Precious. Invaluable. Treasured. Beloved. Irreplaceable.
These are the kind of flattering and even breathless words people frequently use to describe their valuable, valued jewelry pieces. But while you probably don’t hesitate to lather praise on your own diamond engagement ring, pearl necklace, gold wedding ring, diamond bracelet, or other favorite piece of fine jewelry, do you take an equal amount of pride in protecting it?
Here at Zillion, we’re always and forever devoted to helping people like you protect your prized jewelry pieces. The main way we accomplish this driving mission is by providing superior jewelry insurance options for each and every one of our customers. But in our blog, we also like to offer up an array of helpful insights, experiences, and tips.
Our ultimate hope is that you end up using similar words to describe your favorite posts here. But first and foremost, let’s take a closer look at what you can start doing right now to make and take good care of your jewelry.
Limit Exposure to Light and Heat
Gemstones and jewelry pieces are a lot like people. Both are unique. And both can be quite sensitive to the elements. Just as too much exposure to the sun and its punishing rays can cause deep damage (and even cancer) to our skin, too much light and heat can severely diminish a gemstone’s durability, color, and overall constitution.
When left exposed to too much light (and heat) over a period of time, gemstones and jewelry pieces can begin to visibly fade and even decay. Amethyst, kunzite, topaz, and shell cameos can all suffer strongly—and pearls, ivory, and other hyper-delicate materials may even bleach under extreme exposure. Conversely, gems such as amber may visibly darken when exposed to too much light.
Excessive heat and sudden changes in temperature can also fracture some gemstones. Pearls may not only bleach, but possibly dry out and crack. In addition to turning white or brown, opals may also become brittle or cracked. Obviously, none of these are positive scenarios or “weathered forecasts” for your prized jewelry pieces.
Keep Away from Chemicals
Light isn’t the only common cause of damage and decay to valuable and delicate jewelry pieces. Chemicals can also discolor, damage, and decay precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum—and do significant damage to some colored gemstones. You might be surprised to learn that even everyday cosmetics such as hairspray, lotion, perfume, and sunscreen can damage the surface of your jewelry, especially pearls and porous gems.
There’s also the matter of swimming and soaking in a hot tub or Jacuzzi. Before heading into any chlorinated environment, you should be sure to remove any and all fine jewelry. It pays to apply the same caution to using household cleaners and sunscreen, too. Many cleaners contain ammonia, which can be too harsh for delicate gems or vintage jewelry. Another common household solvent, chlorine bleach, can also damage gold alloys. Frequent use of sunscreen can cause a thin film to adhere to your rings, necklaces, earrings, and other accessories.
In general, when you go out to the beach or the pool for some summertime fun, you should take extra precautions with your jewelry. We dove deeper into these helpful practices for summer jewelry care in a previous post.
Let’s Keep It Clean
Cleaning is a close cousin of caring. Whether you own diamonds and other precious gemstones, gold and silver, or other valuable materials, regular cleaning of your fine jewelry should be a common practice. Especially if you also regularly wear your jewelry. So if you’re not already in the habit of cleaning your jewelry every few months or so…well, there’s no better time to start than now. In fact, there’s a world of good you can do for your precious pieces that involves nothing more than a soft chamois cloth, dishwashing liquid, warm water, and a toothbrush.
But before you look away from your screen and start furiously scrubbing at your diamond engagement ring or gold bracelet, take a few moments to digest some of these helpful home cleaning and care tips. In fact, we dive deeper into each one in their own dedicated posts:
· How to clean your diamond engagement ring and diamond jewelry
· How to clean your gold jewelry pieces
If you really want to keep things clean, you can end each day by softly rubbing your jewelry against an equally soft cloth (chamois or flannel are ideal). This will help not only keep it sparkling and shiny like new, but prevent those toxic lotions, oils, and other chemicals we talked about from seeping in and doing damage.
Of course, you (or someone who loves you) paid a pretty penny for your valuable, valued jewelry, so chances are you have a history with a reputable and trustworthy jeweler near you. Many quality jewelry stores and jewelers offer free jewelry inspections (or check-ups) and professional cleaning services at scheduled intervals of ownership. Generally speaking, jewelry should be examined closely at least every six months—with cleaning occurring more frequently.
Practice Safe Storage
It might sound like a no-brainer, but you also might be surprised by how many people overlook the importance of safe storage for their diamond engagement ring and other prized jewelry pieces.
If you’re in the habit of casually placing your valuable jewelry in a dresser drawer or on top of the dresser, bathroom countertop, or other common area, you should think twice. This is exactly how precious gemstones get scratched, chipped, or otherwise degraded and damaged.
Once again, it’s important to take special care when it comes to pearls. Pearls–as well as opals–draw moisture from the air, so if you store them in a too-dry area (such as a safe deposit box), this could actually be counter-productive to their condition and preservation.
Also of note here: when traveling with jewelry, you should take extra precaution to protect your valued pieces. Jewelry boxes that feature separate padded slots are ideal for jewelry care and protection. Padding in general is the way to go, wherever you choose to go—and take your jewelry with you.
The Ultimate Jewelry Care: Zillion Jewelry Insurance
While all these tips are indeed impactful in caring for your jewelry, perhaps nothing is as invaluable as an iron-clad, all-situations jewelry insurance policy from Zillion.
With jewelry insurance from Zillion, you get smart, affordable, and entirely comprehensive coverage for your valued jewelry—including complete support from your jeweler. This way, if theft, loss, or damage should befall your jewelry, you can rest assured knowing that someone has your back. Since we reinvented personal jewelry insurance with our point-of-sale, embedded insurance platform, we’ve also made the entire process paper- and hassle-free.
You see, at Zillion, we take great pride in caring for our customers. Nowhere is this care more important than when the need arises to honor a claim—in a timely manner, without hassle, stress, or complications. The way we see it, this is exactly our time to not just meet, but exceed any and all expectations. After all, you put your trust in us. With your precious, treasured fine jewelry.
Don’t just take our word for it, however. Read some of the many positive Zillion online reviews. Then drop us a line when you’re ready to protect your valuable and valued jewelry. You can even start with a fast, free quote on our site now!
