I am routinely asked about the best ways to keep hand-crafted jewelry clean and looking great. Proper care of your pieces is required for your jewelry to last a lifetime. Below are some tips to help you extend the life of your jewelry.
1. Do not apply lotion, fragrance or other sprays while wearing your jewelry. These products can cause discoloration and changes to the gemstones and metals used to create your piece. Put your jewelry on after using any of these products.
2. Keep your jewelry in air tight plastic bags to prevent oxidation. Oxidation is a natural occurrence as air reacts to metals causing a slight color change. It is suggested that each piece be placed on a separate bag to preserve its luster.
3. If your jewelry gets dirty, use care in cleaning it. Purchase & use a jewelry polishing cloth. If a more thorough cleaning is need, use mild soap and water to clean then gently dry the piece. Be cautious when doing this and never use this method on stones that are porous such a pearls, turquoise, as well as many other stones. This will cause permanent damage.
If you are in doubt of how to clean a piece with gemstones, protect your investment by researching that particular gemstone before subjecting it to any method of cleaning.
Leslie Chatman is a chic thirtysomething from Dallas with a passion for jewelry. Leslie is the owner and designer of LunaTeal Jewelry. She also writes for the fine art of jewelry, a jewelry blog. Follow her on Twitter: @lunateal.
