How to Care for Your Jewellery and Keep It Beautiful

Fine jewellery is made to last a lifetime, but only if it is cared for properly. The good news is that keeping your pieces in beautiful condition does not require expensive products or specialist equipment. It just requires a few consistent habits.

The Everyday Rules

The single most effective thing you can do for your jewellery is to know when to take it off. Remove jewellery before swimming both the chlorine in pools and the salt in the ocean are corrosive to metals and can damage certain gemstones over time. Take pieces off before exercising, cleaning the house, gardening, or applying sunscreen and moisturiser. Skin products build up inside settings and under stones, dulling brilliance and potentially weakening adhesives in older pieces.

A simple rule that works well: jewellery goes on last when getting ready and comes off first when you get home.

Cleaning Your Pieces at Home

For most gold and platinum jewellery set with diamonds, rubies, or sapphires, a gentle home clean is straightforward. Place the piece in a small bowl of warm (not hot) water with a drop of mild dish soap and let it soak for a few minutes. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently work around the setting, underneath the stone, and along any chain links. Rinse thoroughly under clean running water and dry completely with a soft lint-free cloth.

Avoid toothpaste, it is abrasive and will leave fine scratches on metal surfaces. Bleach and household cleaning products are also harmful, particularly to gold alloys. Paper towels and tissues can cause micro-scratches; always use a soft cloth.

Stones That Need Special Attention

Not every gemstone can be cleaned the same way. Pearls, opals, emeralds, and turquoise are all porous or sensitive to chemicals and temperature changes. These should be wiped gently with a slightly damp soft cloth only never soaked, never cleaned with products, never put in an ultrasonic cleaner. When in doubt, bring the piece to your jeweller rather than risk damaging a stone that cannot be replaced.

Smart Storage

Store pieces individually, jewellery stored loose together will scratch. Individual pouches, a lined jewellery box with separate compartments, or small zip-lock bags all work well. Keep silver in airtight storage to slow tarnishing and add an anti-tarnish strip if pieces will be stored for an extended period. Avoid the bathroom for long-term storage; the fluctuating humidity accelerates tarnishing in silver and can loosen settings in older pieces.

When to See Your Jeweller

Even well-maintained jewellery benefits from a professional clean and check once a year. A jeweller will clean areas a toothbrush cannot reach, check that prongs are secure, and identify any wear before it becomes a problem. If a stone ever feels or looks slightly loose, do not wait, bring it in immediately. A loose stone is at serious risk of being lost, and the repair is always simpler and less expensive than replacing a missing gem.