Tips For Caring For Vintage Jewellery
Vintage jewellery is exceptionally beautiful, impeccable quality, great value for money and sustainable, making it a very popular choice for many people adding to their jewellery collection. Another major benefit is that when it is looked after properly, it will become a family heirloom for generations and generations to enjoy. So, we are here to help make sure that you are caring for your vintage jewellery properly. Whether you have a vintage engagement ring, earrings or bracelets, we want to make sure that it remains in the best possible condition to be worn and loved for decades if not centuries.
Clean It Once A Month
The first tip to help prolong the life of your vintage jewellery is to clean it once a month. For pieces that you wear everyday, like engagement rings, you should be cleaning your jewellery once a month, to help make sure that any dirt or grime that could cause damage to settings and the metals is removed. This will also help to make sure that your jewellery remains bright and beautiful!
To do this, create a weak mixture of mild soap and warm water. Dip a very soft bristled toothbrush into the mixture and gently scrub the ring, making sure that you get in any settings to remove buildup. Be gentle around gemstones, and for those that are particularly delicate, wipe with a soft cloth as opposed to a toothbrush. Avoid submerging your jewellery as this can cause weaknesses, particularly more gentle gemstones like those in vintage emerald rings.
Once any dirt or dust is removed, rinse well and hang to dry for around 12 hours to make sure it is completely dry before putting it away. Make sure you don’t leave the jewellery laying down on a towel, as if the jewellery is sat in damp, it can cause it to rust. So, hang it on a jewellery rack to dry where possible.
Have It Professionally Cleaned
As well as cleaning it yourself, it is realy important that you have all of your vintage jewellery professionally cleaned once a year. If you have very delicate jewellery, like natural pearls, then you should only have them professionally cleaned. Ask your jeweller for advice on this when you purchase, so you make sure you are looking after it properly!
Not only does having your jewellery professionally cleaned give it a much deeper clean than you can safely do at home, but it gives the opportunity for any weaknesses to be identified, so that you can have any issues identified and fixed to prolong the life of your jewellery.
Store In A Room Temperature, Dry Place
Last but not least, you need to store your jewellery in a room temperature, dry place. If you keep jewellery in an environment that’s too hot or cold, it can have an impact on delicate jewellery. Additionally, any kind of moisture can be extremely damaging for jewellery over time. So, keep your jewellery out of direct sunlight in a dry room to prolong the life as much as possible!