7 ESSENTIAL JEWELRY CARE TIPS

Keep your jewelry collection in good hands! Follow these basic jewelry maintenance tips to keep your baby jewelry in use for the rest of your life.

Did you know that jewelry, particularly silver jewelry, tends to tarnish over time? This is true even if it's stored away. Your body chemistry, the environment and some kinds of chemicals can alter the color of your favorite pieces, which can be pretty devastating. Proper jewelry care can ensure that each of your items always looks its best so you can be proud to wear it.

Caring for your jewelry goes beyond a simple buff or rinse every so often. Regularly inspecting your jewelry is also important to identify when there might be damage or wear to your pieces. The key to jewelry maintenance is knowing how to store, wear, and clean your items.

Keep reading for an easy jewelry guide for getting it right.

JEWELRY CARE INVOLVES PUTTING IT ON LAST

This is perhaps the easiest way to prevent your prized pieces from coming into contact with substances that can lead to tarnishing. This includes hair spray, body lotion, deodorant, and perfume. Use whichever of these items you usually do but give them some time to soak in or dissipate in the air before you put your jewelry on.

This means you don't have to give any of them up but can still protect your earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. If you plan to reapply any of these substances during the day, be sure to remove all your jewelry and place it out of contact reach before doing so.

TRY TO AVOID LIGHT AND HEAT

You know that the sun can damage your skin and change its color with enough exposure. The same is true for many metals and gemstones used to make jewelry. Prolonged sun or light exposure can damage these materials and cause them to wear out as well as look old and uncared for.

This is especially true of amethyst, topaz, and cameo pieces. Pearls and ivory tend to bleach out when they get a lot of sun or light and amber can take on a darker hue in the same situation. Excessive heat can cause gems to crack and remove the natural moisture they need to stay in good shape.

Tarnished jewelry doesn't only not look nice, but it can also stain your skin. When you aren't wearing your jewelry, be sure to keep it in a cool, dry, dark place.

DON'T WEAR YOUR JEWELRY WHEN DOING CHORES

You love your jewelry and probably really enjoy wearing it, but there are times when it's better to take it off so it stays looking pretty. Cleaning and gardening are two of those times. The chemicals in many cleaning products, especially bleach, can damage or ruin metals and gems.

Gold, sterling silver, and platinum can all become discolored with exposure to certain chemicals and some gemstones can also. If you don't want to take jewelry off, wear rubber gloves.

Wearing your jewelry to do gardening can lead to bumps and dings that can scratch or chip metal and gems. Anytime you plan to do chores around the house, it's best to remove your jewelry first.

TAKE YOUR JEWELRY OFF IN THE WATER

Some people tend to wear their jewelry all the time, never removing it for anything. While this is convenient because you know you'll never forget it, it can cause damage to the metals and gems used to make it.

In the swimming pool or hot tub, chlorine can tarnish metals and weaken gems. The addition of prolonged soaking in water can further weaken both materials. Showering or bathing with jewelry on can cause similar damage due to water exposure as well as contact with the soap, shampoo, and conditioner you use.

Keeping a tray or dish in the bathroom (away from drains and toilets so you don't lose them) gives you an easy reminder to take it off before getting into the water. That way after you've applied your lotion, you can put it all back on if you want to. (Unless you're going to bed - more on that below).

LEARN HOW TO CLEAN JEWELRY THE RIGHT WAY

Knowing how to clean jewelry is one of the best things you can do for your favorite pieces. Learning to clean gold and clean silver means you'll always be equipped to care for your jewelry so it always looks its best.

It's best to use cleaning cloths and solutions specifically designed for your pieces. The wrong one can damage etchings and engravings as well as leave your metals and gems discolored.

Ultrasonic cleaning tools aren't always a good option as they cannot be used on certain items, including pearls. The vibration of the machine can also loosen gemstones or cause them to fall out altogether. Buffing should be done with an appropriate polishing cloth or piece of flannel.

NEVER SLEEP WITH YOUR JEWELRY ON

This includes rings and small earrings. Of course, larger pieces can be uncomfortable to sleep in and should be taken off, even the pieces you don't notice while you're sleeping should be removed prior to bedtime.

Wearing jewelry to bed can lead to damage, including bent prongs, broken chains, and loose stones. You could also lose an earring back in your sheets. In addition, the jewelry can cause skin irritation so it's much safer for your body and your favorite pieces to take them off before you go to bed at night.

