Refer to our section on silver for silver based jewellery.  The section below generally refers to jewellery comprising a series of precious stones, set in either gold, silver or platinum. You should have your jewellery checked periodically by an expert jeweller to ensure it is in top condition as you will want to feel confident when wearing valuable items that any stones are secure.

Cleaning

• Inspect settings thoroughly to identify any items that could become detached during the cleaning process.
• Remove dirt and dust with a soft camel haired paintbrush.
• If the item needs stronger cleaning, rinse in distilled slightly warmed water with a small amount of washing up liquid (if settings are held with glue aggressive cleaning in warm water may weaken settings).
• One of the worst contaminants of gem stones is hard water, which can leave a "chalky" residue (lime scale) after cleaning.
• Clean only a small area at a time and dry immediately using a lint free cloth.
• As an additional precaution, clean any items over a white cloth to catch settings should they become dislodged.

Repair

• Repair should only be undertaken by a suitably qualified jeweller or jewellery restorer.

Display

• The best way to display antique jewellery is to wear it though put it on last as perfumes and sprays can leave a film on the surface.

Handling

• Generally handle wearing white cotton gloves. Acid and grease on figures will reduce the sparkle and may even damage the piece.

Storage

• Store in a suitably padded jewellery box.
• Wrap individual items in acid free tissue or a soft white cotton cloth.
• Diamonds are particularly likely to scratch other items, whilst pearls scratch easily and are best stored separately.