5 Vintage Jewelry Care and Maintenance Tips

Collecting and wearing vintage jewelry is a fascinating pastime and anyone who values this endeavor will find the following tip helpful.  In many instances vintage jewelry may require a bit of cleaning to bring it back to the original appeal it was created to illicit. Once you have found something you cherish, maintenance is important whether you decide to wear it regularly or keep it as an investment for resale. Regular cleanings will prevent deterioration. 

Here are five simple things you can do to keep your vintage jewelry in the best possible condition:

1. Specificity of cleaning products.  Not all cleaning products are equal to the task. Because chemical composition varies from stone to stone, it is important to have the appropriate  product to prevent damage to the gem. Additionally, certain chemical cleaners can cause harm to precious metals. To select the right product know the metal and stone type. For instance, use ammonia and lots of water on gold; or use a diluted baking soda solution to clean silver.
2. Use soft brushes! Before using a solution to clean your jewelry, dust the piece with a soft brush to eliminate particulates. Surprisingly, even minute particulates have sufficient properties that will cause scratches during cleaning of if they aren't removed. If you don’t have a brush specific to jewelry, a soft bristle toothbrush works just as well.
3. Use soft cloths! As with the brushes noted above, gentle cleaning  will provide the best results. Once you have dusted the jewelry and selected the appropriate solution based on metal and gem type, you are ready to create that shine! Gently rub a cloth dampened with cleaner over the jewelry to make it look new again. Expert tip: use a Q-tip to get into those hard-to-reach places. If a piece is extremely dirty, soaking may be necessary.
4. Dry the jewelry. This might be the step that is most frequently overlooked when maintaining a piece of vintage jewelry. After cleaning the piece, it is important to thoroughly dry it. While this might seem like an unnecessary step, be assured that it is not. Moisture can be quite damaging to vintage jewelry.
5. Polish it. This is probably the most therapeutic part of caring for antique jewelry. While you can find a simple, soft cloth, I would suggest investing in cloths that are designed specifically for polishing jewelry. It might seem unimportant, however a random piece of fabric might have imperfections that could damage your coveted piece of antique jewelry. It's better not to take this risk.

Collecting vintage jewelry can be a rewarding hobby as a well as a lucrative investment! If you would like to learn more about vintage jewelry, visit http://www.wilsonsestatejewelry.com/.