5 Tips to Keep Your Jewelry Looking New

A Guide to Proper Care and Maintenance

W.R. Metalarts specializes in creating stunning and meaningful jewelry designed to withstand the rigors of daily wear and last lifetimes. Even the most durable jewelry requires proper care to maintain its quality and appearance over time. With a little extra attention, you can preserve your treasured pieces’ beauty and brilliance for years to come. In this blog post, we will share our expert tips to help you clean, protect, and care for your special jewelry.

Tip #1: Keep your jewelry clean!

To keep your jewelry looking its best, it is essential to keep it clean. Oils, dirt, and residue can build up on your jewelry, which diminishes your jewelry’s sparkle, and may even damage or discolor some gemstones over time. We recommend deep cleaning your jewelry once a month using a gentle jewelry cleaner or mild dish soap and a soft-bristled brush. These monthly cleaning sessions are also a great time to check your jewelry for any loose stone settings or other visible damage.

Looking for more information? Click here for a step-by-step jewelry cleaning guide! 

Tip #2: Protect jewelry from chemicals, lotions, and perfumes

Avoid exposing your jewelry to harsh chemicals, including household cleaners and chlorinated pools, which can damage or discolor gemstones and precious metals. Remove jewelry or wear gloves when cleaning and handling acids and other chemicals. Even some skin products contain potentially harmful chemicals, so it is best to take jewelry off when applying lotions or perfumes and wait until the skin is dry to put the jewelry back on. Certain porous and softer stones, like pearls and opals, are especially sensitive to chemicals and are more likely to be damaged if exposed to these substances.

Tip #3: Avoid impacts

Your jewelry can also be damaged by impacts. It is important to avoid wearing your jewelry in situations where it may be bumped or hit. Minimize the risk of accidental scratches, distortions, and other damage by removing your jewelry before participating in high-impact activities, including rock climbing, exercising, gardening, working with tools, or fighting zombies. Store individual pieces separately to prevent scuffs and scrapes.

Tip #4: Safely store your jewelry:

When you are not wearing your jewelry, it is important to store it safely. For longer term storage, it is best to store each piece of jewelry in a jewelry box or a soft pouch by itself. This will help to prevent your jewelry from getting scratched or damaged.

If you follow all of our previous tips, you’re going to need temporary storage too. Keeping small bowls close to the places where you typically remove your rings — like the kitchen sink or an exercise area — provide convenient and safe short-term storage, and may also serve as a helpful little reminder to remove your rings before washing the dishes or powerlifting. 

Our wooden ring boxes make excellent storage, both at home and on the go!

Tip #5: Insure your jewelry

Accidents happen! Protect your investment by insuring your special jewelry against loss or damage. You may be able to add your jewelry to an existing insurance policy or consider choosing a jewelry-specific policy, which may offer additional coverage for ring repairs or stone replacements. Reach out to us at studio@wrmetalarts.com if you’d like more info on jewelry insurance. W.R. Metalarts is happy to provide all the documentation you need to ensure you are fully covered. 

Summary

In conclusion, caring for your jewelry is crucial to maintaining its appearance, preserving its sentimental significance, and protecting its value. Proper care and maintenance can also prevent costly repairs and ensure the safety of any gemstones or diamonds. By following these tips, you can ensure that your jewelry stays in excellent condition for years to come!