Care Tips

Be careful with light and heat

Just as the sun’s harmful rays can damage our skin, light and heat can affect a colored gemstone’s durability and color.
Over time, and in excess, they can also fade or damage some gemstones, such as amethyst, kunzite, topaz and shell
cameos. Pearls and other delicate materials, such as ivory, will bleach under extreme exposure to light. Other gems,
especially amber, can darken over time when exposed to too much light.
Excessive heat and sudden temperature changes may also fracture some gems. Heat can easily remove the natural moisture
these gems need to keep their beauty. Pearls, for instance, can dry out, crack and discolor. Opals can turn white or
brown, develop tiny cracks, and might lose their play-of-color.

Keep your jewelry away from chemicals

Exposure to chemicals can damage or discolor precious metals – gold, silver and platinum – and may harm some colored
gems. Even everyday substances like hairspray, lotion, perfume or other cosmetics can contain chemicals that will
permanently damage the surface of your pearls and other delicate or porous gems (like turquoise). Fine jewelry should be
removed before diving into a chlorinated swimming pool or before using household cleaners. Many of these cleaners
contain ammonia, which can be too harsh for delicate gems or vintage jewelry. Chlorine bleach, another common household
solvent, can pit or damage gold alloys.

Give treated gems special care

Many colored gemstones are routinely treated to improve the appearance of color and clarity. These treatments can be
negatively affected by heat, solvents, steam and ultrasonic cleaners. Knowing whether your gem has been treated is the
first step to knowing how to care for it. This is where a GIA report comes in – it contains important information about
your gem and any detectable treatments it may have undergone.

Use ultrasonic cleaners with caution

While you can purchase a professional ultrasonic cleaner for $150 or less, you should be aware that not all gems and
jewelry can be safely cleaned in it.
Ultrasonic cleaners should not be used to clean:

– Gemstones with surface-reaching breaks that have been filled with a substance such as oil, resin or a glass-like material
– Organic gem materials such as pearls, coral, ivory, or amber
– Gems that have been coated with a non-permanent substance like plastic or wax
– Some heat-treated gemstones
– Gems that are susceptible to heat and temperature changes whether they are treated or not. Some of these gems include tanzanite,
feldspar (sunstone and moonstone), fluorite, iolitem kunzite, lapis lazuli, malachite, opal, topaz, turquoise, zircon and others.

What’s more, the vibration generated by the machine can sometimes shake gems loose or chip gems that are set with their
girdles touching.
This type of cleaning is best left to jewelry professionals who know about different gem materials and understand when
and how to use the ultrasonic cleaner safely.

The safest cleaning methods are also the easiest

Most colored gems can be cleaned with warm water, mild dish soap (no detergents) and a soft brush. A pulsed-water dental
cleaning appliance and a soft, lint-free cloth can also be used. Be sure to rinse your jewelry in a glass of water to
remove cleaning solutions since you risk losing loose stones – or even an entire piece of jewelry – if you rinse
directly in the sink.
Soft gems, such as pearls, on the other hand, can easily scratch. Use a new, clean makeup brush and warm, soapy water to
softly clean them. Lay a strand of pearls on a towel to dry. The wet silk thread can stretch − and attract dirt − so
don’t touch your strand until it is completely dry. Pearls worn often should be restrung once a year.

Safely store your jewelry

Proper jewelry storage is often overlooked. Jewelry should never be tossed into a drawer or on top of a dresser − that’s
asking for scratches and damaged gems.
Most jewelry pieces come in a box or pouch from the store, which is a perfect place to keep them. Sterling silver, for
example, should be kept in an anti-tarnish bag or cloth. Jewelry boxes that feature individually padded slots for rings
and posts for hanging necklaces and bracelets are also ideal.Pearls and opals draw moisture from the air, so storing
your opal or pearl jewelry in a dry area, such as a safe deposit box, can sometimes do more harm than good.
When traveling, protect your jewelry pieces from scratches or other impact damage by padding it in a separate box or
case.
Many jewelry stores offer free check-up or professional cleaning at scheduled intervals: Jewelry should be checked every
six months and cleaned frequently. Look for a jeweler with professional training and a good reputation – asking friends
or relatives for recommendations is a good place to start.

Gold

To prevent damage to your white, yellow or rose gold jewelry, we recommend you store it safely away from other pieces to
avoid unnecessary scratches. Gold should be kept away from harsh chemicals, such as cleaning and beauty products, to
avoid discoloration to the metal.
All our 18k white gold has been plated with a white rhodium finish, this is a layer of plating applied to the metal to
emphasize the bright white finish of the metal and can be especially susceptible to discolouration when brought into
contact with chemicals. Should this occur, you can bring these into your dealer which will ship back to us and we can
offer you a rhodium plating service to bring back that white shine.

