Quick Preservation Tips for Heirloom Jewelry

You may have read plenty about how to care for your gold and platinum, but there is never much available on specialized care treatments for heirloom jewelry. Heirloom jewelry are a prized possession, more because of their sentimental value than their material worth. Each tells a story and without preservation, they lose their essence and eventually fall into pieces. If you have an heirloom or a box full of them that has been with your family for generations, then you need to make sure that you do the best you can to preserve these beauties. Handling them delicately is not the only way to avoid additional damage. Here are some quick tips that, if followed strictly, can preserve your estate pieces for centuries.

Quick Preservation Tips for Heirloom Jewelry

Keep Them Somewhere Away from Damp and Moisture
You may not know this but age is not the only enemy that jewelry pieces have. Those that have survived the wear and tear of time are extremely sensitive to moisture too. Exposure to excess moisture can cause rusting which in turn fragments jewelry. So, make sure you don’t sweat when you are wearing them. Also, never wear them when swimming. The water can cause the metals to discolor and the gems to loosen out.

 

Chemical Cleaners, a No-No
Your heirloom pieces are not your average showroom bought baubles that you can clean using chemical agents. While strong chemicals are prohibited for new jewelry too, for older ones, even the mildest chemical can turn out to be a wrong choice. Anything that contains alcohol, acid or ammonia can bring about discernible deterioration to the shine and luster of the ornament. So careful what you spray your jewelry with.

 

Vintage Pieces Are Scratch Magnets
One other thing that every user must be mindful about is scratches. Doing chores while you have an heirloom jewelry on is a poor decision. These pieces pick a dent or scratch at the slightest impact. They can get scratched, chipped, dented or damaged in other ways very easily.

 

Storage Is Key
That also brings us to our last tip, which is storage. Storing jewelry the wrong way can cause scratches on the metals. Do not put metals and gemstones in the same pocket. Keep them in soft cloth pouches or zip lock satchels. Divided organizers are fine too, as long as they are padded and made of strong timber like oak wood and the likes.

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