Girlfriends: Taking Care of Fine Jewelry
ABC7Chicago.com, IL
January 12, 2007 – Many women and men received fine jewelry as a holiday present; and jewelry is a very popular gift for Valentine’s Day, which is coming up soon. But, few people know how to store and care for it. What you can use to clean gold, silver and platinum is different – and each gemstone requires its own special care and maintenance.
For example, did you know you should never wear your gold – such as a wedding band – in the swimming pool? Chlorine is one of its worst offenders
Or that when wearing silver you should avoid contact with ammonia such as found in many common household cleaning products? And even though diamonds are the hardest known gemstone, they still need TLC as they can break or fall out of settings?
Kelly Fletcher of Jewelry Television shares tips viewers tips and tricks to maintain the beauty, quality and lifetime of their fine jewelry. Kelly is a spokeswoman for Jewelry Television, as well as a jewelry and shopping expert. Jewelry Television is a member of the Jewelry Information Center.
• JEWELRY IS AN INVESTMENT — Treat your fine jewelry like an investment.
• ORGANIZE AND STORE PROPERLY — The first key to maintaining your jewelry is to organize and store it properly in special containers.
• Organization and Storage No-No’s: Do not heap all of your fine jewelry in one drawer or box. Metals and gemstones can scratch each other, so keep them separate and wrapped in velvet, paper or silk. ”
• PROPER CLEANING — Regularly clean and inspect your jewelry and remove it before showering, sleeping, exercising, cleaning house and working in the yard.
• Cleaning No-No’s: Do not use toothpaste, it’s an abrasive. Be careful with ultrasonic cleaners; they are generally not recommended for pearls, opals or emeralds.
• Golden Rule for Cleaning: All fine jewelry can be soaked in warm or room temperature soapy water (non-detergent) for 10 minutes. Pat items dry with a soft, lint-free cloth. Air dry pearls before putting them away.
• When in Doubt: Consult with the purchase source regarding specific care and tolerances or visit resources such as www.jtv.com, www.jic.org, and www.gia.edu.
OTHER FACTS ABOUT MAINTAINING YOUR JEWELRY
Gold: Gold’s worst offender is chlorine so never wear it in the pool, hot tub, or while using cleaning products. Chlorine breaks down the metal and causes breakage. Platinum is also sensitive to chlorine.
Silver: Avoid ammonia.
Pearls: Store them in soft velvet cloths away from other jewelry and avoid cosmetics, perfumes and household chemicals. Restring pearls every one to two years, depending on how frequently they’re worn.
Gemstone care depends on hardness: Pearls are the most fragile gemstone, and diamonds are the hardest. But even diamonds need TLC as they can still break or fall out, especially if you’re not periodically checking for loose stones.
Other: Some gems require even more special care. Opals contain water and can crack if stored in dry or freezing environments. Emeralds, garnet and tanzanite can break if exposed to extreme temperature changes.
2007 JEWELRY TRENDS — Southwestern and cool, spring-like colors; lots of gold and silver; bold designs; big looks from quartz family; unusual, affordable colored gemstones
Kelly Fletcher
Kelly Fletcher is the spokesperson for Jewelry Television (jtv.com) and a self-proclaimed jewelry shopaholic. She has worked as an on-air jewelry program host, publishes many articles on the subject of fine jewelry and accessories and is currently studying with the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
Kelly identifies emerging jewelry and fashion trends for the network and has helped design several top-selling pieces. She works with many national women’s magazines and TV shows to supply jewelry for photo shoots and celebrity wardrobes.
Kelly is also a classically trained singer and spent her 20’s performing musical theatre roles across the country including two seasons with The National Opera Company. A native of North Carolina, Kelly served as Miss North Carolina in 1989 and says her love of “all things sparkly” led her to a career in fashion and jewelry.
About Jewelry Television
Jewelry Television is the nation’s fastest-growing home shopping network, focusing exclusively on the sale of fine jewelry and loose gemstones. Jewelry Television airs live programming 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The network is the 15th largest fine jewelry retailer in the United States.
Industry experts host Jewelry Television programming, bringing rare, beautiful and affordable merchandise to people everywhere. Many of the on-air hosts hold Accredited Jewelry Professional certifications and even Graduate Gemologist degrees from the Gemological Institute of America. Jewelry Television shows can be viewed live from www.jtv.com, which contains all merchandise for sale and a learning library with informative videos and articles about gemstones.
