When you own a beautiful piece of jewellery, whether it is your engagement ring or pair of diamond stud earrings, you want to wear them day to day. At Gerard McCabe, we love knowing that our pieces are being enjoyed in this way. Knowing just how precious our jewellery can be, we also recognise the need to keep them sparkling!
So, here are some tips on how to clean and maintain your jewellery at home from some of the staff at the Gerard McCabe boutique:
- Always remove your most important jewellery and rings when doing activities like dishwashing and gardening.
- Avoid swimming in your jewellery, especially in chlorinated pools.
Expert Tip: Pop your rings in a crystal bowl when you are busy in the house or when you come home from work. The kitchen is a great location for this, though not right next to the sink! This way, your rings won’t be damaged as you complete tasks around the house, and you always know where they are.
- Make sure to put your jewellery on last when you are getting ready to go out. That means getting dressed, applying your perfume, and doing your makeup before you put on your jewellery.
- After wearing your jewellery, clean your jewellery by wiping it over with a soft cloth and store each piece separately in a lined box or soft pouches.
- Give your jewellery a regular clean every few weeks! In a solution of warm water, mild detergent and cloudy ammonia, brush over the jewellery with a soft toothbrush, and then rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Expert tip: If you are caught short and don’t have cloudy ammonia when cleaning jewellery, a little bit of shampoo and water is a great substitute.
- Be wary when using ultrasonic cleaners when cleaning your jewellery at home. Some gemstones are fragile and will be damaged by the vibrations of the cleaner. Plus, some jewellery styles are unsuitable for ultrasonic cleaning, such as our Kaleidoscope collection. Please note that emeralds, tanzanites, and pearls are soft gemstones and should only be cleaned by a professional.
- Visit your jeweller for an expert clean! We recommend that you visit a Gerard McCabe boutique periodically to have your jewellery cleaned and inspected. If there is any damage or wear to your jewellery, it can be identified at this time and appropriate recommendations made.
- To keep your white gold jewellery looking gorgeous and new, we recommend a professional polish and rhodium plate treatment every two years.
All we can say is there's no better feeling than that diamond sparkle! So, visit us for an expert clean, or browse our full collection for your next staple piece!
