Vintage Jewellery Cleaning & Care

Buying vintage jewellery often gives you the chance to own something unique and because many of the pieces are costume jewellery they can be bought relatively cheaply. Whether you have bought it as an investment or simply because it just caught your eye, you need to look after and care for it to make sure it survives in the best possible condition for future generations.

Depending on the piece’s age it may already have some minor damage or have been mended in the past. To keep your vintage jewellery looking its best, always wear it with care because vintage jewellery can be tricky to repair. 

Pearls

Pearls often feature in vintage jewellery but pearls can be difficult to keep in good condition.  Pearls tend to flourish and bloom when they are worn regularly because they need the oils from your skin to nourish them and keep them 'living'. If they are not worn, they may lose their lustre so wear them, enjoy them, and they will tend to look after themselves. When cleaning, pearl jewellery never soak in water because it will damage the pearls.

Metal jewellery

Sterling silver jewellery may tarnish over time simply from general wear. If the piece is set with semi-precious stones, pearls or glass - never use a silver dip because this will submerge the whole piece and could cause moisture to get trapped behind the setting. Use a jewellery polishing cloth instead to keep jewellery dust-free.

Cameos

Cameos, shell cameos in particular, can discolour and crack from drying and aging so they require special care. To keep your cameos in top condition, completely cleanse them once or twice a year. To cleanse a cameo, use a gentle soft-bristle toothbrush in a mild soap-and-water solution. Rinse the cameo thoroughly with warm water immediately after cleaning the jewellery. Never soak cameos in any cleaning solution for more than 30 seconds.  It’s also important not to let your cameos dry out because they can begin to crack. Moisturise the cameo with mineral oil or baby oil and let it soak in overnight.

Paste jewellery

A lot of vintage, costume jewellery is made with paste stones. Paste is a collective word used for cut leaded glass that is faceted to resemble gems or precious stones. Paste jewels are often backed by a copper or silver lining. Take care not to get your diamante wet, water behind the stone will ruin the foil and stones become dull, the setting beneath them can go green or they can fall out altogether.  Clean paste set jewellery with a lint free cloth.

Storing your jewellery

To keep your jewellery looking its best always store pieces in a clean, dry place. Try and keep it separate too because you can inadvertently damage pieces by jumbling them altogether in one drawer or big jewellery box. Harder pieces such as diamonds and gems can scratch each other as well as the surface of gold jewellery.

If you can, keep the pieces separately. Whether it is a piece of vintage costume jewellery or something more expensive, if you have gone through the expense of buying the jewellery it makes sense to look after it. Why not buy a nice jewellery case that is designed for safely storing jewellery or, keep it in the original box or pouch it came in?

Don’t forget to insure your jewellery and other valuables in your home contents insurance cover. Check with your insurer because many will apply an overall limit. Individual pieces of jewellery above that limit may need to be specified separately