Jewelry Care Guide

The pieces you wear every day — your engagement ring, your wedding band, the necklace you never take off — will stay beautiful for years with a little regular care. Here's how to look after them at home, and when to bring them in.

Everyday habits

Put your jewelry on last and take it off first. Perfume, lotion, and hairspray can dull stones and finishes, so apply those first and let them dry before putting your pieces on.

Take pieces off for showering, swimming, cleaning, workouts, and sleeping. Soap and cleaning chemicals build up on stones, chlorine and salt water are hard on metals and settings, and sleeping and exercise can bend prongs and wear bands thin.

Cleaning at home

Fill a bowl with warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap. Soak the piece for 15–20 minutes, then gently go over it with a soft-bristle brush — a soft toothbrush works well — especially under the setting, where dirt collects.

Rinse in clean warm water and pat dry with a soft, lint-free cloth. For most pieces, that's all it takes.

Gold — 10K, 14K, and 18K

Clean gold the same gentle way: the warm soap soak above, a soft brush, and a lint-free cloth to dry. Nothing harsher is needed.

White gold gets its bright finish from a thin layer of rhodium. That finish naturally wears over time, and a jeweler can re-plate it to restore the bright white look.

Diamonds — natural and lab-grown

Natural and lab-grown diamonds are the same material, and they take exactly the same care.

Diamonds attract grease from skin and lotions, which is why they can start to look cloudy. The warm soap soak breaks down that film and brings the sparkle back.

Skip the ultrasonic cleaner if a stone feels loose or the setting is fragile — the vibration can work a loose stone looser. If a stone moves at all, bring the piece in instead of cleaning it at home.

Gemstones

Softer stones — like emerald, opal, and turquoise — need a gentler touch. Don't use ultrasonic or steam cleaners on them. Wipe them with a soft, slightly damp cloth and dry them right away.

Pearls

Wipe pearls with a soft cloth after each wearing to remove skin oils. Keep them away from perfume and cosmetics, never soak them, and store them flat and separate from other pieces so they don't get scratched.

Sterling silver

Tarnish on sterling silver is normal — it isn't damage. Wearing your silver often actually helps keep tarnish away.

When you're not wearing it, store silver in a dry, airtight pouch or bag, and keep pieces separate so they don't scratch each other. To remove tarnish, polish gently with a silver polishing cloth.

Storage

Store each piece on its own — a soft pouch or a lined jewelry box — so pieces don't scratch one another. Fasten chains before you put them away; a closed clasp keeps them from tangling.

Professional care

Have the prongs and settings on your rings checked by a jeweler every 6–12 months. Prongs wear and bend with everyday wear, and a loose prong is how stones get lost — catching one early is a quick fix.

Questions, or a piece that needs a look? Visit us at Roxy's Jewelry in Boynton Beach, or call the store at (561) 739-3339.