CLEANING YOUR JEWELLERY

Gold, platinum and gemstones all become dirty appearing dull and lifeless due to accumulation of natural skin oils, lotions, cosmetics and other surface-adhering substances. All of your jewellery will benefit from being wiped with a soft, slightly damp cloth after you take it off at the end of the day; especially pieces with coloured gemstones and diamonds. This simple act is sufficient to remove the majority of buildup and keep your precious metals and gemstones lustrous.

Most jewellery can be cleaned at home using a very soft tooth brush in a bowl of warm water with a drop of mild dish soap. Dawn is a perfect mild grease-cutting choice. If needed, you can let it soak for a few hours to remove stubborn dirt. A pulsed-water dental cleaning appliance is also effective on hard to remove dirt. Once cleaned, rinse the item thoroughly under warm water, giving it another light brush to remove residue and pat it dry with a soft, lint-free cloth. A microfiber polishing cloth, like that used for eyeglasses, is ideal. Remember to put the stopper in the sink beforehand or use a wire strainer since you risk losing a gemstone or the entire piece of jewellery rinsing directly in the sink.

Never use toothpaste to clean jewellery. Toothpaste contains fluoride which readily damages the alloys in your gold as well as delicate gemstones. It also does a mediocre job at best of cleaning jewellery so it is never worth the risk.

Mineral gemstones that respond well to this manner of cleaning are: diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, aquamarine, citrine, garnet, heliodor, jadeite, kunzite, lapis lazuli, peridot, tanzanite, topaz, tourmaline, and zircon. Organic and opaque porous gemstones such as pearl, ivory, lapis lazuli and turquoise can be damaged by mild soap and these are best cleaned by wiping with a soft damp cloth followed by a soft dry cloth.

When cleaning any jewellery by any means the best policy is "when in doubt, leave it out" and ask an expert. We are happy to advise you at any time. Additional information on specific gemstones is provided under the Gemstones advice.

Ideally you should clean your jewellery at home every month to keep it pristine for its lifetime and have it professionally cleaned once a year.

DIAMONDS

Diamonds love grease, easily developing buildup from natural oils on the skin. Fortunately, they are able to stand up to frequent cleaning. Diamonds are the hardest known natural material and they are also phenomenal heat conductors so if your diamond jewellery is platinum it can be cleaned most effectively in a small dish with a mixture of 1/3 household ammonia and 2/3 boiling water. Drop it in and leave it until it cools and brush it with a soft brush. If you are opposed to ammonia you can also do this with mild dish soap or a household detergent and in this case it is safe for gold mountings as well. Do not use ammonia on gold as it can be damaging to the alloy. Boiling water can only be used on diamond; do not use this method if your diamonds are combined with other gemstones. Commercial jewellery cleaning solutions are also safe for diamond but the boiling water method is most effective on grease.

PEARLS

Skin produces acids that can harm your pearls; over time the pearls gradually absorb the acid which eats away at the organic nacre causing your pearls to lose their lustre. To prevent this, it is recommended you wipe them down with a soft cloth after every wear. Pearls worn often should be restrung once a year to prevent build up on the silk thread from entering the pearl through the drill hole and accelerating damage.

Soft gems, such as pearls are easily scratched so you should never use toothbrushes or any other abrasive materials on pearls. Pearl necklaces and bracelets should be laid on a soft cloth and gently cleaned with a new, clean makeup brush and warm water. If there is some persistent material adhered to the pearl's surface you can use a tiny amount of mild dish soap which you should rinse off immediately. When cleaning, pay particular attention to the areas of the drill holes because foreign matter retained here can cause irreversible damage by deteriorating the organic nacre resulting in discolouration and loss of lustre. Do not immerse a pearl strand in water as it stretches the silk thread and the pearls will become loose. When wiping the pearls dry do not pull on the silk thread. The best idea is to roll them gently on a dry cloth and leave them lying flat to finish air drying. Do not touch your strand until it is completely dry because the weight of the pearls on a wet silk thread will readily stretch it out.

Pearls are easily damaged by chemicals and heat. Never use ultrasonic cleaners, detergents, baking soda or ammonia based cleaners.

ULTRASONIC CLEANERS

Professional jewellers routinely use ultrasonic cleaners and although you can buy one for home use, I don't recommend it unless you are buying it solely to clean diamond jewellery. This type of cleaning is best left to professionals educated in how and when to use an ultrasonic cleaner safely. Mistakes can be costly and there are too many exceptions to note. In general, never clean in an ultrasonic: any gemstone with surface-reaching breaks that have been filled with a substance such as oil, resin or a glass-like material, notably emeralds; organic gem materials; gems coated with non-permanent substances like plastic or wax; some heat-treated gemstones; and all gemstones that are susceptible to heat and temperature changes whether they are treated or not, such as tanzanite, iolite, kunzite, topaz and zircon. Also be aware that the vibration sometimes shakes gemstones loose in their settings or chips gemstones that are set close together if the girdles touch. Always clean one item at a time and check for loose stones.

SEE THE PROFESSIONALS

Intricate pieces and those made of more delicate materials and gems will require a specialist's touch. Even with regular home cleaning, the jewellery you wear most often should have an annual cleaning and professional polishing. We can help you keep any of your pieces as beautiful as the day you first wore it. This also gives us an opportunity to check for damage to prevent unexpected issues.

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