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Your jewellery probably ranks as one of your most valuable personal belongings. If you're like most Australians, you're very passionate about your jewellery but may not know how to properly take care of and protect these cherished possessions. Here are some basic guidelines for protecting and caring for pearl, diamond, silver and gold jewellery, along with the importance of having your jewellery pieces insured.
Pearls are delicate, needing proper care. Because they're organic, they can be affected by humidity, alkaline and acid. That's why you need to make sure they don't touch perfume, hairspray or cosmetics. This means you should style your hair and apply makeup before putting on your pearl jewellery.
Never wear pearls when bathing. Furthermore, don't subject them to high temperatures or direct sunlight. If your pearls make contact with detergents, fruit juices or vinegar, immediately wipe these substances off with a soft cloth.
After wearing your pearls, gently wipe them, using a soft cloth, before storing them into a jewellery box. To prevent them from being scratched or tangled, use a jewellery container that has separate compartments. Don't leave them for a long time in a security box as they can dehydrate. In other words, pearls are meant to be worn. Never use an ultrasonic cleanser when cleaning pearls. If your pearls start looking less radiant, take them to your jeweller to be professionally cleaned.
Diamonds can be scratched despite being exceptionally hard. Therefore, remove your diamond jewellery when doing heavy housework. Moreover, consider how a diamond can be easily knocked out of its setting while gardening, lifting heavy items and doing repairs.
What's more, diamonds can suffer from chemical damage, so remove diamond jewellery before you swim as chlorine can be harmful. Let’s also not forget that our fingers often shrink in cold water, making that diamond ring more likely to slip off..
Avoidt touching your diamond ring because you don't want the oil that's on your skin to give it a dull look. Your diamond jewellery needs to be periodically cleaned, preferably by a professional, about twice a year.
Silver jewellery is exceptionally elegant and is a popular option for rings, necklaces and other types of accessories. It's important not to let silver pieces become soiled since this can cause them to look dull as well as eventually tarnish. Using a silver polishing cloth, gently rub your silver pieces when cleaning them. For heavily soiled silver, use aluminium foil for removing dark spots.
Skin oils, humidity, lotions, perfumes and hair products can cause silver to tarnish and corrode, so be sure to keep these substances from silver jewellery. Wipe silver pieces off with a soft cloth before you store them. Silver must be stored in a dry, dark place, such as a drawer or jewellery box. Ensure there's enough space for each piece.
Gold jewellery doesn't corrode or tarnish when left alone, but it can accumulate grease, body oils and soap film over time. Caring for gold pieces entails cleaning them consistently for removing tarnish and grime buildup.
As gold is soft, it's more likely to bend or become scratched, so keep it away from your other jewellery pieces. Use a soft cloth to wrap each individual piece if you lack space for storing them separately. If possible, hang your gold chains to prevent tangling. Consider how gold chains can easily cause breakage.
To be safe, once a year take your gold jewellery to a professional jeweller so that they can be inspected for any loose parts. A professional jeweller can also buff and steam your gold pieces, which makes them exceptionally shiny.
A huge way to protect your jewellery is by insuring your pieces. Let's face it—some jewels are just too precious to lose. Because jewellery is probably one of your more expensive possessions, you want to make sure it's safeguarded with specialist jewellery insurance. Unfortunately, many people think their home insurance policies provide enough coverage for keeping their jewellery collections safe. However, typical home insurance may not cover lost or stolen belongings that you take with you when leaving your house.
At Q Report, we care about your jewellery. Please contact us for a free quote and learn more about how we can help you protect your precious jewellery, such as providing you with a specialist jewellery insurance product.
To get an accurate insurance quote, please provide the amount from your purchase receipt.
Don't have the receipt?
If you don't have the receipt, you can provide the most recent valuation amount instead.
