If you’re looking to buy a statement piece of jewellery then choosing something antique is often a great choice. The great thing about antique jewellery is that each piece is unique – which makes it extra special. The ways diamonds are cut in antique jewellery encourages them to really sparkle, much more than you get with modern made. Of course, when it comes to antique jewellery, there are many choices too – what type of jewellery you want, what period you buy from, and who you purchase from. If you’re looking for high quality, authentic pieces, then Carus Jewellery will be able to help.
Of course, if you’re going to make such an important purchase, you will want to make sure the piece you buy stays of good quality. Caring for fine jewellery in the right way is important, so here are some tips to make sure it stays in the best condition possible.
Storing Jewellery Correctly
Before you buy an expensive piece of jewellery, you should consider where and how you will store it. One of the most important ways of making sure your vintage jewellery stays in good condition is to make sure it is stored correctly.
Storage should ensure that jewellery is kept separately so that you avoid pieces scratching each other or becoming tangled together. Scratches can often be irreparable, so it makes sense that you’re going to do what you can to avoid these, especially on delicate and fine pieces.
Consider what you’re storing and how it is going to be stored best. For example, you want to make sure that rings aren’t likely to get dented and that necklace chains won’t get snagged. Antique jewellery is often delicately made, so can be easily damaged if it’s not stored correctly. Also, consider what you will use to protect the items once they’re in storage. Silk is a lovely, soft material and great for lining storage to keep items safe. Ideally, you’ll lay all your items flat – it is tempting to hang necklaces when storing them, but this can result in chains stretching, which is something you’ll want to avoid.
Ensuring It Doesn’t Get Damaged
The whole idea of storing fine jewellery is to make sure they stay in the best possible condition. A big part of this is making sure they don’t get damaged in any way. Three major things can cause damage to jewellery – heat, moisture, and light. Making sure that your storage choice takes this into account and avoids all of these is essential. Getting moisture on your jewellery is definitely something that should be avoided. If jewellery gets wet, it can cause the metal to corrode or jewels to become discoloured. As well as storing it in a way that makes sure it doesn’t get moist, you should also avoid wearing such delicate items out when it is raining or to places such as the beach.
Heat and light are also really damaging, especially to very delicate and intricate pieces. When you have your items safely in a storage container, make sure this is stored away from heat – whether than be near radiators or somewhere where it may be in direct sunlight. Both of these can cause the jewellery to get hot and also damp – and we already know that moisture is something that should be avoided.
Look After It
If you go to all of this effort to store your items, then you’ll want to make sure you look after them all the time. The material you use for your storage is definitely something you should give thought to. Use soft cloths and pouches where possible. If you’re going to choose a storage box, give thought to the material you’re going to use. Some wood might cause harm. The best thing you can do is speak to the people you’re buying the antique piece from, and they should be able to give you reliable advice on storage options.
Try to store each item you have separately and separate it to any other jewellery that you have. The last thing you want is for necklace chains to get tangled in each other or rings catching and causing scratches. Store them with plenty of space around them, and you should be able to avoid pieces causing damage to each other.
Cleaning It In The Right Way
If you want to clean any items that you have, then make sure you invest in the right products to do so. Avoid household cleaners, washing up liquid, and anything that contains bleach. These products can cause irreparable damage to both the metal and the stones in the items you have. Instead, make sure you get hold of the right cleaning cloths and materials, so you can clean them without worry that you’ll be doing more harm than good. If you go ahead and clean any items you own, make sure they’re dried completely before you put them back in storage. We already know that moisture can have a detrimental effect on the quality of any jewellery, so you want to make sure this is avoided.
Looking after any jewellery that you own is essential, especially when it comes to antique jewellery. Generally speaking, fine quality jewellery is an investment, so why would you not want to look after it? The good news is that it doesn’t have to be costly or complicated. Instead, make sure you store it correctly and use the right items available if you do want to clean them.
