How To Care For Your Jewelry

How can I clean my jewelry at home?

  • Polish your jewelry with a lint-free, 100% cotton cloth.
  • Gentle cleaning with lukewarm water, soap, and a soft toothbrush is also recommended.
  • Always check the tightness of stones before and after cleaning, especially when using a steam cleaner.
  • Never use an ultrasonic cleaner on micro pavé stones, opals, emeralds, or turquoise.
  • Fine jewelry should be stored securely in fabric-lined or leather-lined boxes.
  • Pieces can also be wrapped in soft fabric.
  • We recommend keeping an up-to-date inventory of your collection, including photographs, insurance evaluations and any appraisals, in the event that an insurance claim or police report needs to be filed.

When do I need to remove my jewelry?

  • Exercising | Any strenuous activity including cardio, yoga, lifting weights, swimming, etc. These activities, particularly ones using your hands, put pressure on your pieces, causing them to bend, warp, or for stones to become loose in their settings.
  • Showering or bathing | Hard water, shampoos, and conditioners can become stuck behind settings, causing damage to your pieces. Soap scum can be hard to remove and causes jewelry to look discolored and grimy.
  • Sleeping | The extended heat and pressure that occurs during sleep can wreak havoc on delicate and fine jewelry. Keep a jewelry-appropriate container next to your bed so that you can remove your pieces every night.
  • Applying perfumes, lotions, oils, makeup or hair products | Products can build up on the jewelry, damaging certain stones, dulling their appearance, and requiring more frequent cleaning.
  • Cooking, baking or doing the dishes | These activities can cause debris to become lodged in settings and diminish the appearance of your pieces.
  • Cleaning, especially with bleach or other harsh chemicals | Harsh chemicals such as bleach can pit metals and weaken settings, causing stone loss.
  • Gardening | The pressure from holding gardening tools can cause damage to settings even when wearing gloves. Removing your pieces before gardening also ensures that they remain free from dirt and debris.
  • Painting, throwing pottery, or play | These activities are best done with your jewelry safely out of the way.
  • Depending on your lifestyle and occupation, consider removing your jewelry during working hours. Contact with potentially damaging materials can be a daily reality. Professionals in the food, art, or medical industries, for example, may use their hands much more actively than those with office jobs. Please refer to our care instructions when deciding what works best for you.

What if my earring backs are too loose from wear?

  • We are happy to tighten loose backs free of charge.
  • We also offer screw-back posts if you’d prefer a little extra security.
  • Please inquire with our store staff for screw-back pricing.

How do I know if my gemstones are loose?

  • To check for loose gemstones on any pieces of jewelry with stones, especially rings, it is recommended to have the tightness of the stones checked regularly by a professional.
  • Depending on the amount of wear the piece receives, stones should be checked every 4 to 6 months.
  • Stones should also be checked more frequently at home.
  • We are happy to provide a virtual demonstration for these techniques upon request.
  • You can use a simple pinhead to gently tap the surface and sides of the stone and see if they move.
  • We also recommend listening for loose stones by holding your piece between your thumb and middle finger next to your ear.

Tips for Caring for Precious Stones.

  • Know the hardness of your gemstone, as determined by the Mohs hardness scale, and consider how prone it is to scratching or being scratched.
  • Durability is also important. A stone's durability is defined by a gemstone’s ability to withstand wear, heat, light, household chemicals, and humidity.
  • Gem experts consider three factors when evaluating durability: hardness, toughness, and stability.
  • No single gemstone scores a “perfect 10” in all three factors, so it’s important to weigh them all when choosing a gemstone or piece of jewelry.
  • You can also find helpful information on our website, including care guides, FAQs, information on repairs and warranties, returns and exchanges, and shipping and store pick-up options.