How To Store Jewelry

March 19, 2009 | By | Reply More
david-tishbi-ring-with-pearl

You finally landed the perfect ring. Now what?

Once you’ve found the perfect pair of earrings, have been given a gorgeous gold cross, or snagged your dream engagement ring, it’s time to start taking good care of them. Regular cleaning and polishing is a must, but properly storing jewelry is just as important. It is likely that your most treasured pieces will spend much more time in storage than they will being worn, which is why storing jewelry in the best possible way can make a significant impact on the lifespan of your items. In particular, there are a few jewelry items that require extra attention when storing to keep them looking as beautiful as the day they were purchased, including pearls, gold, silver, and gemstone jewelry.

How to Store Pearl Jewelry

Pearl jewelry in particular is very delicate and requires proper storage. Always store pearls in a soft, non-abrasive environment. This can include anything from a Chinese silk pouch to the soft suede lining of a jewelry box. Keep in mind that pearls should not be stored with other jewelry since the soft surface of the pearl can be easily scratched and damaged. All it takes is a few too many rubs against your diamond earrings to permanently ruin the smooth, lacquered surface of your favorite pearls. lavender-pearl-necklac

Also, though storing necklaces by hanging them is a common method to prevent tangling, pearl necklaces should always be stored flat. Since they are strung together with delicate fabric threads, hanging pearl necklaces can stretch them out. The only way to fix a stretched out pearl necklace is to have it restrung, which can be costly depending on the intricacy of the design.

How to Store Yellow, White and Rose Gold Jewelry

butterly-ring-largeGold, though less delicate than pearls, can also be dented or scratched. One of the most common ways that gold jewelry loses its smooth finish is by being jostled around in a jewelry bag with harder metals and gemstones. For this reason, it is extremely important to never store gold jewelry in the same bag as gemstones – especially if the bag is going to be moved around frequently (traveling, looking for jewelry, etc.).

Gold jewelry is best stored in a stationary jewelry box in its own compartment. This prevents gold from being scratched by gemstones, and also conveniently keeps jewelry perfectly organized. The easier your items are found, the more you will wear them.

How To Store Silver Jewelry

If you haven’t already, check out our previous article about the proper care and cleaning of silver jewelry.  The proper storage of sterling silver requires an airtight container that minimizes the amount of oxygen exposed to the jewelry. Oxygen causes sterling silver jewelry to quickly tarnish, though special cloths can be purchased that absorb and minimize oxygen to reduce the incidence of tarnish. Like gold, sterling silver should also be stored separately from gemstone jewelry to prevent unwanted scratches and nicks.green-amythyst-ring

How to Store Gemstone Jewelry

One of the most important rules in storing gemstone jewelry is to keep it well away from the rest of your jewelry. Gemstones are much harder than most precious metals, and have sharp edges that easily nick and scratch the surface of other jewelry. In general, each piece of gemstone jewelry should be store separately – not in a separate box, but so the piece is not touching another piece of jewelry. The soft ring holder sections of jewelry boxes are ideal for this task, since they can hold rings and earrings upright, away from other pieces – protecting all your precious gems.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Category: Jewelry Tips

About the Author ()

Leave a Reply