You’ve purchased your new piece of jewelry. Now how do you care for it?

Once you’ve brought your jewelry home, you’ll want to clean it properly so that it stays looking like new. Our store is in a beach town so we try to persuade customers not to wear their jewelry in the ocean, pool and hot tub.

 Solid Yellow and White Gold: People often ask if it’s okay to wear their gold jewelry in the shower. The answer is yes and no. Showering with 14 karat gold jewelry will not harm the metal itself but it will affect the shine which can be fixed with a mild jewelry cleaning solution or mild soapy water and a gentle brush. 18 karat gold, however, may tarnish easier than it’s 14 karat counterpart so it is recommended that you do not shower with it on.

 Sterling Silver:  Will my sterling jewelry tarnish? Yes, sterling silver will tarnish over time. But you can slow down the process and it does clean up quite easily. Sterling silver jewelry likes to be worn, however, be careful not to bring your silver into contact with chemicals and harsh temperatures. When not wearing your silver, it is best to store in a Ziploc bag or cloth jewelry bag to keep it away from air and elements. We use Connoisseur Jewelry Wipeson our sterling silver jewelry in the shop. Florida air is harsh with the salt and humidity so we spend a lot of time polishing.

Pearls:  You’ve most likely heard it many times, ‘Like your Grandma said, pearls should be the last thing you put on before leaving the house and the first thing you take off when you get home.’ Pearls do like to be worn but are sensitive to soaps, perfumes and sprays. You should use a soft cloth to buff the dirt from your pearls but stay away from cleaning products.

Gemstones:A toothbrush with mild hand soap or delicate jewelry cleaner can be used on most gems. We use Lavish jewelry cleaner in the shop. Read the label on your cleaning solution to learn what jewelry is safe to clean with it.

Plated Jewelry: It’s not a bad word. Jewelry that is gold plated or silver plated offers a beautiful piece usually at more reasonable price. Care management is a bit different in that harsh chemicals can wear off the layers. Therefore, it is best to use a soft cloth, such as one you would use to clean your sunglasses, to shine the piece. If it needs a little more cleaning, then use a diluted mixture of soap such as, Dawn, mixed with water to gently clean.