Every piece of jewelry you own is important. Many tell a story or remind you of a special event. You need to store each piece carefully so that they will be in the best condition to bring you years of use and enjoyment.
Unfortunately, it is too easy to be sloppy when we store our best jewelry. Hopefully this article will inspire you to rework how you store your jewelry so that it will stay in great shape and you can enjoy it for a lifetime.
First off, you should never put your fine jewelry away dirty. Be sure to clean each piece before you return it to its storage space so that it will be in great shape and ready to wear next time you want to use it. Skin oils, lotions, and any other contaminant can damage metals and gemstones, especially if it left sitting on the piece for an extended time.
Second, inspect every piece of fine jewelry before you put it away. Stone setting prongs can loosen, clasps can break. Get jewelry repaired if you find a problem so that it will be ready to wear the next time you want to use it.
It is best to store jewelry by type in separate containers, or spots in your jewelry box. A jewelry box with multiple drawers or dividers is key to storing jewelry properly. Keep different metals separated so that they cannot interact and damage each other. Do not store daily use costume and gold-plated jewelry with your special occasion fine jewelry.
Gold as a metal is relatively soft and malleable which means it can be scratched and damaged easily. The various metal alloys that are mixed into gold used to create jewelry helps to make gold stronger, but it is still easy to damage. Store each piece individually in soft cloth bags or wrapped in a small piece of soft cloth or tissue paper.
Store silver jewelry in a drawer or box lined with cotton or felt. The fabric will help absorb excess moisture and help slow tarnishing. Also limit exposure to air for an extra layer of protection.
Always store necklaces with the clasp closed. Storing your necklace as a closed loop, with no lose ends, will stop it from getting difficult to undo knots in the chain. If the chain does get kinked up it will be much easier to get back to wearable shape without knots in the chain.
Diamonds are one of the hardest substances known to man but they can still be scratched by another diamond. They can also damage other gemstones and scratch metals. So each piece of jewelry containing a diamond needs to be stored separately.
Overall, jewelry needs to be stored in a cool, dry space. High humidity and fluctuating temperatures can degrade jewelry and lead to an early demise for your jewelry pieces. Consider the climate in the room you store your jewelry in. You may be able to regulate conditions in that room with a dehumidifier or air conditioner. Too much heat can dry out jewelry too much as heat tends to dry the air. A middle ground of temperature is best, not too cold and not too hot. Beware of any spots where you might try to leave jewelry that come into sunlight during the day as the suns’ rays can damage jewelry. Remember that throughout the year how sunlight enters windows changes so a place with no sunlight in the winter may be bursting with sunlight in the summer.
Pearls are soft compared to many other components used to make jewelry. Pearls will interact with plastic and are prone to oxidation. Because pearls contain trace amounts of water, they should not be stored in an airtight container. Pearls can become brittle and damaged if not stored properly. If you are unsure, talk with a jeweler about how to store your pearls so that they will keep their luster and last a lifetime.
Opals may also require a special spot for storage. They need moisture to prevent cracking of the stone though too much moisture is not good either. You may want to talk with a jeweler about how to store opal jewelry so that you will be able to enjoy your opals forever.
E. D. Marshal Jewelers is one of the best AZ jewelry stores. We are ready to answer your questions about cleaning, storing, and repairing jewelry. And you will be happily surprised by our wonderful collection of jewelry ready for you to add to your personal collection.
