Jewellery and ornaments are our precious and lifelong assets. It is the responsibility of the owners to care for them and cherish them in the manner they deserve. Two things are essential-jewels should be kept clean and regularly examined by a jeweller to check settings, clasps, threading, and so on. And they should be properly housed. Some useful tips-* Avoid giving gold jewellery for professional polishing. Instead make a solution of 2 teaspoonfuls of detergent powder and half a cup of warm water. Soak the ornaments in this for a while and then clean them with a soft brush. You may also boil them the ornaments with a pinch of turmeric and a blue detergent powder in a steel vessel, before cleaning them with a soft toothbrush.
* Pearls need special care. Always keep pearl strings in separate satin-lined box or wrapped in cotton wool. Guard them against moisture, including perspiration, as it makes them lose their luster. Have them restrung once a year or whenever they are loose on the string. To keep the pearls bright, rub them gently and frequently with a piece of clean, soft chamois leather, taking care to rub in between individual pearls. This will remove the film of invisible dust and grime. Never use water to clean pearls.
* Silver ornaments can be cleaned in a soapy solution of soap nut (reetha) powder and warm water. Silver jewellery can also be boiled with potatoes to get back their shine.
* For diamond jewellery, you can make a solution in water with 1 teaspoonful of detergent powder and 1 teaspoonful of soda-bicarbonate (cooking soda). Churn up a foam and wash your diamond jewellery very carefully in it.
* To preserve the shine of costume jewellery, put a coat of transparent nail varnish on them after you buy them. They will remain as new.
A few things about storing your precious jewellery:
Never keep the various pieces jumbled up in a box. It is better to store them separately in different boxes meant for the purpose.
* Gold chains should be kept in a long satin-lined jewellery box, while bangles should be kept in boxes designed for them, so that they don’t lose their shape.
* Keep small earrings and tops in one box and the larger ones (jhumkas) in another.
* Stone-studded ornaments should be kept very carefully, as rough handling may loosen the stones. Obviously, diamond pieces need to be kept apart form other jewels, and from each other. Diamonds, being the hardest known substance, will scratch each the surface of other gems as well as of other diamonds.
* Pearls should never be mixed with other gem-set jewellery as their surface is easily scratched and damaged.
* If several of your gold chains become entangled, sprinkle talcum powder on them- it will be easier to separate them.
* Costume jewellery and “gold plated” jewellery should be kept away from moisture. Do not wear them during monsoons or when you may perspire a lot. Store them in air-tight container and always remove them before you have a bath or a wash.
See also:
The magnificient Mehendi
9 comments:
A very nice article. presentation is excellent.
Wow! Its so nice to see an article on jewelery.
Soak the pearls in water for a few minutes. After you take them out if the paint is chipped they are fake.
For quick fix, dip in rubbing alcohol. Rinse and then dry.
The best way of storing gold jewelry is by wrapping them individually to avoid scratches.
To maintain the luster, it should be taken off before shower or housework.
Soap makes it dull. Chlorinated water eats up the metal, so avoid wearing them in chlorinated water.
One of the best ways to clean silver is to lay a sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of a porcelain sink or enamel container. Lay your tarnished silver in a single layer over the foil. Sprinkle with one cup of baking soda and pour boiling water over everything to cover. Let it sit for one hour or so, then rinse and wipe dry.
If there is still some tarnish on the silver just rub some white toothpaste into it. Rub into the tarnish until the tarnish is removed. Rinse and wipe dry.
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For silver pieces without raised patterns or cemented-on handles: place the silver on aluminum foil in an enamel pot. Add boiling water and 4 tbsp. baking soda. Let stand, rinse and dry
The jewelry department at any department store has jewelry cleaner, or take it to an optical shop that has an ultrasound machine, that's what jewelry's us
Dispose of any jewelery cleaner after 3 months. A home solution of one part mild detergent, one part household ammonia, and three parts water is also effective for many jewelery cleaning needs. Dry the jewelery with a lint-free towel. This method of cleaning is especially desirable for alexandrite, amethyst, andalusite, aquamarine, citrine, diamond, garnet, iolite, moonstone, ruby, sapphire, spinel, tanzanite, topaz, tourmaline, and zircon
A mild soap and water solution used with a soft brush is effective for many home jewelery care needs. Even the mild chemicals of commercial jewelery cleaning products may damage certain gems. Although soap and water is the best choice for most gems and jewelery, do not use soap and water with amber, coral, emerald, jade, kunzite, lapis lazuli, opal, or turquoise.
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