Cleaning Your Jewelry
How do you know when you go into a store and buy a new dress or a pair of shoes that they’re clean? You don’t, and yet we have to keep living our lives and slowly get back to a normal routine.
During this quarantine I’ve kept myself busy listening to webinars and continue to educate myself on the news in my industry. There is a lot of emphasis on coming back to work to a clean and safe environment.
I’ve known all along that when you properly clean your jewelry, it kills germs, but listening to this webinar in particular really reinforced the value of that.
Standardly, in personal jewelry collections, 82% of jewelry is not being worn because it is not clean.
We are used to referring to the sheen and polish of a piece of jewelry when discussing cleanliness, but today’s needs have extended beyond just the look of the piece.
The best and safest way to kill germs in your jewelry is with hot soapy water in an ultrasonic machine, and to follow that with a high pressure steam to remove any excess dirt and grime that is loosened during the ultrasonic process. You need both to really clean your jewelry properly.
Now that we’re slowly heading back to work, the attention being paid to safety and cleanliness is at an all-time high.
I want to reassure you that a unique component of the fine jewelry industry is that every piece of jewelry is cleaned at least 4 times.
Before a piece is worked on, it is cleaned.
After the jeweler works on it, it is cleaned.
After the setter works on it, it is cleaned.
When the polisher puts the final touches on it, it is cleaned.
This should assure you that everything is clean and safe.
Even if you use over the counter jewelry cleaner or alcohol-based hand sanitizer
(not safe for pearls, opals, emeralds, or anything that is glue set) the fine jewelry industry standards for cleanliness recognizes the best method is a combination of ultrasonic and high-pressure steam.
Now is the time to do this, so that when we start getting together again, you and your jewelry will look their best.
Tip: Most people who need their jewelry cleaned usually need a repair done as well. I will pick up your jewelry and deliver it back to you cleaned and repaired. Contact me directly for your cleaning and repairs. I’m happy to answer any questions you have.
Take care,
Jane
(212) 923-3328 jane@jbjewels.com
