Caring for Your Jewels

It may not always be convenient for you to visit our studio, so we recommend using the following method when cleaning your diamonds at home. Simply use a solution of warm water with 10% non-moisturising dishwashing liquid. With a very soft bristled toothbrush gently scrub your diamonds, gold and platinum. Rinse thoroughly and dry immediately with tissues, and if possible a hairdryer.

Protect your pearls by storing them separately from other jewellery. They should be the finishing touch - apply creams, make-up and perfume first. Cleaning pearls doesn’t have to be complicated. After you wear them, simply wipe them off with a soft cloth, which can be dry or damp. This will prevent dirt from accumulating and keep perspiration, which is slightly acidic, from eating away at the pearl nacre.

Yellow and rose gold come up beautifully with a gentle scrub of bi-carb soda and water, followed by a good rinse to leave the metal bright and clean.

White gold and platinum can be cleaned the same way - but scratch removal requires the careful touch of a skilled jeweller. White gold also requires the rhodium plating to restore it to a bright white finish.

Over time it is natural for sterling silver to tarnish. Salty air, sunlight, water, humidity and various chemicals can rapidly speed up this process. To prevent tarnishing, silver should be kept absolutely dry.

To clean silver, use a good quality silver jewellery cleaning cloth, such as the one that came included with your piece.

Most precious gemstones are reasonably hardy and can really benefit from regular cleaning. Sapphires, Topaz, Aquamarine, Amethyst, Peridot etc can be cleaned with warm water and a soft brush. Occasionally gemstones such as Emeralds, Rubies and Turquoise contain oils and cleaning can remove these oils and dry out the stones.

Caring for doublets or triplets is a little different to caring for solid opals. Because doublets and triplets consist of multiple layers glued together, prolonged exposure to water will eventually cause lifting between the layers and the infiltration of water. A doublet or triplet will take on a ‘foggy’ or grey appearance if this happens.

This does not mean your opal will be ruined if you wear it in the shower once or are caught in the rain - it takes prolonged exposure to cause water damage.

Omega neckpieces are often referred to as ‘occasional pieces’. They are fairly strong but can be damaged easily if they are not cared for in a proper manner. The omega should always be removed before sleeping, exercising and showering. Please also take care not to catch it on your garments. They may also misshape through impact, pressure or pulling (and this is usually irreparable).

Neoprene is a special type of rubber, which is hard wearing and can be cleaned easily with a dry or damp cloth. Heat and perspiration can cause neoprene to become hard and rigid.

Chemicals such as chlorine and dimethicone, (found in some hair products, moisturisers, sunscreens and perfumes) will cause damage to neoprene. Avoid showering, swimming and contact with these substances to ensure the longevity of your piece.