Education

Jewelry care

How to clean, store, and protect your fine jewellery, so it stays as brilliant as the day it was made, for generations.

Caring for fine jewellery

The short version

Care at a glance

If you remember only four things, make it these.

  • 1

    Take it off for workouts, swimming, and cleaning.

  • 2

    Store each piece on its own, away from the others.

  • 3

    Clean gently with mild soap and warm water.

  • 4

    Have it professionally checked about once a year.

Every day

Daily habits that protect it

Most long-term wear comes from small daily moments, these habits prevent it.

Caring for your rings day to day

The golden rules

  • Last on, first off. Put jewellery on after make-up, lotion, and perfume, take it off first at night.
  • Take it off for the gym, swimming, gardening, cleaning, and washing dishes.
  • Skip pools and hot tubs. Chlorine and salt water are hard on gold alloys.
  • Use a dish, not the sink. Set rings in a small tray when you take them off, never on the basin rim.

Expert insight Oils, sweat, and residue are the quiet enemy, even a flawless diamond looks dull when a film builds up beneath the stone.

Cleaning

Care for your…

Different materials, different needs. Choose what you’re caring for.

How to clean

  1. Soak 15 to 20 minutes in warm water with a drop of mild dish soap.
  2. Gently brush all around with a soft toothbrush, especially behind and under the stone.
  3. Rinse well (over a strainer, not an open drain).
  4. Pat dry with a lint-free cloth.

Every 1 to 2 weeksUltrasonic: fine

Best avoided Toothpaste, baking soda, harsh chemicals, abrasive cloths.

Pro tip A “dull” diamond is usually just oil on the underside, so brush there. Lab-grown care is identical. Why lab-grown →

Storage

Storing it safely

Jewellery storage — each piece in its own slot
  • One piece, one space. Use a soft-lined box or individual pouches so nothing rubs.
  • Cool, dark, and dry. Keep it away from heat, damp, and sun, the bathroom is the worst spot.
  • Travelling? A soft travel case or separate pouches, never loose in a bag.

Your home‑care kit

  • Soft-bristle brush
  • Microfiber / lint-free cloth
  • Mild dish soap
  • A soft-lined box

Skip abrasive cloths and DIY hacks, they do more harm than good.

Maintenance

Check‑ups keep it safe

A minute now and then prevents a lost stone later.

Give it a once‑over

Every so often, and after any knock, check for:

  • A loose stone, or a faint rattle when you shake it gently
  • Thin, worn, or bent prongs
  • A setting that looks twisted or out of line
  • Worn clasps or loose closures

Important If anything moves or rattles, stop wearing it and have it looked at before a stone is lost.

Why a professional check helps

Once a year, a jeweller can do what home care can’t:

  • Restore brilliance beyond a home clean
  • Tighten prongs and catch issues early
  • Re-plate white gold and refresh the finish

Especially worth it for everyday pieces like engagement rings.

If something feels wrong

When to stop and get help

A calm, quick guide for the moments that worry us most.

  • A stone feels loose or fell out

    Stop wearing the piece right away so the stone can’t be lost. Keep any fallen stone somewhere safe, and bring it in to be re-set securely, never glue or force it back yourself.

  • Your ring won’t come off

    Don’t force it. Raise your hand for a minute, then ease it off with cold water and a little soap or lotion. If the finger is swelling or it won’t budge, see a jeweller or doctor, don’t cut it yourself.

  • After a knock or drop

    Diamonds are hard, but a sharp blow can chip an edge or loosen a setting. Check for any movement or chip, and have it inspected before wearing it again.

  • It’s lost its sparkle

    Nine times out of ten it’s just oil and lotion under the stone, not damage. A gentle clean usually brings it right back. How to clean →

Steer clear

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Cleaning with toothpaste or baking soda; both are abrasive and scratch metal.
  • Wearing it to swim or work out.
  • Tossing several pieces into one box together.
  • Ignoring a loose stone or a bent prong.
  • Storing it in a humid bathroom.

Good to know

Care questions, answered

How often should I clean my ring?

A quick warm-soapy-water clean every week or two keeps it bright, plus a professional check about once a year.

Can I use an ultrasonic cleaner?

Yes for diamonds and plain gold or platinum. Avoid it for pearls, emeralds, opals, and any treated or soft stones; use warm soapy water instead.

Why does my diamond look dull so quickly?

Almost always it’s skin oil and lotion building up underneath the stone, not the diamond itself. Brush the underside and the sparkle returns.

Is caring for a lab-grown diamond any different?

No, a lab-grown diamond has the same hardness and properties as a mined one, so the care is identical: clean gently, check the setting, store it apart.

My white gold looks warmer than it used to, why?

That’s the rhodium plating wearing down, which gives white gold its bright finish. A quick re-plate every year or two restores it.

Can I shower or swim with my jewellery?

It’s best not to. Soap film dulls stones, and chlorine and salt water are hard on gold alloys. Take it off first.

How should I travel with jewellery?

In a soft-lined travel case or individual pouches so pieces can’t rub or tangle, never loose in a bag or pocket.

Made to last a lifetime

Cared for well, a Margot Vane piece is made to be worn every day, and passed down.

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