If you are a lover of jewellery then you will want to know the quick and easy way to maintain it and make sure it continues to be as pristine as the day it was bought. Keep reading for some easy advice on how to care for your necklaces, bracelets and rings.
The fact of the matter is, all jewellery will deteriorate from wear and tear over its lifetime. Unfortunately it's an inescapable reality. However, it's still possible to substantially reduce this damage. The main thing is to restrict when and where you decide to wear your jewellery. Firstly, you need to take off necklaces, rings and bracelets prior to sleeping. This is because we all move about in our sleep, even if we aren't aware of it. And the more you toss and turn the greater the chance of marking your jewellery. On top of this, did you know that sweat is known to cause discoloration of key metals? This is the number one reason why it's best to avoid wearing metal jewellery while playing sport. A number of other chemicals that you need to keep separate from your jewellery are found in nail polish remover, perfume and hair spray.
Now let's have a look at oxidised metals. They have become increasingly popular to use in jewellery-making. These metals have been specially treated so that they take on a darkened appearance. This means that you need to take special precautions to avoid ruining the oxidation process. For instance, you should never be tempted to wear oxidised jewellery in the swimming pool. This also applies to gold and silver as the chlorine can do untold damage. You should also avoid silver polish when cleaning your oxidised jewellery because this can weaken its dark appearance.
Of course there is a lot of jewellery that is not made of oxidised metal. For these pieces you will want to take care to avoid oxidation occurring. Vinegar, air pollution and even some varieties of rubber can include sulphur compounds. These compounds can sometimes react when exposed to silver jewellery and this could encourage oxidation. Remember, oxidation triggers tarnishing and discolouration in metal.
It is possible to strip away tarnish through the use of polishing liquid designed for silver. But such agents should be applied sparingly as many available on the market are abrasive. Therefore, it is possible that too much silver polish could harm your jewellery even more. As an alternative, just try a silver polishing cloth for silver for day-to-day cleaning. To get rid of dirt, try soapy lukewarm water. And don't forget that the humble toothbrush is fantastic and getting into little nooks and crannies!
And lastly, it's worth noting that more pure metals are less scratch proof due to their softness. Low purity metals are mixed with a larger balance of alloys. This renders them firmer and more solid. This is why you should never wear gold jewellery next to cheaper metals. Gold is very pure and therefore very prone to scratching.
The fact of the matter is, all jewellery will deteriorate from wear and tear over its lifetime. Unfortunately it's an inescapable reality. However, it's still possible to substantially reduce this damage. The main thing is to restrict when and where you decide to wear your jewellery. Firstly, you need to take off necklaces, rings and bracelets prior to sleeping. This is because we all move about in our sleep, even if we aren't aware of it. And the more you toss and turn the greater the chance of marking your jewellery. On top of this, did you know that sweat is known to cause discoloration of key metals? This is the number one reason why it's best to avoid wearing metal jewellery while playing sport. A number of other chemicals that you need to keep separate from your jewellery are found in nail polish remover, perfume and hair spray.
Now let's have a look at oxidised metals. They have become increasingly popular to use in jewellery-making. These metals have been specially treated so that they take on a darkened appearance. This means that you need to take special precautions to avoid ruining the oxidation process. For instance, you should never be tempted to wear oxidised jewellery in the swimming pool. This also applies to gold and silver as the chlorine can do untold damage. You should also avoid silver polish when cleaning your oxidised jewellery because this can weaken its dark appearance.
Of course there is a lot of jewellery that is not made of oxidised metal. For these pieces you will want to take care to avoid oxidation occurring. Vinegar, air pollution and even some varieties of rubber can include sulphur compounds. These compounds can sometimes react when exposed to silver jewellery and this could encourage oxidation. Remember, oxidation triggers tarnishing and discolouration in metal.
It is possible to strip away tarnish through the use of polishing liquid designed for silver. But such agents should be applied sparingly as many available on the market are abrasive. Therefore, it is possible that too much silver polish could harm your jewellery even more. As an alternative, just try a silver polishing cloth for silver for day-to-day cleaning. To get rid of dirt, try soapy lukewarm water. And don't forget that the humble toothbrush is fantastic and getting into little nooks and crannies!
And lastly, it's worth noting that more pure metals are less scratch proof due to their softness. Low purity metals are mixed with a larger balance of alloys. This renders them firmer and more solid. This is why you should never wear gold jewellery next to cheaper metals. Gold is very pure and therefore very prone to scratching.
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