Why Jewellery Care Matters
Fine jewellery is designed to be treasured for generations. With regular care, its beauty can endure for years to come. Everyday contact with lotions, perfumes, soap, sweat, and the environment can leave behind a fine layer of residue that gradually softens the brilliance of precious metals and gemstones. This is a natural part of wear, not a reflection of quality. Just a few minutes of gentle care each week helps preserve its brilliance, protect delicate settings, prevent scratches and tarnish, and ensure every piece continues to sparkle beautifully for years to come.
This guide covers everything you need to care for your jewellery with confidence, from simple daily habits and material-specific cleaning methods to proper storage, tarnish prevention, common mistakes to avoid, and knowing when it's time to have your piece professionally inspected and cleaned by a trusted jeweller.
Consistent daily care is far more effective than occasional deep cleaning. Incorporating these three simple habits into your routine helps preserve your jewellery's brilliance and keeps every piece looking its best between cleanings.
Wipe After Every Wear
After each wear, gently wipe your jewellery with a soft microfiber cloth to remove natural oils, perspiration, and everyday moisture before storing it. This simple habit helps prevent tarnish on silver, preserves the brilliance of gemstones, and keeps gold looking radiant with every wear.
Remove Before Daily Activities
Remove your jewellery before showering, swimming, exercising, household cleaning, or applying lotions, perfumes, and cosmetics. Exposure to chemicals, moisture, and physical impact can gradually dull its brilliance, weaken delicate settings, and cause unnecessary wear over time.
Put On Last, Take Off First
Apply skincare, makeup, perfume, and hairspray before putting on your jewellery, and remove it before your evening skincare routine or washing up. Keeping jewellery away from beauty products and moisture helps preserve its brilliance and minimise unnecessary chemical exposure.
Gold, silver, diamonds, gemstones, pearls, and platinum each respond differently to everyday wear and cleaning methods. Explore the care guide for your jewellery to learn the safest way to clean it, what to avoid, how to store it properly, and when professional care is recommended.
Durable for everyday wear, though higher-purity gold naturally develops fine surface scratches over time.
Best Cleaning
Warm water, Mild soap, Soft brush
Avoid
Chlorine, Bleach, Harsh cleaners
Storage
Soft pouch, Separate compartment
Maintenance
Professional polishing every 1–2 years restores its original shine.
Prone to tarnishing from everyday air exposure, requiring more regular care.
Best Cleaning
Silver polishing cloth, Mild soap water
Avoid
Rubber contact, Humid storage, Sulfur-heavy air
Storage
Airtight bag, Anti-tarnish strip
Maintenance
Regular wear helps slow the natural buildup of tarnish.
Extremely durable and hypoallergenic, developing a natural patina over time.
Best Cleaning
Warm soapy water, Soft brush
Avoid
Abrasive cloths, Ultrasonic on cracked stones
Storage
Individual pouch
Maintenance
Re-polish every 1–2 years to restore a mirror finish.
Durable for everyday wear with a bright rhodium finish that may require occasional replating.
Best Cleaning
Warm water, Mild soap
Avoid
Chlorine, Abrasive polishing
Storage
Soft pouch, Away from direct light
Maintenance
Re-plate with rhodium every 12–18 months to maintain its bright white finish.
The hardest natural material, though sharp impacts can chip edges or damage settings.
Best Cleaning
Warm soapy water, Soft brush
Avoid
Chlorine, Ultrasonic on damaged settings
Storage
Separate compartment
Maintenance
Have prongs inspected annually to help prevent stone loss.
Chemically and physically identical to natural diamonds, with the same care requirements.
Best Cleaning
Warm soapy water, Soft brush
Avoid
Chlorine, Harsh chemicals
Storage
Separate compartment
Maintenance
Annual prong and setting inspections help keep your diamond secure.
Highly durable with exceptional brilliance, though surface oils become visible more quickly.
Best Cleaning
Warm soapy water, Soft brush, Frequent wipe-downs
Avoid
Lotion contact, Chlorine
Storage
Separate compartment
Maintenance
Wipe with a lint-free cloth every few days to maintain maximum brilliance.
Organic and naturally delicate, requiring the gentlest care of all jewellery materials.
Best Cleaning
Soft damp cloth only, Wipe after wear
Avoid
Perfume, Hairspray, Ultrasonic cleaners, Submerging
Storage
Flat, soft-lined box, Away from other jewellery
Maintenance
Restring pearl strands every 2–3 years.
Care requirements vary by gemstone, with some requiring gentler handling than others.
Best Cleaning
Warm water, Soft brush (gentle)
Avoid
Ultrasonic cleaners, Sudden temperature change, Steam cleaning
Storage
Individual pouch, Away from direct light
Maintenance
Consult your jeweller before deep cleaning delicate gemstones.
