Monica Vinader Shares Her Top Tips For Looking After Jewelry

Maybe your gold lacks lustre, or your diamonds don’t sparkle as bright, if so, fear not, as British jewelry designer, Monica Vinader is here to help with some handy tips.

From polishing cloths to bathing, Monica shares her guide to looking after, and cleaning jewelry, so your precious metal and stone pieces keep in tip-top condition for longer.

Tip 1: Plan to clean your everyday favourite pieces every few weeks

Any type of jewelry can lose a bit of its sparkle with regular wear. This often happens because of health and beauty products we don’t even think twice about – items like hand sanitiser, lotion, perfume, hair care products and soap. This doesn’t mean you should stop using any of these essentials but that you should be more conscious of cleaning pieces regularly so they maintain their beauty and you can extend the longevity of your jewelry.

I’d recommend cleaning every few weeks for the pieces you wear the most often. I’m personally not a fan of jewelry cleaners and polishing liquids as I think they sometimes do more harm than good. Bathing the pieces in a simple solution of warm water and the tiniest bit of non-antibacterial soap will help remove dirt and residue. 

Tip 2: Find the right polishing cloth and use regularly

A mistake I’ve frequently heard is people using tissue paper or paper towels to clean metal – they may seem soft and non-abrasive but can actually cause scratching. For me, the right polishing cloth is an absolute must-have and is an easy way to keep your jewelry looking shiny and lustrous. It’s best to use ones recommended or given by jewelry brands as they’re specifically designed to work with your pieces. In a pinch, polishing cloths for eyeglasses will also be gentle enough to use. I really live in my jewelry so daily cleaning is not realistic, but I do try and gently polish my pieces every few days which I find works well to restore shine.

Tip 3: Know your gemstones and research the different care they might need

Gemstones require special care and the type of care can vary based on the stone so it’s important to research how to clean the specific stone you have. If the stones are natural like all of ours are they are more vulnerable to absorbing dirt over time, making it important to clean them regularly after wearing. These natural gemstones can be delicate so I’d avoid cleaning with hot water, harsh chemicals and cleaners – it’s best to refresh with a clean, soft, damp cloth. Some stones can be very porous (pearls, turquoise, howlite and emerald) and should be cleaned using an untreated, dry, soft cloth only.  

Tip 4: Store jewelry properly

When you’re not wearing your jewelry, it’s best to store pieces in a pouch or soft lined box, like the Monica Vinader leather trinket boxes, in order to protect its durability and quality. Ideally pieces are separated (by compartments in the box or individual soft pouches) so that they don’t rub together or become tangled. This is one of the reasons each of our pieces comes in its own soft pouch. If you live in a humid climate, it’s essential to place a small packet of desiccant crystals in the packaging to keep jewelry from tarnishing.

Tip 5: Bring very precious or difficult pieces to a professional

If a piece is really precious to you or you want to be extra careful with it, I’d highly recommend getting it professionally cleaned. They’ll be able to carefully polish off any residue that just won’t budge or safely use an ultrasonic cleaner while keeping your jewelry’s quality intact.

Tip 6: Look to repair if at-home cleaning is just not doing the trick

If you feel that your piece is irreparably tarnished or scratched, you should check if there’s a warranty on the piece. In many cases the brand itself would be happy to refresh under their terms. Monica Vinader offers a 5-year warranty and lifetime repairs as part of our sustainability efforts – we want to ensure that the jewelry you love has a long life.

See the Monica Vinader collection on monicavinader.com.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/felicitycarter/2022/01/11/monica-vinader-shares-her-top-tips-for-looking-after-jewelry/