Additional policies and FAQs

Here's some helpful info on how to clean & care for your antique Jewelry...



You have a nice collection of vintage or antique jewelry. It's lovely...it sparkles...it's a heirloom...and it will need to be stored, cared for, and cleaned so that it stays that way. This page is devoted to tips for taking care of, and cleaning, your precious jewelry.



Care



There are several things to remember when thinking about caring for vintage and antique jewelry. These are all elements which could cause deterioration over time:



1. Scratching. Be careful that your jewelry isn't stored so that the pieces rub against each other. General scratching, at best, and scratching and loss of stones at worst could be the result. Leave room between the pieces and, if they are especially treasured, a soft pouch or cloth around them might be considered.



2. Temperature changes. Any increases or decreases in temperature can affect the glue and cause stones to fall out.



3. Moisture: Jewelry's biggest enemy. Moisture can be the breeding ground for Verdigris damage or rust damage, and pitting of metals. Also...all rhinestone jewelry is at risk of losing the foil backing of the rhinestones and loss of their luster if moisture comes in contact with them. For this reason, it is especially important to be careful wearing jewelry in moist places, i.e. the beach, saunas, pools, even in very rainy weather. Chlorine is particularly damaging to stones and metals. Also important is to make sure that the jewelry is completely dry after any cleaning is done before putting them away.



4. Household jobs. It is important to remove jewelry when doing household cleaning and other jobs, and particularly when doing any heavier cleaning or yard work or gardening.



5. Containers. A container is a container is a container. Right? Unfortunately, no. Not all containers are equal when it comes to storing jewelry. Oak cabinets give off fumes that can damage jewelry, so an oak jewelry box may not be the best bet. Many jewelry pieces come in small boxes, designed to store the piece. Even these can cause damage, in time, because they probably contain sulphur, which can damage the metal in gold and silver jewelry. As stated above, soft pouches or cloths around special pieces are a good choice. Other good choices are metal or plastic containers and zip lock bags. (Zip locks are especially good for rhinestone jewelry...if a stone gets dislodged...it stays in the bag!) If you have a large collection of display vintage jewelry, a curio cabinet is fine for storage.



6. General storing tips. Keep items separate from each other, and be sure to store beaded jewelry flat, especially if it is strung on silk, because silk stretches over time. Keep jewelry away from sunlight, heat vents, and hot car interiors.



Cleaning



Okay...you know how to store your jewelry...but no matter how well you do this, some dust will eventually get into the storage area and into the jewelry. How do you do this safely? The following will give you some cleaning advice:



1. There are many products available to clean vintage jewelry. Make sure that the one you choose does not contain alcohol, acids or ammonia. If you decide to use a product designed for cleaning jewelry, please read the label and make sure that the product matches the piece. i.e...don't use sterling silver cleaner to clean rhinestone jewelry, for instance.



2. Windex, sprayed onto a soft cloth is a good choice if you do not go the jewelry cleaner route. BE SURE, in either case, not to spray the cleaner directly onto the jewelry, but rather onto a soft cloth first, in a very small amount...just enough to do the job. Soapy water is not suggested because it can leave a residue on the jewelry and can make stones look dull.



3. Before cleaning inspect the jewelry for dust and other grit. Use a magnifying glass or loupe. It will help to see if there are any loose stones or settings, which can be tightened before attempting to clean. In all cases, the softest toothbrush (or make up brush) you can find is a good choice to lightly dust first before attempting to clean the item. (Be VERY careful when cleaning aurora borealis stones, since they will scratch very easily.) For specific tips on cleaning rhinestone jewelry, see more below.



4. Once you have lightly dusted the jewelry, spray a little Windex, or jewelry cleaner on a very soft cloth. Make sure that it is not too wet. It should be just damp enough to get the job done. If there is dirt in small places, a little cleaner on a Q tip will be useful.



5. In all cases, be sure that the jewelry is completely dry before putting it away. Remember that moisture is jewelry's biggest enemy. Why bother cleaning it, if you are going to put it away wet, just to find out that you've damaged it yourself through carelessness. I suggest drying for at least 15 minutes UPSIDE DOWN so that any moisture will flow away from the jewelry, not into the settings.



6. Finally, a soft polish with a special polishing cloth, like a Sunshine Polishing cloth. (can be purchased at many places online, and some jewelry shops.) They are inexpensive cloths and do a wonderful job of polishing a jewelry piece to make it look almost new.



7. How often to clean? There is no general rule of thumb. If it is a piece that you wear often, you could clean it every week or two. If it is a special piece that is used only occasionally, you might just clean it right before wearing it, or when putting it away again for storage. With a little care in storage and cleaning, your precious vintage and antique jewelry will give you years of enjoyment, and will be able to be passed down to your descendents.





How to care for Rhinestone Vintage Jewelry



Rhinestone vintage jewelry is very lovely, but needs special care. This article will, hopefully, answer your questions on this topic.



What are rhinestones?



Vintage rhinestones are faceted pieces of glass in a variety of colors and hues. They are meant to mimic precious stones and diamonds. They have been in production for centuries, with the exception of aurora borealis rhinestones which were first produced in the 1950. The original rhinestones were made from pebbles in the Rhine River in the 1700s. Austrian and Czech rhinestones are of high quality and much in demand in high end vintage jewelry.



Foil Backings



All rhinestones have a foil backing. This foil backing is necessary for the stone to reflect back the light. Without a foil backing, a rhinestone would simply be a pretty see through stone. A damaged foil backing causes the rhinestone to darken and lose its reflective ability.



This foil backing is very susceptible to damage from moisture. Water is a rhinestone's enemy so other methods must be used to clean them. Never use commercial cleaners that are meant for other types of jewelry.



Tools for Cleaning Rhinestone Jewelry



You will need several items to properly clean your rhinestone jewelry: a soft bristled brush, (a soft toothbrush or make up brush works well), a soft cloth (I use an old strip of a soft cotton tee shirt), a small pointed pin for loosening dirt - I find a small hat pin works nicely, or a dressmaker's pin with a rounded tip. You'll also need rubbing alcohol, or Windex - this cuts grease well and doesn't have a wax in it like some cleaners do, so it won't leave any residue later.)



Cleaning Techniques



First, gently brush the rhinestones with the soft brush. An exception is aurora borealis stones. They scratch very easily, so shouldn't be brushed. Use a very soft cloth on these. Either the cloth of the brush will remove any loose dust. Sometimes, the rhinestone jewelry piece will only need this brushing or soft cloth cleaning. If not, read on.



The hat pin can be used to gently remove built up gunk around settings and prongs. It will easily lift this away and is tiny enough not to damage the stones themselves.



Next, you can use either Windex sprayed on to a soft cloth (NOT directly on the stones) or rubbing alcohol on a q tip or a soft cloth. Be sure that the cloth is only moistened, not saturated. (If you create any suds...your cloth is too wet.) Blot often with a dry soft cloth. Gently continue cleaning the stones with your moistened cloth until you are satisfied that the job is done. Be careful about rubbing too hard, or the cloth can catch on the prongs which hold the stones in place.



After Cleaning the Jewelry



Be sure to leave the jewelry out for about an hour after cleaning to make sure that it is completely dry. I suggest turning it upside down to make double sure. You can also use the low heat of a hair dryer for a couple of minutes to hasten the drying time. When it is completely dry, you should store it in a pouch or small jewelry box away from other jewelry which might scratch the stones.



One final tip...when wearing your rhinestone jewelry, put it on as the LAST thing you do before leaving the house. This way, your make up, perfume, and hair spray will already be in place and will not have a chance to be sprayed on the jewelry and damage it.