Keeping your jewellery looking bright and beautiful doesn’t have to be time-consuming. There are a few simple steps you can take to prevent tarnishing and keep your jewellery as sparkly as the day you bought it.
Keep a regular cleaning schedule
Regular at-home cleaning can be done with just three things - washing up liquid, a soft toothbrush, and a lint-free cloth. Think of it like a spa day for your jewellery. Start by filling a bowl with tepid water and a squirt of washing-up liquid, place the piece in the water and leave it to soak for around 20 minutes. Next, use a soft toothbrush to gently brush the underside of the piece; if you’re cleaning a ring this will be the part where the stone is set in the band. This step helps clean away any debris or dirt that may have got trapped in the setting. After gently cleaning, rinse the piece in cold water before drying it with a lint-free cloth. You’ll be shocked at the results!
At Sophia Perez Jewellery we recommend keeping annual cleaning appointments on top of your regular at-home cleaning, which is why they’re included in our complimentary aftercare. These appointments give your jewellery a deeper clean by getting in the hard-to-reach places you can’t access at home, keeping your stones looking as gorgeous as the day you took them home.
Keep jewellery away from chemicals
If you do one thing for your jewellery it should be to take it off whenever you’re using chemicals as they can cause tarnishing on the metal and damage the gem. A top tip is to wear gloves whenever you’re cleaning as the harsh chemicals can be particularly damaging to jewellery.
Beauty products such as cleansers, SPFs, and moisturisers are great for your skin but less so for your jewellery. It’s best to remove the piece whenever using them as they can cause your piece to get clogged up and lose its shine. Other products such as perfume and hairspray are also best kept away from jewellery as they can also cause damage.
If you’re not sure, it’s best to remove the piece and store it safely away.
Other things to look out for
Making sure you get the right fit initially will help minimise any future issues. When sizing for a ring it shouldn’t dig in or be at risk of falling off, but bear in mind that your fingers may swell and shrink depending on the temperature. Use a ring sizer to get the correct size and talk to your jeweller if you’re not sure.
Minimising metal-on-metal contact is important, so if you’re taking a trip to the gym remove your jewellery. This is especially important for rings which can bend, break, or scratch, particularly if you’re using weights and weight machines. If you think your ring has lost its shape, get in contact as soon as possible.
Choosing the right stone is a big decision for any piece of jewellery so it’s important to keep an eye on them to make sure they’re not loose. If you can hear or feel any rattling it’s a sign the stone is loose and you should get in contact for a repair. Checking for loose stones is included in all SPJ annual check-ups.
Aftercare is part of the SPJ experience
All SPJ pieces include extensive aftercare to keep them looking good as new. During annual check-ups, we check for scratches, loose stones, and other issues, correcting them as we find them. Every piece comes in it’s own beautiful box to keep it safe and sound.
If you’d like to know more, get in touch.