Caring for your Jewelry

You’ve found the perfect piece of jewelry! Now you need to take care of it so that you will be able to enjoy it for many years to come. Here are some helpful hints and suggestions on the care of metal, gemstone, pearl and glass jewelry.

• Store jewelry separately so it doesn’t scratch other jewelry
• When doing household tasks such as gardening and cleaning, be certain to remove rings
• Never wear jewelry while swimming in a swimming pool; the chlorine can cause damage to various gemstones and gold. Gemstones may become loose in their settings and fall out.
• Avoid storing your jewelry next to a heating vent, on a window sill or on a car dashboard
• Store jewelry away from sunlight as the sun may fade the gemstones
• Always store bead necklaces (such as pearls, lapis, etc.) flat, as silk stretches over time
• Storing silver pieces in a zipped plastic bag will lessen the tarnishing. Never store pearls in a plastic bag.

joolz by Anat Basanta Silver
Polish your silver jewelry using a cloth designed for that purpose. Rubbing with a paper towel or tissue can cause scratches to the metal.

Gold and Platinum
For routine cleaning, dip in sudsy water. If your piece is not pure gold, it contains alloy metals that may tarnish. If that happens, add a few drops of ammonia to your solution and brush gently with an eye shadow brush.

Glass
JOOLZ carries a lot of glass jewelry. We love it! Warm, sudsy water with a few drops of ammonia should keep it sparkling. Be sure to rinse it well and pat it dry with a soft cloth.

joolz by Jane Barthelemy

Pearls
Whether real, cultured or faux, pearls are fragile and lose their luster easily. Makeup, perfume and hairspray can harm your pearls. Remember that pearls are “last on, first off.”

Never immerse your pearls, because the string will get wet. Wipe pearls with a soft, moist cloth after each wearing, to rid the surfaces of any cosmetic residue and oils from your skin. For a more thorough cleaning, dip an eye shadow brush in a mix of mild soap and warm water, then work it around your pearls. Wipe them with a wet cloth and lay the strand flat to dry to prevent the string from stretching.

Diamonds
Soak your diamonds in a solution of two parts warm water and one part ammonia for several minutes. Scrub with a baby’s toothbrush to loosen any dirt; rinse and pat dry. Hand lotions and soaps can make diamonds look dull.

Store your diamonds individually. These gems are so hard they can scratch or crack if knocked together in a box. Separate them from other stones in a soft pouch or a little box.

Sapphire, Ruby, Amethyst, Peridot and Tanzanite
Immerse them separately, to avoid scratching, in a mixture of warm water and mild, softener-free dishwashing liquid. With a baby’s toothbrush, scrub the stone gently, rinse and dry.

As a cleaner, Ivory is better than Dawn. Whatever cleaner you use, it shouldn’t contain aloe or vitamin E or be antibacterial. While these things are good for hands, they are bad for jewelry.

Emeralds
Dip your emeralds in room-temperature water (no soap) and brush gently with an eye shadow brush. Then let them air dry. Emeralds should never be cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner.

Opals
To clean opals, use a soft, soapy cloth, then rinse. Be extra careful when handling and storing opals, as they are prone to chipping. Opals need to absorb moisture from the air, otherwise they can crack. Keep them in a jewelry box that you open frequently, and not anyplace airtight, such as in a zipped plastic bag or in a safe-deposit box.

Turquoise
Wipe turquoise with a soft, dry cloth. Never use a cleanser – the porous stone could absorb the fluid and become discolored. You should clean turquoise frequently to maintain its color.

Ultrasonic Cleaners
These machines gently vibrate jewelry to loosen and remove dirt, but some stones are too delicate for the vibrations. Never clean pearls, opals, emeralds, turquoise, amber or any stones glued in their setting in an ultrasonic cleaner.