STORE IT PROPERLY EVERY TIME

You're tired and ready for bed so you just toss your jewelry onto your nightstand and go to sleep. That might not seem like a big deal, but it can be. Not only is jewelry best cared for when it's in a cool, dark place when you aren't wearing it, but improper storage can lead to damaged or broken pieces.

Experts recommend always storing your items separately in a case designed for jewelry. This limits the risk of items getting tangled up together or scratching one another. When you keep everything separate, you always know that it will be ready to wear and looking its best each time you take it out.

SUMMING UP

The key to jewelry maintenance is to clean regularly, avoid contact with substances that may damage metals or gemstones, remove them when doing chores, and store them carefully.

Related articles:

8 Tips for Cleaning Jewelry

At Home, How To Clean A Diamond Ring

3 Different Sterling Silver Cleaning Methods

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What's Wrong or Right? Jewellery or Jewelry

Jewellery or Jewelry, which way is correct? In a strange and interesting way they both are. This is due to geography and local differences. Ever wonder where words come from? Are you curious about what is wrong or right when you see Jewellery or Jewelry? The origin of both these words come from the word Jewel. Let's take a look at the geography of Jewelry and Jewellery.
   
Is Jewellery Right?

Jewellery comes from the word Jewel. Jewellery, spelled in this way, is mainly used in Australia and the United Kingdom. The word Jewellery is also often seen in Canada although both versions are used there as well. But why is this so, and how did it become? Jewel is the root word and anglicized from the French word Jouel.

Similar to many other words, when converted from other languages, the spelling differed across different countries. You can see similar words like “favourite” or “finalise” or “practicing” from our interview with Amber Sceats from Australia. All of these words actually have different spellings in the US compared to Australia and the UK. So in summary, Jewellery is the correct spelling in the United Kingdom, Australia, and parts of Canada.

Is Jewelry Right?

Jewelry is the American spelling of the same word. There is no difference in definition or meaning. This refers to items worn including rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets. Jewelry is something that can make us feel good, receiving or buying it. Remember the first earrings you purchased or the first ring you received—that feeling of joy?

So if you are living in the US, yes, the word Jewelry is right. The definition of the word Jewellery is “objects that are worn for personal adornment…” Another definition of Jewellery is “the art or business of a jeweler”.

Whether spelled as Jewelry or Jewellery they are interchangeable with one another.

You say Potato, I say Potato, lets call the whole thing off.

Right or wrong, they all mean the same thing now, but in different places and regions.

The most wanted jeweler

There is an undeniable connection between women and jewelry. But who would have thought a woman could rob a jewelry store tomorrow? We're talking about six jewelry stores?

The Story

According to the FBI, the culprit responsible for six robberies in jewelry stores in the southeast had been taken into custody. The culprit, Abigail Lee Kemp, 24, and another suspect had been taken to Smyrna, Georgia.

Federal authorities also announced that Kemp had been arrested and is being detained due to the charges being filed against her. As she is suspected for the number of robberies, the punishment for her crime is heavy.

The federal agency also stated that within hours of issuing a press release regarding the assistance in finding the culprit for the six robberies, the FBI had received a number of credible leads coming from the public.

The FBI has not released the details of the arrest and the name of the other suspect, as they had cited that they are still continuing their investigation. Kemp, on the other hand, is to appear in Atlanta federal court this Monday.

Abigail Kemp’s mother, Connie Kemp, had reportedly hung up on a phone call from INSIDE EDITION. Sources had said that her statement before hanging up was, “No comment and do not call this number again.”

Abigail Kemp is currently suspected of robbing jewelers in five different states since April 29 and her heists have been estimated to be $4 million. Surveillance cameras which had captured her in the act, had shown that she usually walked right into jewelry stores without a mask and care free. She was reported to have pulled out a gun and sometimes even tying employees when robbing the stores.

She usually wears gloves during her heists and is suspected of having an accomplice who was looking out for her.  

Before she was apprehended, her last heist had been in Mebane, North Carolina, where she had robbed a Jared Jewelers store.

We all know that diamonds are a woman's best friend, but this woman must be too much. Fortunately, we don't need to rob jewelry stores to satisfy our desire for all the good things. Jump to the clothes you want most and find your favorite new accessories!

