Jewelry Care

You love your jewelry – learn how to take care of it with this handy guide to jewelry maintenance.

Take It Off.

Believe it or not, caring for your jewelry occasionally means taking it off, especially during the following activities:

• Sports: Playing any sports, wearing your jewelry to the gym, or doing any sort of exercise can shorten the longetivity of your jewelry and will require a touch up sooner than normaly required.
• Gardening: It is possible to chip your stones or knock the settings loose while doing heavy yard work.
• Cleaning house: It's a good idea not to wear your jewelry while doing the dishes: harsh chemical soaps or cleansers can soil the ring. It's a good idea to take off rings while washing your hands.

Safekeeping.

• If you'll be taking your ring off to do the activities above, make sure you have a safe -- and memorable -- place to put it.  Our travel box is an easy and great place to store it before you wear it again.
• Keep It Free From Lotion, Sunscreen And Perfume. These products can gunk up and discolor your ring- it's a good idea to take it off before you apply product.
• These products can even gunk up your diamond, and even etch colored gemstones. It's a good idea to take your jewelry off before you put these things on.
• Have Your Setting Checked Regularly to avoid stones from falling.
• Most jewelers recommend you have your setting checked every six months to make sure nothing has become loose.
• DON'T SWIM IN THE OCEAN WHILE WEARING YOUR JEWELRY! If it's a Ring, cold water may shrink your fingers just enough to loosen it from your finger, and if you lose it in the deep blue sea, you won't be seeing it again.
• Be Careful In The Kitchen. Cookie dough, turkey loaf, a piecrust… it's great to mix with your fingers. But these foods can leave a film on your ring and really affect its luster.
• Don't Wear Jewelry In Swimming Pools and Spas - Chlorinated water can react with the metals found in jewelry causing color changes and even structural damage. As a result it's a good idea to remove jewelry before entering the pool or spa.
• Remove Your Jewelry Before Bathing - Remove all jewelry before showering or cleaning. Soap can cause a film to form, making it appear dull and dingy. By preventing the formation of this film you immediately reduce the occasions of servicing.

Keep It Clean.

Most jewelers will clean your jewelry free of charge, so take advantage of this courtesy. If you don't have time to get to the jewelry store, there are a few ways to clean your ring at home.

For any discoloration, BIJOUX suggests using the cleaning cloth provided and GENTLY rub of the part that is discolored. For any gunk build up, we suggest using a very MILD dish detergent to clean any lotion buildup from the bottom of the mounting. Simply scrub the top and bottom with a VERY soft toothbrush and rinse several times in hot water. For extra shine, soak your ring in a small bowl of ammonia diluted with three times the amount of water, and gently brush the top and bottom of the mounting with a VERY soft toothbrush. Dip the ring into the solution again, then rinse in warm water several times to be sure to get all of the solution off. You may set the ring on a soft towel to dry, or gently pat it dry.

NOTE: IF YOU DO THIS OVER AN OPEN DRAIN, USE A STRAINER!