Caring for Valuable Necklaces

 If you are the lucky recipient of a very expensive black opal necklace containing precious stones such as diamonds, pearls or opals, you will certainly want to know how to care for it so that is does not become damaged in any way. Generally, it is not the storing of jewellery that damages it so much as what happens to it when you wear it. For instance you might put on your necklace and then decide to give your hair another spray with hairspray, or your hands may have been creamed with moisturiser before you even picked up the necklace.

Both of these scenarios will cause some kind of damage to many precious stones. Hairspray, deodorant and moisturisers create a film over the stone that impairs its shine and can wear away that beautiful surface over the years. Of course, you would never dream of dropping your precious necklace into the jewellery box with your other brooches and rings. Doing so will certainly scratch the surface of jewels such as pearls and can quite ruin the look of them. They should be kept in a separate box on velvet or silk so that they are never scratched.

Some necklaces are kept in a soft bag, but even this is not ideal as when you pick it up, the necklace can be scratched by itself as parts will rub against other parts of it. The kind of care required for valuable necklaces will depend on the type of stone they are set with. Pearls, opals and diamonds all require different care. Black opals particularly are extremely rare and valuable, but all opals are quite delicate and should never be worn when working around the house or when playing sport. Even taking them from a very warm home into the cold outside can cause them damage.

Opals should be cleaned with a facial tissue or a piece of silk. They should never be rubbed with any kind of abrasive cleaner. Triplets or doublets should not be soaked in detergents to clean them as the glue at the back might degrade.

When a necklace is worn the jewels in it nearly always touch the skin. This is especially so of pearls that usually protrude over any setting that contains them. Touching the skin means they pick up body oils and moisture, plus any additional thing like powder and deodorant that has been placed on the skin. As soon as you take off that pearl necklace you should wipe it over with a lint free cloth. The cloth can be dry or damp, but if damp the pearls must be allowed to air dry before they are put away. Pearls can also be washed with warm, soapy water, but never use abrasive cleansers or anything that contains ammonia. They should not be cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner.

Diamonds, even though they are a very hard substance do need to be looked after carefully if they are to retain their shine. Never use soap for cleaning diamonds as any small residue will spoil the sparkle. You should use warm water with detergent and a lint free cloth. A soft toothbrush can be used if necessary. With all gems you should rinse them with clean water afterwards.