How does the mood ring work?

Let your emotions show the color of your mood ring

We have many ways to express how we feel. Most people express themseeities through facial expressions. If a person can face a face, people will think that he/she is having a bad day, or that they just have "double face syndrome".

Some display their emotions through their actions. You can sing “Walking On Sunshine” while at the office and people know that you're happy and/or possibly insane.

But others choose to display their mood through clothes and jewelry.   That's where mood rings are very useful. Mood rings were created back in the 1970's and started the rise of mood jewelry. (Take a look at our Awesome 80s Jewelry Post.) Mood rings change their color based on the wearer's mood. If you wear it feeling happy, it will appear as pink. But if you suddenly became anxious, it will turn to brown. Many people were very fascinated with this ring. That's why it became really popular. But, ever wondered how it works?

How the Actual Mood Ring Works
       
Our body reacts differently to every mood we have. When one feels happy, certain chemicals are released in the blood and activates many of our organs. It causes an increase in the heart rate, therefore increasing the amount of blood circulating in the body. This is why we feel alert and energetic whenever we are happy. This is also why our body temperature increases.

On the other hand, during times when we are anxious or scared, chemicals in our body divert blood flow to our vital organs and muscles. This is to prepare our body for the “fight or flight” response. Since the blood is diverted to the internal organs, temperature tends to drop at our extremities.

Changes in our mood cause many reactions in our body. Certain chemicals in our body are released into our blood, causing several responses. That's why our heart rate changes when we're happy. We tend to have less energy when we are sad. These changes are utilized by the mood ring.

One major indicator during mood changes is the temperature. Normal body temperature is 98.6 F. Any mood shifts causes a rise or fall in our body temperature. Mood rings contain thermophilic liquid crystals layered with a protective coating. They are placed inside the ring or at the band. Once the person's mood changes, the liquid will react to the temperature change and will therefore cause the change in the ring's color.

Mood rings probably don't reflect one's mood perfectly, but they are certainly fun to wear.   They are both useful and fashionable. We all have very few pieces that can do that. It can be a good conversation starter.

Look for fashion jewelry, we'll give you.

3 Common Jewelry Myths Revealed

   

Most women, if not all, own at least some jewelry. It could be a pair of earrings or a bracelet. When you're a baby, you start collecting jewelry. It's fun, but it's also an investment.

Despite the fact that many of us are around and own jewelry our whole lives, we don't really know that much about it.   In fact, a lot of what we know about jewelry is just plain wrong.   So we thought we would write about some jewelry myths and why they just aren't true. So without further ado, we'll debunk some of these jewelry myths for you.

    

    

   
There are Naturally Different Colors of Gold

You have seen gold in many colors before.   Maybe you never realized or seen gold that came with different colors. The most popular ones are white gold and rose gold.   Others are pink and faint blue as well as yellow.

I'm sorry to say but, those are not pure gold. Pure gold, in its natural form, is slightly reddish yellow in color. However, civilizations have managed to combine gold with other elements to create beautiful variations of gold. For example, white gold is an alloy made from gold and any white colored mineral like manganese and nickel. Most of these colored golds are used for jewelry but you can see them in tons of different uses.

Diamonds are Immune to Damage

Diamonds are known to be the toughest mineral on the planet. On the Moh's Scale of Hardness, it has the score of 10, which is the highest category on the scale. But, hard as it may be, that doesn't mean that it's indestructible.

Diamonds can be scratched by other diamonds. Also, when you smash two diamonds together, they can break. There are also incidences where diamonds have been broken or cracked after hitting an object such as a wall or a car door.

Diamonds are tough but not indestructible.   So the next time you have intensive activities like grocery shopping, you may want to leave them at home.  

    

    

   
Bite into Gold to Check if it's Legit or Not

    

    You have seen it in old movies.   The old fable of biting into gold to check for its authenticity. Naturally, gold is a soft metal and when bitten into it, you should be able to see your bite marks.

While this may be true, this jewelry myth is a little flawed.   There are also many other types of metal that are soft and malleable if bitten. Lead is a soft mineral as well and if you bite into it, you can also see your bite marks. Lead though is a known toxin.   There are people who have sold gold painted lead before.   So, it's probably best not to bite your gold.

