Jewellery Repairs

Tips to keep your jewellery in top condition

Jewellery should be treated with the best possible care you can provide it with to keep it looking as fantastic as the day you bought it and for your many years of ownership. Of course, time can take its toll on articles and so it is important that you are checking your jewellery for signs of wear or damage regularly. “Prevention is better than cure.” Something that can be a simple fix can sometimes turn into an expensive problem if it is left to manifest.

Take care of your jewellery and it will shine for years. Each piece of jewellery is individual, but as a general guide the National Association of Goldsmiths advises. Following these guidelines can help avoid costly jewellery repairs:

General Jewellery Care

• Gently rub gold and silver jewellery with a soft, clean cloth to maximise the shine.
• Jewellery set with gems can be brought to life by careful cleaning with a soft brush and soapy water, or with a proprietary jewellery cleaning solution. Try not to get threaded pearl or bead jewellery wet and only wet antique jewellery after specialist advice – you could ruin it.
• Wipe pearls with a soft damp cloth after wearing to remove perfume, hairspray and anything else likely to damage them.
• Don’t use abrasive cleaners on jewellery.
• You can use silver ‘dip’ type cleaners on most silver jewellery – but rinse and dry them thoroughly. We do not advise the use of this on Pandora jewellery as it will remove anodized coatings.
• Don’t use silver ‘dip’ type cleaning solutions on gold jewellery, only special jewellery cleaners.
• Keep jewellery carefully stored and separated – not jumbled together in a draw.
• Keep chains fastened so that they don’t get tangled up.
• A professional should check jewellery for damage or wear, on a regular basis.
• If in any doubt about the care, repair or valuation of your jewellery ask the advice of a professional.
• For the sign of a professional jeweller look for the National Association of Goldsmiths’ Grant-of-Arms

Cultured Pearls

Cultured pearls are formed inside oysters. As they are of organic origin they are particularly susceptible to damage. For this reason you should treat cultured pearls with great care.

• Cosmetics including perfume and hairspray should be applied before you put on any cultured pearl jewellery, otherwise the nacre, or skin, can become permanently damaged. After wearing, clean it with a soft dry cloth.
• Should you need to wash your cultured pearl jewellery, do it with water and maybe a drop or two of detergent. Don’t use any form of chemicals, as they are most likely to damage the cultured pearls.
• Cultured pearls are soft and any rough treatment such as carrying in a handbag or putting them loose in a jewellery box may also damage them. Wrap them in tissue for protection.
• Every day wear, and the natural constituents of your skin can have a detrimental effect on the silk used to thread your cultured pearls. Get a National Association of Goldsmiths’ member to check them regularly. The frequency of rethreading depends on many different factors, but once a year is a good idea!