Luxury Maintenance:
A Jewelry Care and Cleaning Guide

When your Cascade Star jewelry arrives, the metal will have a flawless finish and the diamonds will sparkle. What's the best way to keep it looking that way for years to come? As with most luxury items, fine jewelry requires proper storage and cleaning to remain looking its best. However, once you know how to take care of your jewelry, the maintenance efforts are minimal – and the results are maximum brilliance and sparkle. The Jewelry Care and Cleaning Guide that follows offers tips for maintaining your fine jewelry.

Cleaning

The diamond jewelry that arrived gleaming might look a bit different after a few months of wear. Numerous applications of hand lotion, a few impromptu weeding sessions in the garden, some quick hairspray touchups – and all of these seemingly innocent activities can begin to take a toll on the luster of your jewelry, as diamonds have an affinity for grease, grime, and oil. If left to build over time, these contaminants can leave a film on your diamond that blocks light reflectivity and significantly detracts from the diamond's sparkle. Fortunately, this grimy scenario is reversible with a thorough cleaning.

An ultrasonic cleaner

A steam cleaner

Sparkle Sparkle commercial cleaner

When your jewelry starts looking dull and the diamonds don't have the pizzazz they once did, it's time to clean up. There are many ways of cleaning a jewelry piece – some of which are safer than others.

One of the two best cleaning options, ultrasonic cleaning employs sound waves that produce a strong vibration in a soap-and-water bath – strong enough to remove even the tiniest particles of dirt and debris from diamonds, gemstones, and precious metals. Ultrasonic cleaning is safe and effective. There are small ultrasonic cleaners available for home use that are priced under $125.
Click here to view a sampling of models.

One of the two best cleaning options, steam cleaning employs a powerful spray of hot steam to dissolve dirt and grime from jewelry, making it sparkle like new. There is an inexpensive steam cleaner available for home use called Jewel Jet. Click here to learn more about it.

Jewelry cleaning kit.

Perhaps the best way to clean your diamond jewelry safely and easily at home is with a combination of warm water, mild soap (Dove soap, Ivory dish liquid, or Dawn dish soap work well), and a soft bristle toothbrush. Fill a small bowl with a pea-size drop of soap and warm water. Place the jewelry in this bath and soak it for a few minutes. Then, use the toothbrush to gently brush off the grime. Don't forget to brush the back of a pendant, earrings, or bracelet, or the inner portion of a diamond ring; light enters a jewelry piece from all angles to illuminate the diamonds and make them sparkle.

Once you are done lightly brushing the jewelry, give it a good rinse in hot water. (If you are rinsing under a sink faucet, make sure the sink stopper is pushed in tightly before rinsing.) If you have ethyl alcohol (not rubbing alcohol) on hand, you can give the jewelry a final rinse in it. Although this method may seem too easy to be true, it provides excellent results, leaving your jewelry sparkling.

You have no doubt come across a wide range of commercial jewelry cleaning solutions promising to restore the luster of your jewelry. Sold in most jewelry retail outlets and department stores, these products are usually ammonia-based and offer satisfactory results. They will not provide the high-quality cleaning that you will get from ultrasonic or steam cleaning, but they are a good option for quick and easy at-home care.

One company, Nventa, offers Sparkle Sparkle spray-on jewelry cleaners specially formulated for gold and platinum jewelry. They are ideal for last minute cleaning before a night out – when you want your diamond jewelry looking its best but don't have a lot of time to spare. You simply spray on the cleaner, wait a minute or two, and rinse in warm water.
Click here to learn more about Sparkle Sparkle.

Another great option for a quick cleaning is a lint-free cloth, which is ideal for frequent touch-ups. All Cascade Star jewelry purchases come with a polishing cloth to help you keep your jewelry shiny and your diamonds brilliant.

In addition to knowing what methods are safe for cleaning your jewelry, you should also be aware of what to avoid. Steer clear of rubbing alcohol, which can leave spots and dull diamonds. Also, avoid toothpaste, which contains abrasives that won't affect diamonds, but will scratch a gold mounting.

Wear

Bench jeweler retipping or working on a repair

While no one should be so preoccupied with their jewelry that they avoid certain activities in fear of scratches or nicks, certain basic wear guidelines should be followed to keep jewelry looking its best.

