Happy New Jewelry,,, Year!!!

This is the time when we all make New Year’s resolutions. I’m not going to suggest any resolutions you can’t keep.  What I will suggest are some resolutions regarding your jewelry. Yes, your jewelry.

The Perfect Time

This time of year is the perfect time to take inventory of your jewelry box. I am always shopping around and I always find something to add to my already overflowing assortment. If you are anything like me, you understand.

If only I would stop and take stock of what is already buried in my jewelry box, I might not wind up buying material that I already have, or worst, buying a piece that is already represented in my jewelry wardrobe.

So, this new year, open up your delicious treasure chest of jewelry goodies! Start by examining each piece and looking for pieces that are damaged and need repair. If it is a piece that holds sentimental value, consider turning it into a different jewelry piece.

For example, if you are missing an earring, consider creating a pendant from it. Or, if the piece is too small for a pendant, look for other pieces in your assortment that could be combined into a charm bracelet, or a charm pendant.

Clean, Clean, Clean

Maybe when you open up your jewelry case you find that many of your pieces require cleaning. Maybe that’s one reason why you don’t wear your pieces as often as you’d like. This is the time to pull out all your tarnished silver and all your dirty gold.

If you do not already own cleaning and polishing cloths, invest in two: one for silver and one for gold. These are a must have if you want to make your life easier and always have your jewelry ready to wear. I would also suggest purchasing the liquid metal cleaners. Just be cautioned: use them to clean your very dirty and tarnished pieces only. Once you have marveled at how beautiful, sparkling, and revived your jewelry looks, maintain them using only the polishing cloths. The liquid, to me, is too strong for constant use. So, use sparingly.

On a daily basis, take off your jewelry pieces and simply wipe them with a soft, slightly damp cloth and store them away. For more info, check out my CARE page for other ideas.

I’m sure you also own costume jewelry, so set those aside. Some costume jewelry is very well made and can stand the test of time. As with your finer pieces, they also need care; in fact, more so.

Everyday wear requires that you clean them just like your silver and gold. Use the polishing cloth for silver and gold plating, but only sparingly. If you are not sure, use a soft, damp cloth to clean them.

Repair and Upcycle

Now is the time to decide what needs repairing. As I mentioned, sometimes pieces hold sentimental value and it is hard to part with them. Try my suggestion above and upcycle. Adding charms and small pendants to a bracelet you already own is a nice way to keep these pieces. Or, may I suggest you leave it up to me. I love to upcycle! Upcycling is a great way of personalizing and making unique things only you will have.  I love working with sentimental pieces and creating something entirely new. Just leave a comment below, or email me at the address below. I will be happy to create your new cherished piece.

If your watch batteries are dead, take them to a jeweler, or save some money and do the job yourself. Some watches are very simple to open with a tiny screwdriver. Make sure that by doing the change yourself,  you do not void any warranty. Gucci, for example will not honor their warranty if you change the battery yourself. Don’t risk it.

Anything that is not salvageable, discard. This is so hard for me, so I remind myself that by discarding, I make room for something new!

Broken chains, rings, and fallen gemstones are best left to expert jewelry repair persons. Do research first and look at the comments’ section. Find a service that has a good reputation.

Replace

Once you have gone through all of your stash, organize everything into categories. Hopefully you will have let go of things that are badly beaten, broken, or out of style. Your jewelry box should have plenty of room for new pieces that will brighten your life and look for more years to come.

If you had to let go of a watch because it had no redemption, purchase a replacement that will take you from the market, to the office, and to the theatre. A timepiece pulls an outfit together and can make you feel invincible. So choose what calls out to you. Just make sure that it is of good quality and classic.

Replace any other piece that you couldn’t save.

Maybe you have decided to give your daughter that special bracelet you wore daily for the last 20 years. After all, you want to enjoy seeing her wearing it.  Well then, now you can replace it with another, one that is more akin to the present you.

Then, and this is even more fun, decide: what is the one piece you have always longed for? Now is the time to pick a special piece that will go with everything. Maybe you’ve always longed for a beautiful pair of studs. They might be diamonds or your birthstone gem. Or, your favorite ring is at the jeweler’s. Find one that complements it. Or, go entirely different if you had to part with the ring.

Storing

Once you have purged your stash, cleaned the keepers, and repaired broken pieces, it is important how you store them. I know how tired we may be when we get home from work. All we want to do is take everything off. But, jewelry is not like clothes and shoes. Our jewelry needs special treatment.

Most fine jewelry will come in a little pouch. Keep the piece in the pouch and it will help to protect it. If you did not receive one, use small ziploc bags and keep each piece in one.

Each metal needs its own way of storing. Silver, for example should be kept tightly sealed to avoid tarnish. If you do not use it often, it will still tarnish some, but it will not require an intense cleaning. Just a quick wipe with your polishing cloth will do. There are also 3M anti tarnish strips that are meant for jewelry. I add them to all of my silver and silver plated Artful Gems’ creations. I also add a small, polishing cloth with every silver purchase that you may keep right in the jewelry box. And, don’t forget to replace them about every six months.

You should also store all your costume jewelry in little sealable bags. If you just had them thoroughly cleaned, wait till they are dry before storing. Treating costume jewelry the same way you treat expensive pieces will make them last longer.

Make sure that any piece that is not in a sealed bag or pouch does not touch another. Some gemstones will scratch or worse. Metals may also scratch.

SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

These are just some useful suggestions. Do you have any to share?

☮︎☘︎⚖︎❥Feel free to email me anytime at [email protected]