especially the inside of ring shanks. This is a safe way to clean diamonds, emerald-set jewelry, sapphires and opals with accent diamonds that need cleaning. It is also useful for cleaning jewelry where the stones may be glued in.

7. Cleaning Silver Rinse in warm water and pat dry. If silver is tarnished, use a silver-polishing cloth or a jar of silver-cleaning fluid that can be found at your local drugstore For jewelry with intricate designs, use a silver-cleaning paste, which can get into small crevices. Do not use toothpaste or other abrasive cleaners, which will scratch. Wipe with a clean, soft cloth.

8. The professionals Ultrasonic cleaning is a great way to clean diamonds, sapphires and rubies. These cleaners send ultrasonic waves through a cleaning solution to remove dirt. These are much stronger than the sonic cleaners available at home and can fracture some delicate gems or shake out stones that are insecurely set. Make sure to tell your jeweler if your diamonds or colored gems that have been clarity enhanced by filling fractures with a colorless substance. Some of these fillings may be removed by the ultrasonic cleaner or be damaged by the jeweler’s torch during repairs. The treatment is not easily detectable and could be overlooked. This type of cleaning is suggested no more than 2 times a year as the method is strong and weekly maintenance can be kept up at home to avoid damages.

9. Your Watch Give your watch a quick check on a regular basis making sure that the strap or bracelet is securely attached to the watch face. Replace broken or scratched crystals immediately as cracks can let dust and moisture in, threatening its accuracy. Unless the degree of water-resistance is clearly specified, do not wear it into the shower or pool, or on a moist wrist. Have your jeweler/watchmaker or an authorized watch dealer replace the battery in a quartz watch before it runs out, appx every 2 years. Dead batteries left in the watch can leak or corrode, ruining the timepiece. Oils from your skin can build up on a watch so if your watch is water-resistant, you can give it a quick cleaning with a mixture of warm water and either a mild soap or a dish detergent. Dry the watch with a soft cloth after cleaning. If your watch has a strap made out of leather or another material, you should clean only the watch face and not the strap.

10. Store your jewelry in a clean, dry place. Keep your jewelry in a fabric-lined jewelry case, or in a box with compartments and dividers. If you prefer to use ordinary boxes, wrap each piece individually in soft tissue paper. Don’t jumble your jewelry pieces in a drawer or jewelry case as they can scratch each other.