How To Look After Your New Jewellery

With many jewellery gifts exchanged at Christmas, there’s a good chance that you’ve been bathing in the afterglow of receiving such luxurious presents and can’t wait to show them off. However, with constant wear of your new jewellery comes a time when you’ll need to consider the process of cleaning the item in order to keep it in top condition. Today at Hillier Jewellers, we’re taking a look at how to look after your new jewellery to keep it sparkling all year round!

Whether you’ve been spoilt with a brand new necklace, bracelet, ring or set of earrings for special occasions only, or suitable to be worn everyday, there are certain steps that you can follow to protect the condition of your jewellery.

Protect your jewellery

Jewellery will most likely have been gifted to you already in a jewellery box; it’s a wonderful way to present jewellery in it’s best light before being worn. It’s well worth keeping hold of the box that your jewellery came in as it’s the perfect way to store your jewellery when you’re not wearing it. If you have a jewellery box, your treasured pieces should be stored in there for safe keeping. Leaving unworn jewellery lying around can make them prone to becoming misplaced and even damaged! So a perfect way to protect your jewellery in the first instance is to put them back into a gift box or jewellery box when you’re not wearing the piece.

How to clean your jewellery

Cleaning jewellery is often such an overlooked process that can greatly improve the look of your favourite pieces. Taking care of your new jewellery is key to keeping it looking beautiful and in it’s best condition. A buildup of grime or tarnished appearance can really ruin the finish of a ring for example. There are many chemical jewellery cleaners on the market that can work well for a deep clean once a year, but for regular top ups to keep the shine going on your new jewellery, there are many homemade options. So, what is the best way to clean your jewellery at home?

Gold

Did you know that a splash of beer can work wonders to clean your gold jewellery? Use beer of any kind on a soft cloth to rub gently over a plain gold piece of jewellery to get the shine back, then use a second cloth to dry and polish. Another way to clean gold jewellery is simply to create a solution of washing up liquid with soda water (for the extra fizz) as the carbonation will help remove accumulated dirt. Allow the gold jewellery to soak in the solution for 15 minutes. An old toothbrush works well to get into those jewellery items with intricate openwork and detailed crevices. Rinse the jewellery through with warm gently running water before blot drying or leaving to air dry.

Silver

If your plain silver bracelet or silver ring is looking a bit worse for wear after weeks of constant love and attention, simply take the humble bottle of ketchup and ‘soak’ the silver jewellery in a small bowl of it. Don’t leave the jewellery in the ketchup for too long as the acidic elements of the condiment may affect the jewellery – be sure to remove, clean and dry after a couple of minutes. Return to your kitchen cupboard for even more silver jewellery cleaning options as you can also use old fashioned baking soda to clean jewellery! Create a thick paste of baking soda with a mix of water and apply to the jewellery with a damp sponge before gently rubbing then rinsing. Buff dry

Gemstones

Be aware that gemstone jewellery should probably not be submerged in warm or hot water for too long as it could loosen the setting. Also, if exposed to thorough brushing when cleaning, it could also loosen the gemstones can cause them to fall out – treat gemstone jewellery with extra care! Use warm soapy water on a cloth to rub against the gemstone in order to remove any layer of buildup, then simply wipe dry to bring some life back into the stone.

Cleaning diamonds

If your other half chose the Christmas period to propose, then your new diamond ring will no doubt be your pride and joy! Such a beautiful symbol of love deserves to be looked after properly, and we recommend treating your diamond engagement ring to a good clean at home whenever the metal or stone begins to dull. If you’ve got a mixture of gemstones with your diamond engagement ring, such as stunning emeralds or opals, then seek advice from a professional jeweller as they may require specialist cleaning solutions.

If you wish to add to your jewellery collection with a brand new piece of stunning jewellery, our collections of rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets for men and women here at Hillier Jewellers is a great place to start your journey!