Best Ways to Clean and Shine Your Fine Jewelry

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fine-jewelry


Jewelry pieces made of silver, gold, platinum, or containing fine pieces such as diamonds, pearls, or different kinds of gemstone, last a lifetime if, of course, we take proper care of them. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings that we wear quite frequently tend to lose their original shine over time and show signs of wear and tear. By cleaning each piece with a proper method and solution, you’ll be able to restore the authentic gleam. If you’re unsure about the right cleaning methods, take a look at some tips for cleaning and taking care of your fine jewelry.


Shine Bright Like a Diamond

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Diamonds are the right match for the party-time. Everybody knows about the diamonds and how highly valued they are. Genuine diamonds are also called clarity-enhanced diamonds. And they can be distinguished from the other diamonds by tiny cracks that we can’t observe with a naked eye. Even though they are sturdy, they are also sensitive to cleaning. That’s why you should be very careful when cleaning them.


For example, typical jewelry cleaning solutions and ammonia can damage a fine diamond permanently. What happens, in this case, is that the solutions, as mentioned above, break down the resin and fill the cracks. When this happens, the diamond loses its shine forever. The best way to clean genuine diamonds is to use mild dish soap and gently polish them.


Gemstones Are Precious


There are many types of gemstones made of various raw materials like emeralds, rubies, sapphires, opal, and aquamarine, all of which require a different kind of cleaning. Remember, there are only two gemstones you can clean using hot water: diamonds and jade. So, one way to clean gemstones is by using a mild detergent or dish soap and cool water solution. Another way is to steam them. This method is suitable for gemstones such as rubies, sapphires, aquamarine, and alexandrite, among others.


After you finish steaming them, use a microfiber cloth for polishing. You can also buy specific fabrics for cleaning jewelry at your local jeweler. There is one more popular method, especially favorable if you own a lot of jewelry pieces. Getting an ultrasonic cleaner is a quick and safe way to clean and shine jewelry. It uses ultrasound in water/solution to get the dirt off your jewelry.


White Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold – Gold Is Inevitable

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As far as gold jewelry is concerned, regardless of the type – white, rose, or yellow – it is cleaned in the same way. One way to clean gold is to buy a commercial gold polisher and to use it to polish your gold pieces safely and quickly. A pro tip suggests that before you apply the polisher, you should remove any tarnish with a mixture of lukewarm water, dish soap and a few drops of ammonia, by letting the jewelry sit in the solution for a while. A final step would be polishing the pieces with a microfiber cloth. However, if the tarnish is more aggressive and you can’t manage to remove it, then an ultrasonic cleaner will do the job.


Platinum Is Blingtastic


Experts say that platinum is the easiest metal to clean as it is pretty strong and not susceptible to losing texture or color. If you’re not careful when cleaning it, you can damage it by scratching it. To polish platinum jewelry, you can use a solution of lukewarm water and mild dish soap to polish it safely.


Let’s Not Forget the Basics – Silver Jewelry


Our silver jewelry tends to turn black over time, and it requires prompt cleaning. There are a few ways we can clean our silver jewelry properly. The first one is a solution made of warm water and a few drops of dish soap, with which you need to rub the silver piece until it’s shiny again. Finally, you need to rinse it with cold water and polish with a microfiber cloth. For heavier tarnish, baking soda is suggested. Mix three parts of baking soda and one part of water, then dip the jewelry and apply the paste all over your jewelry piece – make sure you reach all the hard spots. Lastly, rinse it and polish with a soft cloth. Yet another option includes an ultrasonic cleaner.


Taking care of our jewelry is something many of us tend to overlook. However, once you make cleaning it a routine and you notice the difference in shine, we’re sure you’ll never ignore it again.

Mia Ackerson
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