Be it a nose pin you bought from your boutique silver shop, or a rose-gold chain that is a part of your most recent haul from H&M, most of us are very attached to our trinkets, even if they are real. So we thought we’d help you make your jewellery last longer, and look great too!
How To Store, Maintain & Keep Jewellery: Metal, Fashion & Beads
Invest in a good jewellery box that has different compartments. My jewellery box is actually a leather case with about 5 compartments with velvet lining (similar to jewellery boxes) and a pouch for precious jewellery.
Stop wearing rings—precious, gold plated, or silver, or metal—in the shower. If it’s not real, chances are it’ll look a bit mouldy in no time. And if this is your fave diamond ring, you’re earning more runs to the jewellery store just by doing this!
Since its summer, I also wanted to tell you all to remove all jewellery before you take a dip in the pool or hit the spa. Chlorinated water can cause changes in your beloved knick-knacks so please stash it in a locker.
Metal Jewellery Basics: How To Store & Clean It
Be it statement neckpieces or metallic cuffs, metal jewellery is on an all-time high. We all invest a few bucks in metal trinkets depending on trends of the season. But since its metal at the end of the day: I’d say, start by being smart. Don’t spend more than 2000 rupees on something that doesn’t have any gemstones/silver, and is not even gold plated.
How To Avoid Oxidation Or Discolouration In Metal Jewellery
Now, a significant problem with metal pieces is discolouration or tarnishing, and that can be a major turn off. To avoid this, make sure you store your jewellery in a cool, dark place (try to keep it away from a window, and not in a bathroom for sure!). I’d also suggest you store your fave metal jewellery in plastic ziplock bags. This way, there’s no chance of oxidation.
How To Clean Metal Jewellery
If you see your metal treasures fading away, you can try putting it in a bowl with warm water and 1 teaspoon of salt and baking soda each. Avoid scrubbing.
You can also soak your favourite metal jewellery in soap water and use your fingers/toothbrush to get the dirt off. Wash with cold water; dry it with a soft cloth.
Costume Jewellery Basics: How To Store & Keep It
A rage during the wedding season, costume jewellery uses a variety of metals, stones and high-end crystals that makes it APPEAR as good as the real stuff. In India, more and more designers are combining gemstones, meenakari and pearls to create costume jewellery that looks as good as Kundan or Polki jewellery. At the end of the day, a lot of these use zircon studs and silver/gold plated brass as the base of these ornaments.
Now you must remember that simple things like spritzing perfume or just sweating, can make the pieces look dull.
How To Store Costume Jewellery
As I said, it may be a good idea to store all kinds of jewellery in a velvet laden box with different compartments. Another quirky way to store costume jewellery is in a picture frame with removable glass. This hack will also reduce exposure to oxygen which means NO tarnishing.
How To Clean Costume Jewellery
To clean pearl embellished earrings or chaandbalis, and avoid it from rusting, take a drop of baby shampoo and a few drops of water (don’t dilute the mixture). Take this onto a soft-bristled toothbrush and apply it on your jewellery pieces, one by one. Rinse it in cool water. Let it air dry in a cool, dry place.
Beaded Jewellery & /Metallic Chains
Be it pearls or tens of seed beads in a bracelet, start by storing these flat and long. Why? Because they tend to stretch over time. My advice would be to invest in a long pouch that has enough space for your chains to lie flat (without any loops or bends), and, also comes with a velvet lining to avoid scratches. Use anti-tarnish strips to keep these pieces from losing their lacquer.
When it comes to pearls, in particular, swipe these strings with a cotton cloth to avoid losing their organic shine and lustre! Keep them away from other jewellery pieces and get them restrung every 2-3 years to prevent breakage.
