4 Tips for Caring for Your Jewellery

Here at GMG Jewellers, we're proud to offer a variety of jewellery repair services that our customers trust to keep their treasures intact for generations to come. However, as the saying goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," and saving money on frequent or costly repairs can be as simple as ensuring that a few simple steps are taken on a regular basis.

Our experience in the world of jewellery has given us a unique insight into the most common mistakes people make about the nature of their jewellery and what can be done to remedy those common mistakes:

1. Clean Your Pieces at Home

While it's important to take your favourite piece to the local jeweler for a regular cleaning, keep in mind that if your ring is made with gold, diamonds, or the cardinal gemstones (such as ruby and emerald), they're remarkably durable. If you stick to utilizing lukewarm water, mild dish soap, and a soft toothbrush, you can do some of your cleaning at home. Remember, however, that it's never prudent to clean your engagement ring over a drain! When you need to dry your ring, stick to a soft flannel.

2. Daily Wiping is Ideal

You may not think about it, but your jewellery is subjected to multiple layers of materials building up on it during the course of a day. Soap film, dust, skin oil, lotions, perfume, and even environmental pollutants will build up on your jewellery over time. It's always prudent to give your jewellery a quick wipe with a microfiber cloth before going to bed. If your jewellery is made with pearls, or you have a gemstone necklace with a soft, organic gem, remember to put them on last, wipe them daily, and never use anything other than a soft cloth to keep them clean.

3. Properly Store Your Necklaces

Too many people come into GMG Jewellers with a knotted necklace chain, unable to untangle it. Keep in mind that a dainty chain can become knotted if it's carelessly tossed in a jewellery box. When you take off your necklace, remember to close the clasp and hang the necklace on either a necklace tree or a pushpin on some kind of board.

4. Store Your Pieces Separately

This follows on from tip 3, but even though you shouldn't toss your necklace in a jewellery box, it's prudent to have a jewellery box with plenty of separate, fabric-lined compartments for different types of jewellery. It's imprudent to toss different types of jewellery into one compartment. Consider the difference in hardness between diamonds and amethysts. Diamonds are significantly harder and can score amethyst—which means that your favorite amethyst bracelet can end up with some very ugly scars in a very short amount of time.

If you'd like to find out more about jewellery care or what GMG Jewellers can do to keep your treasures intact, don't hesitate to contact our Saskatoon, Saskatchewan showroom today at (306) 665-8463!