CLEANING

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Antique jewelry should be cleaned and polished by a professional familiar with antiquities. While touch-up cleanings may be done at home—carefully—it is possible to over-clean (with ultrasound cleaners), and the piece will lose its patina and antique blush. “Cleaning antique jewelry on a regular basis is more effective than having it done only once a year by your jeweler,” cautions Aretz. “Dirt attracts more dirt.”

Experts suggest the following home-care cleaning tips:

Beware of cleaners into which you “dip” jewelry. They should be used only for solid gold, platinum or silver. Sonic baths may affect some stones (heat-treated or dyed), soldered joints or old repairs. It is not wise to immerse more porous stones (lapis lazuli, pearls, turquoise, opals) or

Russian .27-carat faceted sapphire.

stones with closed backs. Pearls may be cleaned with mild dishwashing liquid and water and wiped with a soft cloth. Wearing them on a regular basis helps them retain their natural luster. Opals react badly to extremes in temperature and dryness. Wash them with lukewarm water, using no soap.
Diamonds may be safely washed with a mixture of one part ammonia, five parts water, and a little dishwashing liquid. If very dirty, soak overnight. Jewelry cleaner is acceptable if there are no colored stones. If the diamond has been clarity-enhanced, omit the ammonia from this mixture. (To remove too-tight diamond rings, soak your hand in glass cleaner, such as Windex, and slowly turn the ring in circles to slide it off. Use an ammonia-free product for colored stones.)

Paste cleaners are best when cleaning silver. Liquid cleaners are stronger and more toxic. Ivory absorbs color, so apply with a plain, warm cloth (color-free) and water—no soap. It is not advisable to clean antique seed pearls, emeralds, opals or foil-backed stones at home. Before cleaning, check the mounts and settings to be certain that there are no loose stones or prongs.

STORING

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Store each piece of delicate antique jewelry individually to prevent scratches and scrapes. Trays with separate inserts, jewelry boxes with individual compartments, or even custom-built safes, as well as lined boxes, silk and felt pouches, all will protect jewelry from dirt and harm. Hard and sharp objects (diamonds and metal) should not come into contact with softer materials (pearls or coral). Diamonds can scratch other diamonds, pearls can abrade other pearls, etc. Wrapping in tissue paper is never recommended because of the danger of accidental discarding.

“More robust cast pieces can be kept in flannel bags or heavy-gauge Ziploc plastic bags,” suggests Joan Boening, president of James Robinson Inc. “For safety reasons, some people store jewelry in freezers or other damp places, which is definitely not advised in the case of antique jewelry.”

Faceted stones must not abut gold and silver. (Do not put a diamond ring in with your gold chains.) Silver should not be kept in plastic because of its tendency to tarnish and discolor. It should be kept in tarnish-resistant pouches, which will eliminate the need for too frequent cleaning; oxidation cloths are very helpful.

HANDLING AND MAINTAINING

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Prongs, filigree and clasps are delicate, making it inadvisable to wear your antique jewelry when doing chores, gardening, using exercise machines or engaging in sports. “Jewelry should never be pushed or pulled too hard, and prong-set rings should be turned over when putting on gloves or when taking off knit clothing, where the fibers might loosen stones,” says Boening. “If using a cane, avoid putting pressure on any ring.”

When a piece is noticeably worn or damaged, do not wait until it breaks or loses a stone. If an area is getting “thin,” find a restorer who can build it up. (Look at his work; get references.)
Gold is soft and easily dented, and many older pieces are hollow. “Pieces like pocket watches should never be snapped shut,” says Kaplan. “The force of the closure can shatter the crystal and erode the gold case.” She suggests pushing down on the stem and gently closing, releasing when the cover is in place.

Chlorine will pit gold and silver over time (platinum is not affected). If you wear your antique jewelry in a swimming pool, rinse it well afterwards. Salt water will not have this effect, but ocean swimming is not recommended when wearing jewels. In addition, sand is abrasive and can scratch gold and colored stones. Do not despair of scratches on any stone. Diamonds, jade, amber, tanzanite, sapphires, tourmalines and most other stones can be re-polished; diamonds also can be recut to remove chips.