~ ~ ~ ~ Jewelry Care ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ Jewelry Care ~ ~ ~ ~
Pure Silver is too soft for most ordinary uses, so, like gold, silver is alloyed, or mixed, with other metals to add hardness and strength. The standard alloy is 92.5% silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper. In order for an item to be called sterling, the law requires that it have a minimum silver content of 92.5%. Sterling must be marked as such. There are three approved markings to indicate sterling:Solid Gold is identified by its karated weight such as "10K", "14K".Sterling Silver or Sterling or STR .925 for 92.5%. 999 for 99.9% which is too soft for most jewelry. If one of these three markings is not present on a piece of jewelry, the item is not sterling silver and cannot be called such. The system of measuring karats is based on a scale of 24, with 100 percent gold equaling 24 karats. Since 24K gold is usually considered too soft for jewelry, the gold in jewelry items is alloyed with other metals to strengthen and harden it. The karat mark tells us the ratio of pure gold to these other metals. A 22K gold piece is 22 parts gold and 2 parts of at least one other metal. An 18K gold piece is 18 parts pure gold and 6 parts other metals.
Storage
· Store fine jewelry carefully, observing the following guidelines:
· Store jewelry in a dry place and avoid extremes of temperature and humidity.
· Keep gemstone-studded jewelry, pearls, and gold and silver pieces separated from each other to prevent scratching. Store fine jewelry pieces in soft pouches, soft cloth wraps or plastic "zip-close" bags to help protect them.
· Don't overcrowd your jewelry box. Crowding can result in misplaced or lost jewelry if a small piece falls unnoticed from the case. Occasionally, forcing too much jewelry into the box may even bend a fragile piece or chip a delicate stone.
Cleaning
Keeping genuine gemstone jewelry clean is essential if you want it to sparkle to its fullest. Film from lotions, powders, and skin oils dulls stones and reduces their brilliance. To keep your jewelry looking its best, clean it on a regular basis.
Note: Be very careful to use an appropriate cleaner from those listed in this section. An inappropriate cleaner may actually damage stones or settings.
Household Cleaners The simplest and safest way to clean any kind of jewelry is to wash it with warm sudsy water. Prepare a small bowl of sudsy water, using any mild liquid detergent. Soak the piece a few minutes, and then brush it gently with an eyebrow brush or soft toothbrush while holding it under running water.
Make sure the drain is closed. Some people prefer to place jewelry in wire strainer before holding it under running water.
When the piece is clean and sparkling, pat it dry with a soft lint-free cloth or paper towel.
Note: When cleaning opal, apply a thin film of oil after washing.
Commercial Cleaning Solutions
Use commercial jewelry cleaners with caution.
Commercial jewelry cleaners are no more effective than the household cleaners suggested above, but they are more convenient. They are normally safe for diamonds, rubies, and sapphires, but may be harmful to some gemstones.
Never soak gemstone jewelry in commercial cleaners for more than a few minutes.
Note: Commercial cleaners are not recommended for amethyst, opal, pearl, aquamarine, and emerald. They may damage or reduce the luster (shine) on these stones.
Ultrasonic Cleaners Use ultrasonic cleaners for diamonds, rubies, and sapphires only. Ultrasonic cleaners can damage emerald, opal, pearl, and some other colored gemstones.
Travel Precautions
The following precautions will help keep your fine jewelry safe when you travel:
· Don't pack jewelry in luggage you plan to check.
· Never leave jewelry in a hotel or motel room. Whenever possible, place jewelry in a safety-deposit box when you are not wearing it, even for part of a day.
· Use a "body pouch" concealed under your clothing when you must carry a valuable piece. Never go sight-seeing with valuables in a purse or pocket.
COPYRIGHT Susan K. Zalusky, 2008
the The Celtic Lady's™™ is Trademark protected.
(This does not imply that the word 'celtic' is trademark protect - only the combination of words that create "Celtic Lady")