Silver

Silver will naturally tarnish over time, the amount of tarnishing (oxidation) that occurs is dependent on the skin and
care habits of the wearer. We recommend cleaning your jewelry using warm soapy water and a soft brush and then finish by
polishing with a soft cloth to prevent the natural process of tarnishing.

Diamonds

Diamonds are well known for their hardness on the Mohs scale, however they can still be chipped or cracked when knocked
and care should be taken to avoid harsh contact when worn. Diamonds can be easily cleaned using a small amount of liquid
soap in hot water and dried using a lint-free cloth to remove any dirt and grease to bring back its shine.

Emeralds

Emeralds are infamous for their history and the deep luscious green colour is one that cannot be matched by another
stone. So let’s take good care of them!
Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with
which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not
evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum
family.
Emerald is 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale and has fair to good toughness, making it a stone that requires more care in
wearing than ruby or sapphire. Even so, emeralds are beautiful stones for all types of jewelry and with proper care will
last for generations.

Heat can damage emeralds, especially by extending existing fractures. Light and chemicals can cause the oils, resins,
and polymers used to fill surface-reaching fractures to alter in appearance or deteriorate.
Some estimates state that 90 percent or more of emeralds are fracture-filled. Since the great majority of fashioned
natural emeralds contain filled fractures, it’s risky to clean them ultrasonically or with steam. Ultrasonic vibrations
can weaken already-fractured stones, and hot steam can cause oil or unhardened resin to sweat out of fractures. Using
warm, soapy water coupled with gentle scrubbing is the safest way to clean emeralds.

Rubies and sapphires

Porous gemstones, including amber, turquoise, opals and pearls can be stained by oils or liquids, so it’s important to
avoid contact with face creams, lotions and household chemicals. Wash porous gemstones in lukewarm water and polish with
a lint-free soft cloth.

Coral

Because coral is very soft, it has to be treated with great care. It should be cleaned with a soft, clean cloth, and
then rinsed in warm, soapy water.
It should never be soaked, nor put in an ultrasonic cleaner, nor subjected to a jewelry dip.
If the coral is dusty, the dust can be blown off with a can of compressed air, which can be bought at an office supply
store.
The coral can also be rinsed in the sink, and then dried thoroughly with a soft cloth.
Coral jewelry should be stored in its own soft fabric pouch, or on its own till in the jewelry box so that it’s not
scratched.
Larger pieces of coral jewelry should be wrapped in tissue so they don’t scratch other objects beside them.

Turquoise

Natural turquoise is naturally a soft (easily scratched) and fragile (easily broken) stone. As such, it needs to be
handled with care. Turquoise that has been stabilized with polymers is much less prone to scratching and breakage. Store
turquoise by itself, not with other jewelry with hard stones or metals that could scratch it. Use of a jewelry pouch may
address this concern.
Turquoise is also easily damaged by solvents because if is a phosphate mineral. It should be protected from perfumes,
skin lotions, hair sprays, sunscreens, and other cosmetics. These can damage the stone’s surface polish. Contact with
oils in the skin should be avoided as well for the same reason. Most jewelry cleaning solutions should also be avoided.
Over time, exposure to the sun can lead to discoloration and dehydration. Store your natural turquoise jewelry in a dark
place. Do not wear it on sun bathing occasions or at the beach, but free free to use it often on evening outings.
Always clean your turquoise with a soft, clean cotton cloth.

Follow these simple instructions and you can keep your pieces as fresh as the day you purchased them.

Always a YES:

1. Put your jewelry on a few minutes after you’ve put on your perfume, hairspray, makeup, and lotions. You’ll find you won’t have to clean them as often.
2. Polish your jewelry with a soft cloth anytime you feel it could use a pick-me-up (dust and fingerprints tend to diminish jewelry over time).
3. Store in a dry place such as a felt lined jewelry case, a soft pouch, or soft tissues so your pieces don’t scratch or dent against each other.
4. Take your opal jewelry off before taking a shower or cleaning dishes. These are more delicate than diamonds.

Big NO-NOs:

1. Don’t swim with your jewelry. Chlorine + Fine Jewelry = Not friends.
2. Don’t store in proximity with domestic cleaning products. Household chemicals + Fine Jewelry = Not friends.
3. Don’t wear your jewelry when doing manual tasks: cleaning the house, gardening, and kitchen work to prevent
contact with chemicals and to avoid scratching.
4. Please don’t remove your jewelry by a sink or a toilet to reduce the risk of jewelry going falling down drains.
5. Don’t yank your jewelry off by the gemstone. It will not damage the jewelry but may loosen the setting over time.

Diamond Jewelry Cleaning Special Instructions:

1. A bowl of warm (not hot water) with two drops of ordinary dish detergent is the best way to clean your jewelry at home.
Using a very soft brush, scrub where dust can collect. Just rinse and pat dry with a soft cloth.
2. A home ultrasonic spa cleaner for your diamond jewelry can be used. Do NOT put your opal jewelry in it.
3. If you can, take it to a professional jeweler for cleaning.