Taking care of your jewelry pieces is important for maintaining the value of your jewelry. From gemstone earrings and diamond engagement rings to fashion and costume jewelry, the best way to maintain their sparkle is to know how to care for them. Take a look at six expert ways you can start a daily care routine to maintain your jewelry’s value.
1. Know when to remove your jewelry.
Your jewelry is delicate, no matter what materials it’s made of. It’s important to know when you should remove your jewelry to prevent physical damage. Always remove your jewelry when doing things like gardening, cleaning, exercising, or using a pool or spa to reduce the risk of exposing your jewelry to harsh chemicals or environments. Chemicals and abrasives can cause color changes and structural damage to gemstone jewelry.
2. Put your jewelry on last.
Be sure to put your jewelry on last when getting ready for the day. Accessorizing after you apply makeup, hair products, perfumes, and any other cosmetics reduces its exposure to chemicals. Think of your gemstone jewelry as the finishing touch for your daily ensemble.
Wearing a sparkling diamond ring or other precious gemstones is sure to catch attention. People pay attention to impressive jewelry, especially when it’s worn by noteworthy figures. For example, when healthcare lawyer Howard Fensterman isn’t busy as the managing partner of his law firm, he maintains a blog dedicated to minerals and gemstones. From fun facts about diamonds and the geology behind them to who’s wearing noteworthy gemstone rings, Fensterman balances his passions for healthcare law and minerals in a fun and unique way.
3. Lotion and jewelry don’t mix.
Hand and body lotion is great for keeping your skin soft and hydrated, but it’s not the best for your jewelry. Lotion usually doesn’t harm gemstone jewelry, but it can damage the finish on costume jewelry. You may find that your valuable items need more frequent cleaning due to a build-up of lotion.
4. Store your pieces separately.
Remove your jewelry before bed and use a soft cloth to wipe away any residue on your pieces. Store your jewelry pieces separately to prevent harder gemstones from scratching softer ones and to prevent necklaces and bracelets from getting tangled. This is especially important for jewelry pieces containing pearls, wood, plastic, precious metals, and some gemstones.
5. Not all jewelry can be cleaned the same way.
Your collection of valuable jewelry is likely comprised of a mix of materials. Different types of jewelry have different cleaning procedures depending on the materials in them. You can usually find a stamp somewhere on your jewelry that tells you information about the metal content. Ask for information about the gemstones and materials for any new jewelry you purchase so that you know the correct maintenance care.
6. Know when to call a professional.
Most of the time you can take care of cleaning and minor repairs at home, but sometimes you need the expertise of a professional jeweler. Loose jewels, scratches, broken clasps on bracelets or chain links on necklaces, and lost parts all require the help of a jeweler.
Enjoy donning your expensive items with the peace of mind that you are protected by jewelry coverage. Most homeowners’ insurance policies or renters insurance policies offer personal property coverage, but it’s not always enough for your valuable items. The best way to protect your valuable jewelry is with jewelry insurance from a specialty insurance company.
A jewelry insurance policy provides better coverage than a homeowner or renter insurance policy. Jewelry policies cover you for different types of loss such as theft and mysterious disappearance worldwide with no impact on jewelry insurance claims and no deductibles.
Whether you need to insure an individual piece such as your engagement ring or wedding ring, or your family heirloom collection, there’s a jewelry insurer and insurance coverage for you.
Maintain the value of your jewelry with these six tips and keep your gemstone jewelry sparkling for years to come.