Our Guide to Caring for Your Jewellery Collection
A jewellery box filled with precious pieces is a true treasure trove. Now that you’ve carefully collected all the right pieces and bought them together as a curated jewellery collection, it goes without saying that you will want to cherish this special selection forever.
Every piece that holds a place in your heart will need to be safely stored, cleaned, and treated with care to keep it shining across the years. Jewellery is made to be worn, and with our care guide you will be able to enjoy your prized pieces for years to come without any concerns around damage, age, or wear and tear.
Storing Your Jewellery Collection
Storing your jewellery in an appropriate place is the best way to keep it safe and to prevent it becoming tarnished or damaged. Trinket dishes and jewellery stands are good for smaller collections and for keeping jewellery on display, but jewellery boxes are the way to go about preserving the quality and condition of your set.
Keeping your pieces in a box with a soft fabric lining will prevent them from scratching against each other as hard gemstones can easily scratch softer metals or other gemstones. The multiple sections of a jewellery box will also compartmentalise your collection so that no necklace gets tangled, no earring goes missing, and no delicate piece gets broken, and all that is left for you to do is to store the box itself in a cool place away from sunlight, especially if you opt for a box with a glass lid.
Caring for The Pieces
Jewellery should be worn to compliment an outfit, suit an occasion, and make a statement, but there are certain activities that it should never be worn for.
It goes without saying, but you should always remove your jewellery before:
- Going to bed.
- Entering water. This includes showering, bathing, or swimming.
- Cleaning your house, including any household chores that involve plenty of movement.
- Doing any gardening, as this can easily cause jewellery to become tarnished or lost.
As a general rule, remember to take your jewellery off before doing any activities that involve excessive movement or put you in contact with water or chemicals, even if this is just perfume, hair spray, or nail varnish remover. Constant scratching, impact and exposure to moisture will damage your pieces over time and it is best to save them for social occasions and quieter events where their full impact will be appreciated.
Cleaning Jewellery
To preserve your jewellery, you’ll need to not only store it in a suitable place but also clean it with the right solutions and treat it with care.
If you haven’t cleaned your jewellery collection for decades, or some pieces are looking particularly dirty, then they may require a professional cleaning to restore their original condition. We offer a cleaning service at our workshop (please call for details) but if you want to clean your pieces yourself, then a soft cleaning with warm soapy water and a toothbrush is usually all that is needed to bring the sparkle back to your collection.
This is suitable for gold, silver, and most gemstones, but if you want to use a cleaning solution then you will need to choose one that is intended for the materials you will be cleaning, as the wrong types can easily damage metal settings. Click here to see our full list of stones that require extra care and attention and always go for tarnish-preventative solutions and soft cleaning cloths to be extra safe.
Our Jewellery Repair Services
No matter how well you take care of your jewellery collection, years of wearing your favourite pieces can result in a broken clasp, loose or missing stones, or a scratched setting.
Finding that your jewellery has been damaged, particularly if it has a special memory attached to it or has been passed down through your family, is always disappointing. Luckily, one of the many services we offer is our popular jewellery repair service to repair any damage and restore your jewellery.
Once you bring your pieces to our workshop, along with any loose or broken elements, we will repair the setting, fit new clasps, and reattach missing stones to give you years more wear out of your collection. We promise quality repairs delivered with specialist precision that either restores or improves upon the original design, so get in touch with our repair team if you notice any signs of damage whilst cleaning or organising your collection.
Caring for Your Jewellery Collection
Our team will be happy to assist you with any queries that you may have regarding the maintenance or repair of your jewellery, and you can contact us by clicking here or visiting us at Heart of The Country Shopping Village.
