Sunday, March 15, 2015

Ways To Keep Your Pearl And Gemstone Jewelry In Top Shape

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By Lena Stephenson


You may envy the glittering jewelry that you see celebrities and jewelers wearing. It may surprise you to learn that you too can have an amazing collection. While part of this involves choosing great pieces of pearl and gemstone jewelry, it also involves caring for what you have already purchased.

You need to know as much as possible about the different materials that make up your individual pieces. You also need to know a bit about how they are constructed. This is because not all cleaning products or techniques are suitable for use on all pieces of jewelry. You will need to treat a pearl ring very differently than one that is set with gemstones such as rubies or diamonds.

You may think that all gemstones are equally hard and durable but this is not the case. Pearls, for example, look beautiful but are very delicate. Opals are also valuable but they are soft and can break or chip easily. Metals such as gold or platinum are not as vulnerable to damage but silver and copper can scratch and discolor. If you are polishing metal objects that are set with stones you will want to avoid damaging them. Choose the right cleaning product and you can avoid this.

Pearls are a natural product of the oyster. They are made up of many layers that form around a central core. They can be damaged by chemicals such as hairspray, cosmetics and cleaning products. Always make sure that you use a soft cloth and wipe down pearls after you have worn them. Then, they can be placed in a productive container.

Any string of beads will need some careful maintenance. Jewelry insiders will tell you that there are a few areas you need to inspect. The first is the clasp. Make sure it is not damaged or likely to come open unexpectedly. Also make sure that you look at the string that the beads are on. Knots between beads will mean that a broken string will still end up with beads staying safely in place.

A professional will be able to help you if you are unsure of a piece's condition. They will often be able to inspect claws and clasps to make sure they are not damaged. Often they will use a machine that uses ultrasonic waves to knock dirt off of a piece. If a white gold piece has become discolored they can correct that as well.

The right container is also key. If you put everything together in one area it will be easy for scratches to happen. Harder items may damage softer ones. Also, chains can become damaged if they are allowed to become tangled. If you know you are expanding your collection in future, you may want to make sure that you purchase a container that is large enough to hold everything.

Taking the time to research the jewelry you have can be key to making sure it looks beautiful for as long as possible. That way you can concentrate on adding to your collection instead of replacing items that have become damaged over time.




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