Nationwide Jewellery Valuations – from the Guild of Valuers & Jewellers

Caring for your Jewellery

Caring for your precious jewellery is vital if you want to keep it looking its best.

You should make sure you have your best quality jewellery pieces cleaned and checked for any necessary repair work at least once a year by a professional jeweller. If the settings are worn or the stones are loose a repair will be cheaper than replacing a lost stone!

There are also a number of things you can do to care for your jewellery and protect it from wear and tear - take a look at our tips below for further advice.

General tips

Avoid getting hairspray or perfume on metals or pearls as they can become discoloured.
Try not to wear your jewellery when you are doing the housework or gardening – it is not designed for this kind of environment and is likely to suffer.
Always use dedicated jewellery cleaning products on your jewellery or seek advice from your jeweller before cleaning items.

Make sure you don’t use household chemicals near your jewellery.
Store jewellery in a soft-lined box or pouch - cotton wool should be avoided as it may catch on the jewellery and can cause corrosion in damp air.
Check your jewellery regularly for loose or rattling stones and talk to your jeweller about any necessary repairs.

Gold jewellery

Gold is a fairly soft metal and generally the higher the gold content the softer the piece, for example 22ct gold is likely to be softer than 9ct. Therefore it is recommended that you wear similar quality pieces together to avoid softer pieces becoming scratched.

Silver jewellery

Sterling silver will polish up with a soft cotton cloth. For more tarnished pieces speak to your jeweller about professional cleaning.
Store silver in sealed plastic bags - it will be less prone to the tarnishing caused by over exposure to light and air.

Gemset pieces

Don’t keep diamond pieces stored together – they are likely to scratch each other.
Some stones can be quite porous and you should therefore avoid immersing them in water for too long, e.g. opal and turquoise.
Some common stones can also be damaged by sunlight, including amethyst, aquamarine, beryl, citrine, rose quartz and smoky quartz. Take care to protect these stones from direct sunlight when they are not being worn.

Pearls & necklaces

If the string on a pearl or beaded necklace breaks take it to your jeweller for restringing.
Store pearls or beaded necklaces flat, preferably in a silk pouch.
If you are considering buying expensive pearls, choose a set that is knotted between the pearls - if the string breaks you will only lose one or two!