Adding jewelry to our outfits is one of the ways we express ourselves. As soon as we find accessories that accurately demonstrate our personality and ideology, we never want to quit them and they become our favorites. This fact is the main reason why a lot of people start to look for the best way to take care of their jewelry to extend its lifespan. So, if you are interested, read on to learn all tips and tricks.
What factors negatively affect jewelry?
Before we talk about how to take care of your jewelry and how to store it, it is necessary to outline the things to avoid if you want to enjoy the beauty of your accessories for as long as possible. Here is a list of such things:
Cosmetics. Among the main enemies of adornments are various lotions, creams, aerosols (deodorants, insect sprays, etc.) and perfumes. When they get on the surface of your jewelry, they can leave stubborn stains and a greasy film that is extremely difficult to remove.
Water. Salt water is the most dangerous for accessories, especially if they are gold or rhodium plated. Besides, you should also avoid contact of your jewelry with chlorinated water. These types of water affect the product in such a way that the plating or the material itself deteriorates much faster and may also become discolored.
Detergents. Nowadays, the aggressive chemical compounds that we can find in popular detergents are not "friends" for your jewelry either. Some of them may attack the plating and harm precious metals, so it is better to remove all jewelry when you are going to come into contact with such substances.
Dirt, sand and stones. This trio can severely damage the surface of your products with tiny scratches and even dents. As a result, they will quickly tarnish and lose their gorgeous shine. Whenever you are going to work in a garden, go to the beach or hike, do not forget to take off your jewelry. However, taking a few selfies on the beach doesn't count;)
It's also worth mentioning that your accessories can tarnish due to contact with skin secretions and sweat. These are quite rare cases, but it can explain the situation when you follow all the caring recommendations and the jewelry still loses its shine quickly.
How to care for your jewelry: things to consider
Our main recommendation, of course, is to follow the care and storage instructions given to you by the seller of the specific accessory. This is especially important if you are buying exclusive or specific products, because the conditions for storing them should also be specific.
There are also a number of basic recommendations that jewelers recommend following:
Store your jewelry separately from each other. This way, you will avoid different types of metals coming into contact, which can cause tarnishing and darkening of the jewelry. In addition, it will reduce the physical impact on the pieces and you will avoid scratches, dents, and creases (the last one especially common for chains).
Store your jewelry in jewel boxes or bags. Such boxes, as well as bags, usually have a special soft coating inside, which allows you to avoid damage to jewelry, even if it is made of soft metals such as gold. It's also worth noting that such a storage method protects accessories from sunlight.
Keep an eye on the humidity. We have already mentioned that adornments are not very "water-loving", which is why you need to pay special attention to whether there is high humidity in the place where you keep them. For example, if you wet the jewelry and then, without drying it, took it off and put it in a box, this is certainly not the best scenario.
Clean your jewelry regularly. As much as we would like to avoid it, jewelry gets dirty as we wear it. The particles of dust and dirt get on the surface and small elements of our jewelry. This causes loss of shine and dullness of color. That is why, depending on how often you wear your jewelry, it is recommended to have it ultrasonically cleaned from time to time.
Do not forget about the possibility of jewelry polishing. To keep your adornments in good condition, you need to get them polished periodically. This way you can ensure a perfect shine and absence of scratches.
Orxata's team always takes care of every piece of jewelry you buy from us. That is why we provide you with all the necessary care recommendations, as well as warranty services for repair, cleaning and polishing. For more information, please see our Jewelry Care section.
Feel free to choose what you like in our catalog and enjoy the shine of your new jewelry!