Jewellery is one of the most favourite and cherished accessories. Knowing how to care for and protect your precious jewellery can make a world of difference in sustaining its beauty and preserving your heirlooms for generations to come.

Be careful with light and heat

Just as the sun’s deleterious rays can hurt our skin, light and heat can influence a coloured gemstone’s endurance and colour. Over time, and in excess, they can also fade or hurt some gemstones like amethyst, kunzite, topaz and shell cameos. Pearls and other fragile materials such as ivory will whiten under intense exposure to light. Other gems, especially amber, can blacken over time when exposed to too much light.

Extreme heat and abrupt temperature changes may also break some jewellery. Heat can simply eliminate the natural moisture these gems need to preserve their beauty. Opals can whiten or darken, develop tiny fractures, and lose their play of colour.

Keep your jewellery away from chemicals

Exposure to chemicals can harm or discolour valuable metals – gold, silver and platinum – and may damage some coloured gems. Even everyday materials like hairspray, lotion, perfume or other makeups can hold chemicals that will perennially harm the surface of your pearls and other fine or permeable gems. Delicate jewellery should be taken off before diving into a chlorinated swimming pool or before utilizing household cleaners. Many of these cleaners contain ammonia, which can be too harsh for fine gems or high-quality jewellery. Chlorine bleach, another common household solvent, can pit or harm gold alloys.

Give treated gems special care

Many coloured gemstones are usually treated to enhance their colour and clarity. These treatments can be adversely influenced by heat, solvents, steam and ultrasonic cleaners. Understanding whether your gem has been treated is the first step to knowing how to care for it.

Use ultrasonic cleaners cautiously

While you can buy a professional ultrasonic cleaner for $150 or less, you should be cautious that not all gems and jewellery can be efficiently cleaned in it.

Ultrasonic cleaners should not be used to clean:

• Gemstones with surface-reaching fractures that have been filled with a substance such as oil, resin or a glass-like substance
• Organic gem substances like pearls, coral, ivory, or amber
• Gems that have been covered with a temporary substance like plastic or wax
• Some heat-treated gemstones
• Gems that are vulnerable to heat and temperature fluctuations whether they are treated or not. Some of these precious stones include tanzanite, feldspar (sunstone and moonstone), fluorite, iolite, kunzite, lapis lazuli, malachite, opal, topaz, turquoise, zircon and others

What’s more, the vibration produced by the machine can sometimes shake gems loose or break gems that are set with their girdles touching.

This type of cleaning is best for jewellery experts who know about various gem materials and perceive when and how to use the ultrasonic cleaner safely.

The safest cleaning methods are also the easiest

Most coloured precious stones can be cleaned with warm water, mild dish soap (no detergents) and a soft brush. A pulsed-water dental cleaning appliance and a soft, lint-free cloth can also be utilized. Make sure to clean your jewellery in a glass of water to take off cleaning solutions since you risk losing loose stones – or even a whole piece of jewellery – if you clean with water directly in the sink.

Soft gems, such as pearls, on the other hand, can simply get scratched. Employ a new, clean makeup brush and warm, soapy water to gently cleanse them. Put a strand of pearls on a towel to dry. The wet silk thread can stretch − and attract dirt − so don’t touch your strand until it is entirely dry. Pearls worn often should be restrung every year.

Safely store your jewellery

Correct jewellery storage is often ignored. Jewellery should never be thrown into a drawer or on top of a dresser − that’s asking for scratches and harmed gems.

Most jewellery pieces are delivered in a box or pouch from the store, which is a great place to keep them. Sterling silver, for example, should be stored in an anti-tarnish bag or cloth.

Pearls and opals attract moisture from the air, so keeping your opal or pearl jewellery in a dry area, such as a safe deposit box, can sometimes do more harm than good.

When travelling, save your jewellery pieces from scratches or other harm by putting them in a separate box or case. Many jewellery stores present free check-ups or professional cleaning at planned intervals. Jewellery should be examined every six months and cleaned regularly. Search for a jeweller with professional training and a good reputation. Asking friends or relatives for suggestions is a good place to begin.