How To Take Care Of Your Bridal Jewelry

There are many special items associated with your wedding day. It is one of the most important and special days in your life and there are going to be some wonderful memories. Memories of the big day might be captured in photographs, your wedding dress wrapped carefully in the closet, and little mementos from the ceremony and reception. Your most enduring memory, however, you carry with you everywhere, every day. This is, of course, the symbol of your married status, your bridal jewelry.

Your wedding jewelry might include any piece you wore on the day, Maybe you wore a pearl choker or a pair of subtle diamond studs but the most important pieces are the rings. Together, your engagement ring and wedding band form what is known as the bridal set. Loaded with significance, wedding jewelry very often becomes heirloom pieces, passing through the generations.

As items that are worn every day, your bridal rings need to be looked after. But any other pieces you wore need care too. Left uncleaned and untreated, fine jewelry pieces with or without precious stones can start to tarnish and lose their luster.

You can pay a visit to the jeweler to have your items professionally cleaned. (It is a good idea to do this periodically anyway!) Or, you can clean your jewelry at home.

Here are some useful tips and jewelry care hacks for how to clean and take care of your wedding jewelry.

Silver Bridal Jewelry

Of all the precious metals, sterling silver is the most likely to tarnish so it needs regular care. There are plenty of proprietary cleaners available in stores in the form of liquids, pastes, lotions, and polishes, but they can tend to be a little bit messy to use, especially if you don’t have a lot of time to spend using the products in the recommended way.

There are also disposable silver cleaning wipes that can provide a much neater service, and can be very robust in their effects. If you want a DIY solution, there are various options.

• Dish Soap

Mix a few drops of dish liquid with lukewarm water (not hot water), and use a soft cloth or soft brush to rub on the silver to remove the noticeable tarnish. Rinse with cool water afterward and then buff dry with another dry soft cloth.

• Baking Soda

For heavier levels of tarnish, you can mix three parts baking soda to one part water, and then wet your silver and apply the mixture using a soft, lint-free cloth. Make sure to work it all into the crevices before rinsing well and buffing dry.

You will find lots of so-called “best ways to clean silver” on the internet but it is best to ignore these. Don’t use things like ketchup, toothpaste, silver foil, or any other alien ingredient. Silver cleaners are not expensive and it is better to use these or the two DIY methods.

Do not over-polish because this can damage silver.

An important aspect of taking care of your jewelry is storage. Silver is best kept in felt, and preferably in its original box if it came in one. If you don’t have felt, cotton is a good alternative. When not worn, silver should be stored so it isn’t exposed to the air.

Gold Bridal Jewelry

Things like solid gold bracelets, earrings, engagement rings, wedding rings, and chains should all be cleaned in a gentle bath solution of dish soap and warm water.

Soak your gold pieces for up to five minutes to dislodge the dirt, and then gently swish them around before laying them on a soft cleaning cloth. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean the prongs, crevices, and chain links to remove any residual grime. Rinse everything under cold running water. A strainer is a good idea to prevent any items you might drop from disappearing down the plughole. Buff dry with a soft cloth.

Like silver, gold jewelry is best kept covered when not being worn, preferably with each piece in its pouch. Don’t leave it out on a vanity even if it does look nice on display because exposure to the air, moisture, and even things like deodorant and hairspray can reduce its gleam over time.

Diamond And Other Gemstone Bridal Jewelry

It can be easy to restore the sparkle and shimmer of precious and semi-precious stones. Anything that is set in silver and gold can be cleaned using the same methods detailed above, but instead of using plain water, you can achieve an extra shine by using seltzer water with dish soap rather than tap water. The carbonation helps to loosen grime and debris that might be trapped in the stone settings and around the facets.

Pearl Bridal Jewelry

Pearls are a lovely choice for bridal jewelry, most particularly the neckline, but because they are porous, they need to be cleaned in a slightly different way.

Their porous nature means that they hold on to dirt and dust in a more aggressive fashion, and they can easily lose their luster. The important thing to remember is that no matter whether they are real or high-quality faux, you still need to clean the pearls to keep them in good condition!

The most important rule to follow is that you should never soak pearls because this can weaken the silk string holding them together which can lead to it breaking.

Conclusion

Keeping your bridal jewelry clean and sparkling is essential to maintaining its beauty and value. Regular cleaning and proper storage can help to prevent damage and discoloration. With all of these tips on stones, gold, and silver, you can now feel confident that you have the tools and knowledge to be able to take care of your entire bridal jewelry collection.

When it comes time to find the perfect bridal jewelry, be sure to check out Stein Diamonds for a wide selection of high-quality, stunning options.