Tidy Up Your Jewels

Well-loved jewelry often needs a deep yet gentle cleaning to get the dust of use out of the cracks to make it shine like new again. Depending on the piece, most jewelry can use a polish every one to three years. Rings with heavy use and durable stones, such as diamond engagement rings or wedding bands, may need to be cleaned every six months to a year. Earrings are likely to get spritzed and sprayed accidentally with hairspray or perfume that will build up surface residue and bacteria should be brought in yearly depending on use. Consider setting a standing appointment to clean your jewelry annually; the upkeep will be worth the rewards when you jewelry still looks good as new fifty years later.

Restore Your Heirlooms

Vintage jewelry requires special care when cleaning and polishing to avoid disturbing the patina that may have built up over decades. Fine filigree or patterns etched into the metal are easy to accidentally scratch off without proper care; accidental damage to vintage jewelry is sadly very common. When restoring your great-great grandmother's heirlooms to the height of their glory, don't settle for a mediocre job that will harm the piece and devalue the jewelry. Going to a jeweler you know and trust is essential to ensure you receive a quality cleaning that maintains the integrity of the piece.

Reset the Clock on your Jewelry

Fine jewelry is more versatile and customizable than generally known. Upgrading to a new engagement band but keeping the same brilliant diamond or replacing a cloudy sapphire with a clearer one are just two examples of how you can upgrade your jewelry by resetting your stones. By working with a knowledgeable jeweler and a beautiful selection of varying gemstones and settings, it's easy to enhance your fine jewelry. Modernizing old pieces, adding new details, and replacing gemstones make your old or inherited jewelry more wearable, giving you more enjoyment while maintaining what matters to you most.

A (New) String of Pearls

Even the most beautiful string of pearls will need to be restrung from time to time - as the necklace is worn, the pearls work with gravity to stretch the cord. When you start to see the unknotted string in your pearls, it's time to bring it in to be restrung. Pearls are strung on thin silk cord that breaks easily after a year or more of use. If you wear your pearls often, they should be restrung yearly; with less frequent wear they can last up to three years before the silk string starts to discolor and weaken. Prevent any unfortunate loss of pearls by being proactive in your jewelry care and set a yearly appointment with your jeweler to take care of your pearls and all your fine jewelry.