Care Guide
The beauty of vintage and preloved jewelry is in its history, its lived-in quality, including wear and tear; the weathered nature of each piece makes it unique and special. But it is also important to care for your pieces so that generations to follow may wear them as well. And take it from someone who has cleaned a lot of vintage jewelry and learned the hard way: there is a right to go about it. Cleaned gently using the right method, your jewelry will thank you for the love with sparkle and shine!
Tarninshing
All jewelry tarnishes over time, so don’t fret. Perfumes, lotions, cosmetics, hair products, and perspiration accelerate the process. Gold takes on a darker coloration (however, the higher the carat the less likely it is to tarnish), and silver naturally oxidizes over time. The best way to prevent tarnishing is to store jewelry in a pouch or bag and polish it regularly with a soft cloth.
Cleaning Gold
As mentioned above, gold does not tarnish easily. But to restore luster, a solution of warm water mixed with a few drops of dish soap does the trick. Allow the jewelry to soak in the solution for up to ten minutes. Then gently scrub the jewelry with a soft bristle brush (a soft toothbrush will do). Rinse each piece with warm running water and pat dry with a soft cloth.
Cleaning Silver
Most tarnish can be removed from solid silver with a silver polishing cloth. Alternatively, you could make a baking soda paste. Mix three parts baking soda with one part water to form a paste. Apply the paste with a soft cotton cloth and gently rub along the silver grain. Wash with soapy water then buff dry with a soft cloth.
Jewelry set with Gemstones
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz, Jade
These gems are higher on the Mohs scale of hardness. This means that they are more durable and less porous. Soak in dish soap solution for a few minutes, use a soft brush to clean, then rinse and pat dry.
Emerald, Amethyst, Citrine, Onyx, Spinel, Aquamarine
Use the same method as above, but instead of soaking, dip the brush in the dish soap solution and gently scrub clean. Rinse and pat dry.
Opal, Turquoise, Amber, Lapis, Coral, Malachite
All of these are porous gems and natural stones that require a little extra special attention. The safest way to clean them is to dip a soft microfibre cloth in water and gently polish them clean. Do not submerge them in water or allow them to get overly wet.
Pearls
Cultured pearls are delicate and require proper care. After every wear, wipe your pearls with a soft cloth. If they are not wiped after wearing them, the residue from skin contact can damage them. If the pearls are visibly stained, you can dip a soft cloth in dish soap solution and wipe the pearls. Do not submerge pearls in water as it will weaken the silk onto which they are threaded.
Disclaimer
It needs to be mentioned that this is just my cleaning advice, which means that it is just what works best for me. Each piece of jewelry is unique and needs to be taken care of in a specific way. Before cleaning anything, make sure to look over your piece for damage or loose stones. And if you are unsure how to proceed, if your piece is very fragile and old, or if the gems are foil-back, take it to a professional! They will be able to clean it for you and tell you how to take care of your one-of-a-kind piece.