How To Take Care About Silver Pendants
If you are trying to build a collection of high quality pendants and other jewelry pieces it can be good to know how to maintain them
. Depending on what the pieces are made of you may need to store them in a variety of different ways.
Dirt can damage your pieces faster than you may realize. Therefore, making sure they are clean and well protected is critical in order to keep them looking good and prevent them from wearing out. If you truly care about maintaining your pieces you should be willing to invest in a great box or case that will keep them organized and help prevent damage.
Silver pieces can be great but they will tarnish. If you have looked at a piece of pure silver you will see that it gets darker as it reacts to the air. If you do nothing to clean it, over time the piece will become black and you may be unable to see finer details in a piece. This is where the special lining in jewelry cases comes in. It can prevent the tarnishing process from taking place.
You want to make sure that gold pieces will not get scratched. Many people do not realize just how soft some gold can be. It is actually possible for some gold pieces to scratch others. Store them so that they do not rub together and look for signs that they are becoming damaged. Check pendants to make sure that the area that the chain passes through is not getting worn out or the pendant may fall off when it is worn.
Pearls need special care. They are the product of a living creature and can be damaged by chemicals and oils from your skin. You should clean pearls with a soft cloth before you put them into storage. This will remove any dirt and debris. If they are mounted on a post, check the glue. If they are strung on a strand, check the knots from time to time and ensure the strings are not breaking.
If you have pieces that are set with stones, you need to make sure the stones are not getting loose. Have a jeweler check the claws or, if the pieces are channel set, make sure they are still tightly set into the piece. This can keep your stones from falling out or getting lost. By learning how to maintain your pieces properly you can protect your investment and keep it looking good for years to come.
by: Jan Pavlik.