How to Care for Fine Jewellery: The Complete Guide

The Short Answer

Clean most fine jewellery in warm water with a little mild washing-up liquid and a soft brush, rinse, and dry with a lint-free cloth. Wipe — never soak — pearls, opal, turquoise, amber and coral, and treat emeralds gently because most are oil-treated. Keep ultrasonic and steam cleaners for the jeweller, who knows which stones can take them. Store every piece separately so harder stones and metals cannot scratch softer ones, take rings off for swimming, cleaning and the gym, and have claws and clasps checked once a year.

The chart below sets out what is safe for each common metal and stone. For gold specifically — alloys, colours and polishing — see our gold jewellery care guide; for a hands-on routine, our step-by-step cleaning and storage tutorial.

Cleaning Chart by Metal and Stone

The common thread is that the risk rises with softness, porosity and treatment. If you do not know what a stone is or whether it has been treated, clean it as if it were the most fragile item on the chart.

Ultrasonic and Steam Cleaners: When They Help and When They Harm

Ultrasonic cleaners shake dirt loose with high-frequency vibration, and steam cleaners blast it out with heat and pressure. Both are excellent for a solid diamond ring in sound condition, which is why jewellers use them. Both can also do real harm. The Gemological Institute of America recommends leaving ultrasonic cleaning to professionals who know the gem materials, lists tanzanite and opal among gems that should never be cleaned ultrasonically whether treated or not, and warns against it for gems impregnated or coated with oil, plastic or wax — treatments often used on emerald and some other stones.

There is a mechanical risk too: vibration can work a loose stone out of a worn setting, so a piece that has not been inspected should not go in at all. The practical rule for home use: if you are not certain that the stone is a diamond, ruby or sapphire without fracture-filling, in a setting you know to be secure, use soap and water instead.

Storage: The Most Important Habit

Most wear happens in the jewellery box, not on the wearer. Harder stones scratch softer stones and polished metal, and chains tangle and kink. Store each piece separately — in its own pouch, a lined compartment or the original box — fasten chains before putting them away, and lay pearls flat rather than hanging them so the silk does not stretch.

Keep jewellery away from light, heat and humidity. A bathroom is the worst place: humidity speeds silver tarnish and harms organic materials. Anti-tarnish pouches or strips slow tarnish on silver. And keep a record — photographs and a written description of each piece, with its paperwork — stored somewhere other than the jewellery itself; our tutorial on photographing jewellery for insurance and our guide to valuing and insuring valuables at home cover it.

Wearing Habits That Prevent Damage

1. Last on, first off. Put jewellery on after perfume, hairspray and lotion, and take it off before you undress at night.
2. Rings off for hard work. Gym, gardening, DIY, cleaning with chemicals and swimming are the commonest causes of bent claws, scratches and chemical damage; chlorine in particular can harm gold alloys over time.
3. One at a time on the same hand. Rings worn side by side rub and scratch each other.
4. Wipe after wearing. A soft cloth removes skin oils before they build up, and is the only cleaning pearls need.
5. Mind the temperature. Sudden temperature changes can crack sensitive stones such as opal and tanzanite.

Professional Inspection and Repair

Have a jeweller check claws, settings, clasps and ring shanks once a year for pieces worn daily, and before any professional ultrasonic or steam clean. Claws wear thin and lift with everyday knocks, and catching a lifted claw costs far less than replacing a lost stone. Pearl strands should be restrung periodically, sooner if the silk looks stretched or discoloured, and white gold usually needs replating from time to time to keep its colour. For what can be fixed, resized or replated — and what it typically involves — see our resizing and repair guide.

Sources

• gia.edu/gia-news-research-tips-caring-jewelry

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