Jewellery Care and Maintenance: Protecting Your Investment

Beautiful Jewellery Deserves Beautiful Care

Fine jewellery is designed to last for generations — but only with proper care. Diamonds may be the hardest natural material on earth, but they can still chip. Gold is resistant to corrosion, but it scratches easily. Gemstones are durable, but some are surprisingly sensitive to heat and chemicals.

At Sterling Diamond in Burlington Arcade, Mayfair, we see the consequences of both excellent and neglectful jewellery care. This guide shares everything we know about keeping your precious pieces in pristine condition.

Jewellery care and professional cleaning

Daily Care Tips

The Golden Rule: Last On, First Off

Put your jewellery on last when getting dressed (after applying perfume, hairspray, moisturiser and sunscreen) and take it off first when you get home. This simple habit protects your pieces from the chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products.

When to Remove Your Jewellery

Remove rings, bracelets and watches before:

• Cleaning the house — bleach, ammonia and other cleaning agents can damage metals and gemstones
• Swimming — chlorine attacks gold alloys and can loosen prong settings. Saltwater is equally damaging
• Exercising — impact can chip stones and deform metal. Sweat accelerates tarnishing
• Cooking — oils, acids and heat can affect gemstones and dull metal finishes
• Sleeping — chains can tangle and break; prongs can catch on bedding and loosen
• Gardening — soil particles are abrasive and can scratch softer gemstones

Handling Your Jewellery

• Always pick up rings by the band, not the stone or setting
• Avoid touching gemstone surfaces — oils from your fingers dull the brilliance
• Never force a ring onto a swollen finger — use a small amount of hand cream if needed

Cleaning Methods by Material

Diamonds

Diamonds attract grease and oil, which dulls their sparkle. Regular cleaning makes an enormous difference.

At-home cleaning method:

1. Soak in warm water with a few drops of mild washing-up liquid for 20–30 minutes
2. Gently brush with a very soft toothbrush, paying attention to the back of the setting where dirt accumulates
3. Rinse under warm running water (place a sieve over the drain!)
4. Pat dry with a lint-free cloth
5. Repeat weekly for rings worn daily

Professional cleaning: We recommend professional ultrasonic cleaning every 6–12 months. Sterling Diamond offers this service complimentary for pieces purchased from us.

Gold Jewellery

Polishing: For light scratches, a jeweller's polishing cloth can restore shine. For deeper scratches, professional polishing is recommended.

Silver Jewellery

Silver tarnishes when exposed to air and moisture. To clean:

1. Use a proprietary silver cleaning cloth or silver dip
2. For heavy tarnish, a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water works well
3. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely
4. Store in anti-tarnish bags or cloths

Coloured Gemstones

Different gemstones require different care:

Professional Servicing

What Professional Servicing Includes

A comprehensive jewellery service at Sterling Diamond includes:

1. Ultrasonic cleaning — removes deep-seated dirt and grime using high-frequency sound waves
2. Steam cleaning — blasts away residue for a brilliant finish
3. Prong inspection — checking every claw and setting for wear or looseness
4. Stone tightening — re-securing any loose gemstones
5. Metal polishing — removing scratches and restoring lustre
6. Rhodium re-plating — for white gold pieces (restores bright white finish)
7. Clasp and hinge check — ensuring all mechanical components function properly

How Often to Service

Prong Checking: Why It Matters

Prongs (claws) are the tiny metal fingers that hold your gemstones in place. Over time, daily wear gradually thins and weakens prongs. A loose prong is the number one cause of lost gemstones.

Warning signs:

• A prong that catches on clothing or fabric
• A stone that moves or rattles when tapped gently
• Visible thinning or flattening of prong tips
• A prong that appears bent or misaligned

If you notice any of these signs, stop wearing the piece immediately and bring it to us for repair.

Proper jewellery storage and organisation

Storage

Best Practices

• Individual compartments — never store pieces touching each other. Diamonds can scratch other diamonds, and harder gemstones will scratch softer ones
• Soft lining — use a jewellery box with velvet, suede or microfibre lining
• Controlled environment — avoid extreme temperatures, humidity and direct sunlight
• Anti-tarnish strips — place these in your jewellery box to slow silver tarnishing
• Secure location — a home safe or safety deposit box for high-value pieces not worn regularly

Travel Storage

When travelling with jewellery:

• Use a dedicated travel jewellery case with padded compartments
• Photograph each piece before travelling (for insurance purposes)
• Keep jewellery in your carry-on luggage, never in checked bags
• Use the hotel safe when not wearing your pieces
• Consider leaving your most valuable pieces at home and wearing alternatives

Rhodium Plating for White Gold

White gold is naturally a warm grey colour. The bright, silvery-white finish you see on white gold jewellery comes from a thin layer of rhodium — a precious metal in the platinum family.

How Often to Re-plate

Rhodium plating wears away with daily contact:

• Rings — every 12–18 months
• Necklaces and pendants — every 18–24 months
• Earrings — every 2–3 years (less skin contact)

The Re-plating Process

1. The piece is cleaned ultrasonically
2. Any scratches are polished out
3. The piece is electroplated with a thin layer of rhodium
4. The result is a bright, mirror-like white finish

Cost: Rhodium re-plating typically costs £30–£60 per piece. Sterling Diamond offers this service complimentary for jewellery purchased from us.

Insurance

Why You Need Specialist Jewellery Insurance

Standard home contents insurance typically limits individual items to £1,500–£2,000. If your engagement ring is worth £5,000 or more, it may not be adequately covered.

What to Insure Against

• Theft — including theft from your person (mugging, pickpocketing)
• Accidental damage — dropping, impact, stone loss
• Accidental loss — a ring slipping off in the sea, for example
• Worldwide cover — protection when travelling abroad

Documentation You Need

• Professional valuation — Sterling Diamond provides detailed insurance valuations
• Photographs — clear images of each piece, including any hallmarks or serial numbers
• Receipts — original purchase documentation
• Certificates — GIA, IGI or other gemstone certification
• Regular updates — revalue every 2–3 years as precious metal and gemstone prices fluctuate

Sterling Diamond Aftercare Services

Every piece purchased from Sterling Diamond comes with our commitment to lifetime aftercare:

• Complimentary cleaning and inspection — visit us any time
• Complimentary rhodium re-plating — for white gold pieces
• Prong re-tipping and stone tightening — at cost price
• Insurance valuations — updated regularly
• Remodelling and resizing — as your needs change

We believe the relationship between a jeweller and client should last as long as the jewellery itself.

Visit Us

Bring your jewellery to our Burlington Arcade showroom in the heart of Mayfair for a complimentary inspection and clean. No appointment necessary — our specialists are always happy to help.

Sterling Diamond — Burlington Arcade, Mayfair, London W1J 0QJ