HX Jewelry | Jewelry Care Guide
Congratulations! You have purchased a beautiful piece of jewelry that will last for generations. Here are some tips and guidelines so that you can keep your jewelry perfect over time.
Regular Maintenance
Jewelry is constantly exposed to wear and tear. For instance, think of a ring on your hand. How many activities do you perform every day using your hands? Or, wearing a pendant swinging back and forth that could possibly come in contact with other objects or get pulled on? Metal expands and contracts depending on the elements, so how can you keep your jewelry in excellent shape? The most important advice we can give to you is consistently bring in your jewelry at least every six months for a free cleaning and inspection. Then, we can tighten any loose gems and give you a full report on your jewelry’s condition.
When Not to Wear Your Jewelry
A piece of fine jewelry should not be worn during exercise, gardening, washing dishes or lifting heavy objects. Additionally, showering with your jewelry on can dull the gemstones, because soaps or other creams may get caught under the gallery of the piece.
Diamonds and Non-Porous Gemstones Care
Gemstones tend to loosen after an extended period of time. This is just caused by normal wear and tear, so it is imperative to have them regularly tightened and secured to avoid a potential loss. If you accidently hit your jewelry with any degree of force, stop wearing it immediately and have it checked by Joseph Jewelry to make sure no gemstones are in danger of falling out.
White Diamonds & Fancy-Color Diamonds
Diamonds are tough babes, literally. Diamond is THE hardest mineral on earth and can only be scratched by another diamond. Working out, hanging out, washing your hands or going for a swim...you can wear your diamonds 24/7 without worry. To clean your diamond jewelry: gently scrub with a soft brush, adding a little warm water and mild soap; wipe with a soft-lint free cloth to restore its bright shine.
Sapphires, Rubies or Moissanites
These stones are hard and non-porous; they can handle your workouts, hangouts, and just about anything else. You only need to take them off when you're doing intense work. To clean these babes, use a little mild soap with water and scrub with a soft cloth.
Other Non-Porous Stones
When a stone is non-porous it isn’t harmed by water or everyday chemicals like soaps, lotions or perfumes; so you can wear them everyday. Stones like Aquamarine, Peridot, Garnet, Amethyst, Citrine, Moonstone, Australian Opals, Topaz, Alexandrite, Tourmaline, Morganite, Spinel, Zircon, and Tanzanite can handle your day-to-day life and keep you looking gorgeous. Take these pieces off when doing any hard labor or working out to avoid scratching or chipping. Keep them looking gorgeous by occasionally cleaning with mild soapy water and a soft cloth.
Porous Gemstones Care
Some jewelry needs a little extra love and care. Stones like Emerald, Pearls, Turquoise, Onyx, Jade, Amber, Coral, Lapis Lazuli, and non-Australian Opals can be damaged by lotions and perfumes; they should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off. These stones need a little help to stay at their most beautiful.
The best way to clean emerald jewelry is with warm soapy water or a warm soapy cloth. Do not soak emeralds in soapy water and avoid harsh detergents that might dilute or remove oils from the stone. Never soak emeralds in solvents such as alcohol, acetone, or paint thinner.
Most single pearls in jewelry are glued. Therefore, it is vital that they are not exposed to heat, which would alter the color of the pearl and destroy the integrity of the glue that holds the pearl. Avoid abrasive surfaces when wearing a pearl as they will scratch and chip. Clean with warm water and laundry detergent, using a soft toothbrush to gently clean the pearls.
Pearl necklaces are strung with silk lines. Single knot stringing between each pearl will keep the necklace intact, but restringing is recommended every 3 to 5 years. Again, clean with warm water and laundry detergent using a soft toothbrush and lay the necklace flat to air dry.
Mother of pearl jewelry takes the most colorful part of the pearl, the nacre that covers the outside, and turns it into gorgeous gemstone jewelry. Though mother of pearl jewelry is an affordable option among gemstones, proper care is still important in order to protect your investment.
Harsh chemicals, such as those found in perfumes, citrus juice, and some types of soap, can be harmful to mother of pearl. Avoid contact with these substances by removing your jewelry before washing dishes or preparing foods. If you are wearing a mother of pearl necklace or earrings, apply perfume to your wrists instead of your neck. Avoid exposing mother of pearl to acidic or alkaline substances such as baking soda, alcohol, and vinegar.
Special Bands
Eternity bands have gemstones all the way around the band, so special care needs to be taken when wearing these rings. Our hands touch hundreds of objects every day, and if gemstones are subject to constant friction, they may break and fall out of the ring. Similarly, intricate metalwork could be distorted and damaged. In most cases your gemstones are held by small beads or prongs, designed to be feminine and elegant; they also perform the all-important job of keeping your gemstones safe. Avoid touching any abrasive surfaces or doing hard physical tasks while wearing your eternity band so that the gemstones stay intact.
Wedding bands are usually worn against engagement rings. It is a good idea to solder the engagement and wedding rings together so they do not rub against each other and cause friction; we can solder them for you. Their constant unsoldered contact could damage the engraving, filigree, bezels or other intricate work that might be present on either ring.
Metal Care
Mokume Gane
These are the most unique pieces of jewelry on the market because they are organically created by hand, and each has an individual pattern. Some of these rings have a patina applied to them to highlight the grain and show the different colors of metals. The three processes that could have been used on your ring are sand blasting, brushed polish finish or oxidization. Any of these finishes can be worn out over time depending on the degree of wear and tear, leaving a new natural patina. To reduce color fading, avoid aggressive friction against any surface. Try to avoid wearing your Mokume Gane ring during exercise, construction work, gardening or other abrasive activities. When owning a Mokume Gane ring with oxidization, avoid chlorine or other similar chemicals as they eat away the patina. However, we can restore this patina for you by re-oxidizing the ring, making it brand new again.
Engraving
Engravings are done under a microscope by hand, creating various patterns and finishes according to your request. Engraving can wear over time. To preserve the pattern, avoid bands rubbing against each other as well as abrasive surfaces. Avoiding friction will prolong the engraving on your piece of jewelry. We can also restore engraving back to brand new condition if necessary.
White Gold and Rhodium Plating
Unfortunately, white gold is not actually pure white. It initially has a champagne color or yellowish tone. To make your jewelry truly white gold, we use rhodium plating to mimic the color of platinum. Depending on wear and tear, areas that are rubbing the most against other surfaces will fade first. Rhodium plating is not permanent, so it will need consistent maintenance and restoration if necessary.
Platinum
Platinum is the most precious metal in fine jewelry and the strongest for holding gemstones. Platinum will last longer than any other precious metal against wear-ability. Additionally, platinum is hypoallergenic. If you are looking for permanently pure white metal, platinum is the choice for you. Despite these positive attributes, proper care is still necessary. To avoid scratching and dulling, keep the jewelry away from abrasive surfaces, coarse natural stones or other metals.