Be Safe When Buying Jewelry

Jewelry is an important part of your overall image. But it's never wise to believe every word that others say about jewelry. There are countless myths and stories about jewelry fraud. So, before you buy any jewelry, make sure you're buying it on a reputable jewelry site and do your own research.

How to match jewelry

Every day, we take the time to pick out a chic outfit. We do hair and makeup. We take good care of our skin. We glorify ourselves to look the best we can. But even so, we may still need a bit of style improvement to complete our look. A simple trick to complete your look is accessories with jewelry - a lot of it. Mixing jewelry is a popular jewelry trend and a simple way to get out and make you look the most beautiful.

So, how does one mix and match their jewelry? Here's our quick tips:

PICK A FOCAL PIECE

One important lesson about mixing and matching jewelry is to find a centerpiece and accessorize from it. A centerpiece is usually the one piece of jewelry that stands out the most. The “eye-catcher.” It can be a chunky necklace, a large ring, or a shiny watch. Whatever it is, your other jewelry pieces should complement that focal jewelry piece. Say you are wearing a large, chunky opal necklace for an anniversary dinner, one can match it with a pair of diamond-studded earrings. A large gold watch can be worn with thin bracelets and rings that have a similar or complimentary tone.

BE COLORFUL

Mixing and matching jewelry can sometimes become dull and boring, especially if you wear pieces of the same color. Break the monotony by wearing pieces that have a colorful accent. Never be afraid to blend in a colorful piece in the sea of gold or silver necklaces. It’ll enhance and make your pieces look exciting and fashionable.

BE DIVERSE

Habitually, one would think to wear jewelry of the same kind. So if you chose a gold bracelet as your focal piece, the rest should also be in gold. But, present times calls for change. Now, it is actually encouraged to mix jewelry of different metals and stones. This makes the look more unique and trendy.

LAYER IT

Layer your jewelry based on size and thickness. Necklaces can be layered by wearing long jewelry pieces with shorter ones. On the other hand, bracelets can be layered by wearing thin, simple looking bracelets together with thicker, chunkier bracelets. Make sure it doesn't look too overwhelming. Never pile too much jewelry.

STACK ‘EM UP

One of the latest styles when it comes to wearing rings is stacking. The best thing about this stacking trend is that there are no rules. It doesn't matter how many rings you wear. Pick out from any of those cute, affordable pieces from your favorite shops and stack em’ up. Sounds pretty simple and awesome, right?

Mixing and matching jewelry may be scary at first, but try it. The easiest way to remember is not to make a head. Beyond that, the combinations can be endless. A fairly simple recipe arrives at your next party looking beautiful and stylish.

Resize the ring: what could go wrong?

Your favorite ring doesn't fit!Don't worry;It is possible to resize the ring.There are several reasons to resize a ring.A person may want to resize the ring so they can wear it on the other finger, or may need to resize the ring due to weight gain or loss.Ring sizing is actually one of the most common jewelry restorations.However, it's also important to know what can go wrong with the size of the ring to prevent damage to one of your precious jewels.

Resizing To a Smaller Size

This process is simple, compared to when a ring is resized to a larger size. A portion of the band is cut, ring is then soldered back together, and finally cleaned and polished. However, when the shank of the ring is too thin or thick, it makes the resizing process more difficult for the jeweler. The area where the ring was cut and soldered also becomes weaker and can potentially break in the future.

Resizing To a Larger Size

There are two ways to resize your ring to a larger size. Depending on how much you want it to be resized, a ring can be stretched or reworked. Stretching is a method used if you need to resize your ring not more than half size larger. For ring sizing larger than that, a total rework on the ring would be necessary. Keep in mind, complication can occur when the ring has a more intricate design (has stones and diamonds), resizing it to a larger size may be a problem as it can alter the beauty of the ring or damage the stones/diamonds.

Unable to Resize

Unfortunately, there are certain rings that cannot resized or reworked. Eternity rings, for example, cannot be resized due to diamonds or stones going all the way around the band. Any heat or cutting can damage damage or distort the beauty of the ring. Metals like titanium or stainless steel rings cannot be resized due to the material properties.

When buying an expensive ring, it is important to consult your jeweler to ensure that the metal type and design will allow the ring to be resized in the future.Most fashion jewelry rings have a certain amount of leeway, of course, if our fashion jewelry is too small or too big, we will accept a return.As a general rule, make sure the ring is comfortable to wear and avoid potential trouble with future ring sizing.