How To Care For Your Valuable Jewelry

You've spent time and energy assembling your jewelry wardrobe - to keep it in top condition there are a few care techniques you can employ.
While your precious jewelry doesn't need a lot of attention, a little bit of care will make it truly sparkle.
In this guide we'll give you some tips on jewelry cleaning and steps you can take to protect your valuable pieces from loss or theft.
Cleaning Jewelry In order to keep your valuable jewelry in top condition, it's a good idea to clean it on a semi-regular basis.
There are a few methods you can use to get your jewelry into sparkling condition.
*Jewelry Polishes & Cleaners - Jewelry or silver polish is generally safe on precious metals like silver and gold.
For best results purchase your cleaner from a jeweler and never clean gemstones of any kind with a polish or cleanser.
*Ultrasonic Cleaning - If you're looking for a quick and easy way to get great results, try an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner.
Ultrasonic cleaners work by passing high frequency sound waves through water.
The water particles bounce off themselves, and your jewelry and essentially knock the dirt free.
These types of cleaners are often used by professional jewelers and produce great results.
Ultrasonic cleaning works best for hard materials like gold, silver and most gemstones.
They are not advised for cleaning opals, pearls and other soft stones like coral.
Some jewelry, such as pearls and other porous stones like turquoise, lapis and coral should not come in contact with any kind of chemical or jewelry cleaner.
For best results, ask your jeweler to clean your porous jewelry for you - most will be happy to do so for no charge.
Jewelry Insurance No one likes to think that they may lose their jewelry through accident or theft, but the fact is that this is one of the top items that thieves target.
Since jewelry is worn and clasps can fail, loss is also something to take into account.
If you have valuable jewelry it's a good idea to investigate jewelry insurance.
Most homeowners or renters insurance policies have the option to add a jewelry rider.
For just a few dollars a year you can insure your jewelry against theft and/or loss.
You can also purchase separate jewelry insurance.
When shopping for an insurance policy be sure to find out what the deductible is, what type of coverage is provided and whether or not the policy will pay a cash settlement or only for a replacement.
Keep your jewelry in top condition by having it cleaned regularly and check with your current insurance provider to see if you can add a rider.
Cleaning and protecting your jewelry only takes minutes, and the investment will be well worth it.