--by Kirsten Houseknecht

(Part Two: Caring for Your Jewelry)

Always find out how to clean the piece you are considering. Many people permanently damage jewelry by cleaning it inappropri-ately. The main cause of damage is exposure to cleaners and polishes, followed by inappropriate use of a sonic cleaner. The third cause of damage to most jewelry is wear or use damage, which can be headed off by selecting the right jewelry for your activity level, and taking simple precautions.

Cleaners and Polishes must only be used in accordance with their directions! If a cleaner says ‘use on silver’ then do not use it on any item containing anything but silver! If a label says safe for use on precious stones, without details, then assume it may safely be used only on untreated, natural, Diamonds or Corundum (Sapphire or Ruby), which are among the toughest of stones. If the label says not for use on delicate jewelry, or not for use on Pearls, then do not use it on Pearls, Amber, Opals, Turquoise or any other sensitive stone. . I use a polishing cloth, instead of liquid, to clean my stone set silver jewelry, since that way I can keep the polish away from the stone. When I do need to use a silver cleaning liquid on my stone set rings (especially my amber rings), I apply it with a Q-Tip® so as to keep it on the silver, but away from the stone.

The best cleaners for your jewelry are usually plain water, and a dry, lint free cloth. If you wipe off your jewelry after you wear it, and store it properly, you won’t need to thoroughly clean it for quite some time

Sonic Cleaners are the most misused type of jewelry related item in existence. Most people have no idea of what they should, and should not, be used for. A solid metal ring (for example: a solid worked silver ring, with no stone) may readily be cleaned in a sonic cleaner, but if you place some gems in a sonic cleaner you risk shattering them. If the metal is plated, or painted, then a sonic cleaner may cause it to flake or chip. The following stones should never be placed in a sonic cleaner: Pearls, Coral, Amber, Jet, Opal, Lapis, Emerald, and any stone with inclu-sions. Basically the only gems that I would put in a sonic cleaner are diamonds, and members of the Corundum family (Sap-phires and Rubies), but you could probably get away with a few more than that. Sonic cleaners are excellent, however, for cleaning detailed pieces of worked silver or gold. Never take anyone’s word that you can put a particular piece in a sonic cleaner, always look up the facts in a reputable gem book! (Especially do not take the word of poorly trained salespeople who sell sonic cleaners)

Proper Storage of your jewelry will go a long way toward keeping it looking new. The first point to consider is tarnish prevention, as you will not have to worry about tarnish removers if you can prevent tarnish from forming. The second point to consider is scratching or damage while in storage. A minor point that is often overlooked in storing jewelry is light; remember that many stones are light sensitive, and should be stored in the dark.

Jewelry should be stored in containers that prevent, or at least do not cause, tarnish. Cardboard boxes are NOT a good storage option, as the chemicals in most cardboard actually cause tarnish. If you need to keep your jewelry in cardboard, then first place your clean dry jewelry in a sealed plastic bag, and then in the box. There are also “anti-tarnish strips” that help to absorb harmful chemicals from the air and keep your jewelry bright and shiny while in storage.

Scratching and other damage can be reduced immensely if each piece is pre-vented from rubbing against other jewelry. A jumble of rings in a dish may be pretty, but the stones will rub and scratch each other, and even plain silver bands will wear as the rings rub together. Each piece of jewelry should be separated, and appropri-ately padded, to keep it looking new, and prevent damage.

Of course you can magically protect your jewelry at the same time! Wrapping your jewelry in silk is a traditional protection.

(to be continued next issue)

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