8 Tips on Storing Fine Jewelry Properly

Do you have precious pieces of jewelry you want to keep clean and beautiful forever? Are you not sure how to store your grandmother's necklace or your engagement ring to preserve them?

Believe it or not, there are ways to store particular types of jewelry that keep them shiny and strong. With a little extra care, you could keep your pieces elegant for years to come. You'll even be able to pass them on to your own grandchildren.

Here's what you need to know about storing jewelry. Keep reading to learn more!

1. Control the Temperature

You'll want to keep precious jewelry out of direct sunlight. Excessive heat can cause tarnishing or even discoloration.

Instead, opt for a location with low humidity and room temperature. Moisture can harm gemstones or weaken a clasp. 

Jewelry can tarnish faster if you live in a hot climate. You may wish to purchase a dehumidifier for the room you're planning on storing precious pieces in.

2. Clean Away

You should clean your jewelry before you store it. Dirty jewelry can eventually get to you, causing skin irritation and allergies. It can also lead to discoloration of the metals on your precious pieces.

You won't want dirt to degrade your gemstones. It can also scratch their surfaces.

You can clean your jewelry every few weeks and polish it every few months. You'll want to be careful, however, not to polish too much. This can cause the metal to wear away more quickly.

Your gold, silver, and diamond pieces are fairly easy to clean. Simply place some warm water in a bowl and fill it with some mild dishwashing liquid. You can then drop your jewelry in and let it soak for about fifteen minutes. 

Next, scrub your jewelry with a soft-bristle toothbrush, and make sure you get rid of any visible dirt. 

Finally, rinse your jewelry in warm water and use a soft cloth to dry it off. You can even buff it while you're drying to try to restore a little shine.

You'll want to be extra careful when cleaning pearl jewelry.

While you can wash it with soapy water, it's important to be extra careful with the temperature. Water that's too hot or too cold can damage the surfaces. Pearls will also need to get wiped down more gently.

If you're interested in using a professional jewelry cleaning solution, do a little research and purchase one that comes highly recommended. You can also bring special pieces to a jeweler for regular cleaning. 

3. Store Your Jewelry by Type

You can store gold and silver jewelry in cotton bags because they help reduce moisture while allowing the pieces to continue breathing. 

Diamonds can get stored in a protected environment like a box. If you store them with other pieces, they can scratch or tarnish their surfaces. This is true for gemstones like sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. 

Pearls need to get stored in a soft linen cloth so that other jewelry can't scratch surfaces. It's important not to store them in airtight packages because they need moisture to prevent cracking. Don't store your pearls in plastic bags.

Generally speaking, costume jewelry is safe to keep out in the open. If you have pieces you wear daily, hang them out so you're ready to grab them quickly on the go.

4. Insure Your Jewelry

You can insure any particularly valuable pieces. Take pictures and look into getting a rider added to your homeowner's insurance.

Most people think of insuring very expensive pieces like engagement rings. However, you'll also want to consider pieces like earrings and necklaces that have great monetary or sentimental value.

5. Choose a Drawer

Take a look at your dresser or armoire and determine if you can clean out one drawer and use it just for jewelry storage. You can store your jewelry separately within the drawer, but it will keep surfaces from getting too cluttered.

As long as you choose a drawer within a temperature-controlled part of your room, you can't go wrong.

6. Find Jewelry Trays

Jewelry trays come in a wide variety of colors and shapes. Some even have tiered systems that can help you keep your jewelry organized and give you more space.

The great thing about storage pieces designed specifically for jewelry is that they are often designed so you can keep pieces like earring pairs together but separate from other jewelry so they'll be easy to find. 

7. Get a Necklace or Earring Branch

Jewelry "trees" are currently popular. These allow you to hang jewelry out so it's clearly displayed and keep earring pairs together. There's also usually a tray on the bottom for items that are difficult to hang.

Jewelry trees are a great way to see your costume jewelry and other non-precious pieces you wear every day.

8. Necklace Wonders

It's common for necklaces to get tangled if you store them together or in a drawer without much thought. They can also be difficult to find when you need them.

You can hang necklaces from a freestanding holder in your closet, or a small peg rack mounted to your closet door. You can also place a key holder above your dresser for a charming, rustic necklace keeper.

What You Need to Know About Storing Jewelry

You may be new to jewelry, or just want to begin taking better care of the pieces you already own. With the right temperature and organizers, you can become an expert at storing jewelry in no time.

For more fine jewelry ideas, contact us today.