Taking Care of Diamonds and Gemstones
Here are a few suggestions to protect and maintain the beauty of your gemstones:
- Avoid collision and abrasion: Even though diamonds are less susceptible to damage than more delicate gemstones, it is ideal to avoid collision with hard surfaces and abrasion. Handle gemstone accessories
carefully to avoid chips or loss in shine. One should also check regularly if the gemstone is firmly mounted so any loosening can be dealt with swiftly. - Avoid high temperatures and contact with chemicals: Many mounted gemstones lose their colour when exposed to high temperatures or to sunlight for long periods of time. Contact with acidic or alkaline chemicals can also lead to a loss in colour, or worse, erosion and dissolution of the stone.
- Regular cleaning: Dust and oils can build up in accessories and reduce their shine. Accessories must be cleaned and conditioned regularly when they are not worn. Cleaning method: Prepare a bowl of warm water and add a few drops of neutral detergent. Dab a cotton bud or a small brush in the water, then gently cleanse the accessory. Leave it to dry in a well-ventilated area and its shine will be restored.
- Wear and store with care: When doing sports, showering or doing household chores, it is best to remove jewellery to avoid damage. When not wearing accessories, store them properly in a jewellery box. In storage, accessories should face upwards, and one should avoid keeping too many in one box to avoid abrasion and scratching.
Taking Care of Silver
Here are a few suggestions to protect and maintain the beauty of your silver accessories:
- Avoid direct contact with soap, cosmetics, perfume and skincare products, as these chemicals will dull the surface shine. Pool water and sea water will have a similar effect. Silver should be dried immediately after contact with water.
- Avoid direct contact with soap, cosmetics, perfume and skincare products, as these chemicals will dull the surface shine. Pool water and sea water will have a similar effect. Silver should be dried immediately after contact with water.
- Silver accessories should be stored independently in pouches or separately in a jewellery box to avoid scratches or damage from abrasion. Exposure to air should also be avoided to prevent oxidation.
- Silver is a very stable element, however, it does react to sulphur in the air, which produces black spots, therefore contact should be minimised.
Taking Care of Pearls
Pearls do lose their shine over time, and can yellow from contamination by grease and oils. Therefore proper care is indispensable. Here are a few suggestions to protect and maintain the beauty of pearls:
- Pearls are delicate, and abrasion with rough materials should be avoided.
- Pearls should not be in contact with sweat, vinegar or any acidic substances, as it will lead to erosion.
- Contact with perfume and hairspray should be avoided, as these chemicals can be easily absorbed by pearls and reduce their shine. Pearls should be worn only after cosmetics are applied.
- To maintain shine, pearls should be washed with water and cleaned with a soft towel, then left to dry in a well-ventilated area before storing properly.