When it comes to diamonds, which are hard enough to handle much normal wear and tear, you should avoid subjecting diamonds to contact with other diamonds, such as when two diamond rings are worn together. In the case of engagement rings and wedding bands, for example, you might consider having the two soldered together to create one band. This will prevent the diamonds in the rings from rubbing against each other, which could cause scratches.

That said, diamonds are not indestructible. If you are going rock climbing or planning to dig in the garden without gloves, it's a good idea to leave your jewelry in a safe place during such activities.

In addition to the diamonds themselves, the metals in which they are set are particularly susceptible to wear. Some metals, such as platinum, are prone to scratching. However, the natural patina that results as the metal is worn is a desirable attribute of the metal. An interesting fact about platinum is that, unlike gold and silver, when platinum is scratched the metal is simply displaced on the jewelry as opposed to removed from it. This is why many heirloom platinum pieces from centuries ago retain much of their original metal content, whereas many gold pieces have thinned over time.

When wearing white gold jewelry, an important attribute to note is that most white gold is plated with a layer of rhodium (a very expensive platinum group metal) to impart a beautiful white finish to the piece. In a high quality white gold alloy, the metal beneath the layer of rhodium may have a slightly different hue than the rhodium. If after a significant amount of wear the rhodium layer thins to a point that you can detect a visual difference between it and the metal beneath, you can simply take the jewelry to a local retailer or ship it back to Cascade Star.com (via the normal return process) for rhodium plating.

In addition to metal finishes, you should also pay close attention to the security of settings. To check for loose stones in your jewelry, shake the jewelry near your ear. If you hear any clicking or rattling, you should have the jewelry inspected by a professional to ensure that the settings are secure. Even if you do not hear any rattling, it is advisable to have your jewelry professionally inspected at least once a year. Experts can recommend any suggested repairs, such as retipping of prongs that have been worn down, or any other diamond tightening that may be necessary. Cascade Star customers can have their jewelry serviced at any of our partner retailers. In addition, Cascade Star customers enjoy the benefit of having their jewelry cleaned free of charge at these retail outlets. Click here to locate a store near you.

Brookstone jewelry roll

Storage

While the best home for a diamond fashion ring may be your finger, finding it an appropriate second home is important. Since diamonds can damage diamonds, you shouldn't store multiple diamond jewelry pieces together. If the jewelry items come into contact with each other, it could result in scratches, abrasions, nicks, and chips – none of which add to the beauty of jewelry.

All diamond jewelry should be stored individually. For example, you might opt for a jewelry box with multiple compartments. Or, you can use soft pieces of cloth to separate jewelry and avoid items rubbing against each other. There are also special jewelry storage pouches available. Often made of a soft fabric or leather, these pouches have a number of zippered compartments. They are ideal for transporting jewelry when traveling, as many fold or roll up into a compact unit that fits easily in a safe compartment of a purse or carry-on bag. In a pinch, you could use plastic Ziplock bags to store jewelry items separately when traveling.
Click here for more information on Brookstone jewelry roll.

Cascade Star 100% Lifetime Warranty

All Cascade Star jewelry comes with a 100% Lifetime Warranty, which guarantees that you have purchased a quality piece of 18 karat or platinum jewelry made to the highest standards of craftsmanship. It has passed very strict quality control checks in order to bear the Cascade Star trademark. Cascade Star jewelry is guaranteed for life against manufacturing defects. Defective pieces will be repaired or replaced at no charge. This warranty does not cover the cost of repairs required due to normal wear and tear.

Jewelry Insurance

The ultimate way to protect your jewelry, and your peace of mind, is with insurance. Since most homeowners' insurance policies do not cover fine jewelry or provide limited coverage for luxury items, it is important to seek out a specific policy for your jewelry. Often the company that handles your homeowner's insurance can provide this coverage at a nominal annual fee. There are also companies that specialize in jewelry-specific insurance. Doing some research online and speaking with your insurance representative can help you to get the process started.

The most critical piece of information that you will require to obtain coverage for your jewelry is an official evaluation or appraisal document. When you purchase jewelry from Cascade Star, we will include an official appraisal report from an independent third party appraiser that is suitable for insurance purposes. This document will help the insurance company assess the item'ss replacement value. Most policies cover jewelry for loss, theft, and damage. (Policies vary, so you will need to inquire about the specifics of each before choosing coverage.)