January is such a fun month because it’s the month of NEW! New year, new resolutions, and, if you’re lucky like we are, new jewelry. We are enjoying showing off our holiday presents and having a blast sparkling in our new accessories.
With great accessories comes great responsibility: to keep those gems shining, it’s important to regularly clean your jewelry. Dickinson Jewelers wanted to share tips to keep four of the most popular jewelry styles looking as beautiful as the day you got them.
Diamonds are everyone’s best friend! That’s why the Gemological Institute of America has all sorts of handy ideas to keep your diamonds sparkling. GIA recommends cleaning your diamond weekly by soaking it in a household cleaner with ammonia, such as a window cleaner. Be sure your cleaner doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals. Bleach and toothpaste are not good substitutes. Leaving your diamond in this solution overnight will gently loosen any dirt. Using a soft toothbrush especially designated for this purpose, clean any excess dirt or oils. You’ll want to pay special attention to the back of the gem, where oils from your skin naturally tend to collect. We highly recommend cleaning jewelry away from sinks because it’s oh-so-easy for your ring to go on an adventure down the pipes.
There are a couple of caveats to this cleaning plan, though. First, be aware that diamonds are the hardest gem, so this technique might not be safe for other stones. You’ll also want to be mindful of antique jewelry and other fragile settings because the metals might scratch easily. Finally, it’s important to have your jewelry inspected before starting a cleaning routine to be sure the diamond can’t work its way loose. Our jewelers are always happy to help with this!
Pearls are beautiful, but when it comes to their toughness, they’re pretty much the opposite of diamonds. Pearls require some very specialized care because they are so delicate.
It’s very important never to use diamond cleaning techniques with pearls. Pearls can easily be damaged by chemicals like ammonia or vinegar, and they react very poorly to ultrasonic jewelry cleaning tools. Instead, consider using soft cloths to remove body oils from them each time you wear them. A fun thing about pearls is that the more you wear them, the longer they stay shiny, so don’t be afraid to wear them daily!
If you feel that your pearls are yellowing or look dingy (perhaps they were an heirloom gift), bring them to Dickinson Jewelers to have them professionally cleaned. Because pearls are so delicate, prevention is your first line of defense; when it’s time for a deep clean, we highly recommend leaving it to us.
Many beautiful pieces of jewelry have silver settings. If you’ve ever had to help Grandma get the china service out for a fancy meal, you definitely are aware that silver can tarnish! The gold standard (or silver standard, as the case might be) to cleaning silver jewelry is to use silver jewelry cleaner.
However, if you don’t have access to silver jewelry cleaner, you can use warm water and mild dish soap in a pinch. Once the soap suds up, let your jewelry soak in the solution for about five minutes before gently cleaning with a soft toothbrush and drying with a soft cloth. Another option is using specialized silver cleaning cloths, which are infused with a solution to help remove tarnish.
Unlike silver, gold jewelry doesn’t tarnish, but frequent wearing can cause it to look dull. Gold is a fairly soft metal, so it’s important to take care so you don’t scratch your precious jewelry. Again, the best way to care for gold jewelry is by using a specialized cleaner, but you can also use mild dish soap and warm water much how you would with silver. Gold likely will need to soak for longer (try 20 minutes) than silver, and it’s super important not to clean multiple pieces at once because gold can scratch easily.
Gold is very sensitive to harsh chemicals, so a great way to keep your jewelry looking cleaner longer is to remove it when you’re near household cleaners or in pools. If possible, keeping gold away from hairspray and lotions can also help it stay clean, but we know that’s easier said than done!
While routine maintenance can easily be done at home, Dickinson Jewelers can help you when your jewelry needs a deeper clean. We can check settings and prongs as well, and all work is done in store. Drop by our Dunkirk or Prince Frederick locations, and we’d be happy to help!
With great accessories comes great responsibility: to keep those gems shining, it’s important to regularly clean your jewelry. Dickinson Jewelers wanted to share tips to keep four of the most popular jewelry styles looking as beautiful as the day you got them.
Diamonds are everyone’s best friend! That’s why the Gemological Institute of America has all sorts of handy ideas to keep your diamonds sparkling. GIA recommends cleaning your diamond weekly by soaking it in a household cleaner with ammonia, such as a window cleaner. Be sure your cleaner doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals. Bleach and toothpaste are not good substitutes. Leaving your diamond in this solution overnight will gently loosen any dirt. Using a soft toothbrush especially designated for this purpose, clean any excess dirt or oils. You’ll want to pay special attention to the back of the gem, where oils from your skin naturally tend to collect. We highly recommend cleaning jewelry away from sinks because it’s oh-so-easy for your ring to go on an adventure down the pipes.
There are a couple of caveats to this cleaning plan, though. First, be aware that diamonds are the hardest gem, so this technique might not be safe for other stones. You’ll also want to be mindful of antique jewelry and other fragile settings because the metals might scratch easily. Finally, it’s important to have your jewelry inspected before starting a cleaning routine to be sure the diamond can’t work its way loose. Our jewelers are always happy to help with this!
Pearls are beautiful, but when it comes to their toughness, they’re pretty much the opposite of diamonds. Pearls require some very specialized care because they are so delicate.
It’s very important never to use diamond cleaning techniques with pearls. Pearls can easily be damaged by chemicals like ammonia or vinegar, and they react very poorly to ultrasonic jewelry cleaning tools. Instead, consider using soft cloths to remove body oils from them each time you wear them. A fun thing about pearls is that the more you wear them, the longer they stay shiny, so don’t be afraid to wear them daily!
If you feel that your pearls are yellowing or look dingy (perhaps they were an heirloom gift), bring them to Dickinson Jewelers to have them professionally cleaned. Because pearls are so delicate, prevention is your first line of defense; when it’s time for a deep clean, we highly recommend leaving it to us.
Many beautiful pieces of jewelry have silver settings. If you’ve ever had to help Grandma get the china service out for a fancy meal, you definitely are aware that silver can tarnish! The gold standard (or silver standard, as the case might be) to cleaning silver jewelry is to use silver jewelry cleaner.
However, if you don’t have access to silver jewelry cleaner, you can use warm water and mild dish soap in a pinch. Once the soap suds up, let your jewelry soak in the solution for about five minutes before gently cleaning with a soft toothbrush and drying with a soft cloth. Another option is using specialized silver cleaning cloths, which are infused with a solution to help remove tarnish.
Unlike silver, gold jewelry doesn’t tarnish, but frequent wearing can cause it to look dull. Gold is a fairly soft metal, so it’s important to take care so you don’t scratch your precious jewelry. Again, the best way to care for gold jewelry is by using a specialized cleaner, but you can also use mild dish soap and warm water much how you would with silver. Gold likely will need to soak for longer (try 20 minutes) than silver, and it’s super important not to clean multiple pieces at once because gold can scratch easily.
Gold is very sensitive to harsh chemicals, so a great way to keep your jewelry looking cleaner longer is to remove it when you’re near household cleaners or in pools. If possible, keeping gold away from hairspray and lotions can also help it stay clean, but we know that’s easier said than done!
While routine maintenance can easily be done at home, Dickinson Jewelers can help you when your jewelry needs a deeper clean. We can check settings and prongs as well, and all work is done in store. Drop by our Dunkirk or Prince Frederick locations, and we’d be happy to help!