Not just diamonds but every piece of jewellery that a woman owns is her best friend. As much as it takes for one to carefully select the perfect piece of jewellery, keeping it safe is a commitment in itself. Just like we nurture our friendships, protecting our inanimate best friends is equally crucial. Storage plays a huge role in ensuring that your jewellery lasts longer, be it fashion jewellery or luxurious gold and silver.
The most important step is choosing the correct storage box considering the number of items you own. I recommend always going for air-tight storage boxes which have a soft felt lining from the inside. You should examine every compartment in order to organize your jewellery with precision. Always have separate boxes or compartments for different metals; avoid mixing them. Organize your go-to beaded pieces out in the open so it’s easier to ‘grab and go’.
Temperature and humidity play a huge role in storage of precious metals and gems. Make sure that the place of storage is dry and avoid direct sunlight. Delicate jewellery should be kept is dark and dry locations at all times. Anti-tarnish strip should be placed inside the box to absorb pollutants including sulphides which tarnish the metals. Gold is a malleable metal and needs to be kept separately in a soft cloth bag before storing it. Silver must be stored away from humidity as it tends to turn a greenish black color upon coming in contact with moisture in the air. Necklaces are fragile; that’s why sponge boxes are their soulmates which keep them protected.
Place diamonds separately in a soft cloth bag or felt line-d boxes to avoid any scratches or lack in shine. Similar to diamonds, your precious pearl pieces should be stored in a cloth-lined jewellery box or wrapped in a soft cloth to maintain their shine and quality.
Before storing your jewellery, make sure you clean them with utmost care; thus, avoiding any malfunction or breakage. I always make sure to get my jewellery cleaned by professionals but if you want to do it at the comfort of your home then here are a few tips on how to do it:
- Use ammonia solution to clean diamonds
- Pearls must be carefully handled and cleaned with a soft cloth without using any liquid. Wet pearls can catch dirt fast and hence whenever they come in contact with water, avoid touching them before they are completely dry
- Silver should be cleaned with soft cloth and water or silver-cleaning agent that is readily available in the market
- Another way to clean silver is to use tamarind to gently rub it along the surface as it reacts with the tarnished parts to eliminate them without using any harmful chemicals
Last but not the least and probably the most important step is to secure all your expensive jewellery. Insuring your jewellery will give you a sigh of relief. Keeping it locked up in a safe inside your home is the best way to ensure the safety of your precious babies. Avoid leaving jewellery out in the open and make sure you have a good alarm system in your house if you own very high-priced items.