Proper storage is just as important as regular cleaning. Storing jewellery incorrectly can lead to scratches, tangled chains, tarnish, and loose settings over time. Even freshly cleaned pieces can lose their brilliance when exposed to humidity or stored alongside other jewellery. Choosing the right storage method for each material helps preserve its beauty for years to come.
Store Each Piece Separately
Prevent scratches by storing each piece in its own soft pouch or lined compartment. Diamonds can scratch gold, silver, and even other gemstones.
Choose a Soft-Lined Jewellery Box
Store your jewellery in a velvet or fabric-lined box to minimise friction and help prevent scratches.
Keep Jewellery Cool & Dry
Store jewellery away from humidity to help prevent tarnish, especially on sterling silver.
Fasten Chains Before Storage
Secure clasps before storing to help prevent tangles and reduce strain on delicate links.
Tarnish is a natural process that occurs when certain metals react with oxygen, moisture, and sulphur in the air. While it can't be prevented entirely, proper storage and regular care can significantly slow tarnish, helping sterling silver and other precious metals retain their shine for longer.
Keep Jewellery Dry
Dry each piece thoroughly before storing to help slow oxidation and prevent tarnish.
Store Airtight
Use sealed pouches or airtight containers to reduce air exposure and help slow tarnish.
Wear It Regularly
Regular wear helps slow tarnish by allowing natural skin oils to form a light protective barrier.
Use Anti-Tarnish Strips
Place anti-tarnish strips in your jewellery box to help absorb sulphur and moisture.
Avoid Rubber Contact
Keep jewellery away from rubber, which can release sulphur compounds that accelerate tarnish.
Polish Gently
Use a soft polishing cloth to remove early tarnish without scratching the surface.
Many common jewellery problems are caused by everyday habits rather than age. Avoiding these simple mistakes helps protect your jewellery's beauty, durability, and brilliance for years to come.
Showering with Jewellery
Soap, shampoo, and hard water leave residue that dulls brilliance and can accelerate tarnish. Remove jewellery before showering to keep it looking its best.
Sleeping With Jewellery
Overnight pressure and movement can bend prongs, weaken clasps, and tangle delicate chains. Remove jewellery before sleeping.
Applying Perfume Afterwards
Apply perfume before wearing jewellery to minimise residue and protect delicate gemstones like pearls and opals.
Cleaning With Toothpaste
Toothpaste is abrasive and can leave fine scratches that dull precious metals over time.
Exercising with Jewellery
Sweat, impact, and repeated movement can increase wear and loosen gemstone settings.
Storing Pieces Together
Storing jewellery together can cause scratches, especially when harder gemstones contact softer metals.
Even with regular home care, fine jewellery naturally experiences wear over time. Annual inspections help identify loose stones, worn prongs, and weakened clasps before they require costly repairs. Professional services such as polishing, rhodium plating, and deep cleaning restore brilliance while helping preserve the beauty and integrity of every piece.
✓ Wipe jewellery with a soft microfiber cloth.
✓ Remove skin oils, moisture, and everyday residue after wear.
✓ Clean with mild soap and warm water.
✓ Inspect clasps, settings, and chains for signs of wear.
✓ Inspect gemstone settings and prongs.
✓ Check for loose stones or movement.
✓ Schedule a professional inspection and deep clean.
✓ Replate white gold with rhodium, if required.
✓ Polish surface scratches.
✓ Tighten loose gemstone settings.
✓ Replace worn clasps, if necessary.
The safest way to clean most gold, platinum, and diamond jewellery is with lukewarm water, mild dish soap, and a soft-bristled brush. Gently scrub to remove dirt and rinse thoroughly before drying with a microfiber cloth. Avoid harsh chemicals, toothpaste, or abrasive cleaners, especially for pearls, opals, emeralds, and other delicate gemstones.
We recommend having your jewellery professionally cleaned and inspected at least once a year. Regular inspections help identify loose gemstones, worn prongs, damaged clasps, and other signs of wear before they become costly repairs. Frequently worn engagement rings or wedding bands may benefit from inspections every six months.
Store each piece separately in a soft pouch or a fabric-lined jewellery box to prevent scratches and tangles. Keep jewellery in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and humidity. For sterling silver, use airtight storage or anti-tarnish strips to help reduce tarnishing.
It's best to remove jewellery before showering, swimming, exercising, or sleeping. Soap, chlorine, salt water, sweat, and repeated impact can dull the finish, weaken settings, loosen gemstones, and accelerate wear over time.
Sterling silver naturally tarnishes when it reacts with air, moisture, and sulphur. To slow tarnishing, keep silver jewellery dry, store it in airtight containers, wear it regularly, and polish it occasionally with a soft silver polishing cloth. Proper storage and routine care help maintain its shine for longer.
Have a jewellery care question?
Our jewellery care specialists can help with inspections, cleaning, maintenance, and restoration. Contact us for personalised assistance.
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