Our jewelry can often mean so much more than just the material it is constructed from. It can be a thoughtful gift, an heirloom passed down from a loved one, a representation of your love of your partner. In other words, jewelry can be priceless.
Now, we know that there are many ways to clean your jewelry by hand in the comfort of your own home and with relatively little expense, but there can be risks associated with opting for this method. Namely, you do not want to damage an irreplaceable item. Unless you are scouring your ring with a metal brush in caustic substances, it isn’t likely you will cause damage. However, when it comes to precious pieces of jewelry, you might not want to run that risk. Items with gemstones in are also more likely to be damaged and require unique and specific methods of cleaning, so bear that in mind when deciding how best to bring by the sparkle to your beloved jewelry.
Why Choose Professional Cleaning?
Now, to the question of professional cleaning. There are obvious positives to getting your most beloved pieces cleaned by someone who knows their stuff. The chance of damage is significantly lessened and the end product is going to be of a much higher caliber than anything you can rustle up at home. Jewelers will often inspect the product before cleaning as well, so you can look at it as maintenance too, as they will undoubtedly let you know if your jewelry needs fixing in any way, avoiding running the risk of long-term damage.
Jewelers also have specialized machinery and products that technically and faultlessly polish and clean jewelry to the highest of standards. It is likely there will be a few stages involved in this process, from polishing wheels to ring baths and steams – ask you jeweler for more details about their process. And as aforementioned, precious gemstones need unique care, something any jeweler worth their salt will provide.
So, should you be spending more time in your jewelers? Well it is really your decision, but you can strike a good balance economically by cleaning your own jewelry regularly at home and then a few times a year giving it the upmarket treatment from the professionals – especially if the item is of great importance like your engagement ring. The regularity with which you clean your jewelry is also obviously based on the environment it is in: how often do you wear it, do you take it off when you should, do you store it correctly etc. Just remember prevention is better that repair and your jewelry needs a little bit of love every now and again two!
