The Art of Jewellery Care
Jewellery Care Guide
At York, we believe that each piece carries meaning. With the right care, jewellery can carry that meaning for generations.
This guide offers expert insight into how to care for your jewellery, ensuring your pieces remain as luminous as the day they were created.
Essential Jewellery Care Practices
The “Last On, First Off” Rule
As a general rule, jewellery should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you remove.
Always apply cosmetics, perfumes, hairsprays, and lotions before your jewellery. These substances can leave residues that dull gemstones, reduce brilliance, and contribute to build-up over time.
Minimise Wear in High-Risk Environments
While it’s tempting to wear your jewellery everywhere, some environments accelerate wear.
Avoid wearing fine jewellery:
- At the gym or during vigorous exercise: Activities such as weightlifting, contact sports, cycling, and gym workouts can place significant pressure on jewellery. Pieces may become bent, scratched, or caught, and gemstones can be loosened by repeated impact
- During housework or manual labour: Cleaning products containing harsh chemicals, including bleach and ammonia, can damage precious metals and diminish the brilliance of gemstones
- While gardening: Soil, sand, and small stones are abrasive and may scratch metal surfaces or become lodged within settings, making cleaning more difficult and potentially affecting the security of gemstones
- When swimming or at the beach: Chlorine exposure, particularly in swimming pools and spas, can weaken certain metals (such as white gold) and may lead to discolouration over time
Luxury is not about constant wear; it’s about considered wear.
Think about swimming, for example. Firstly, our fingers actually shrink in cold water, making your rings susceptible to coming loose and actually slipping off the finger where they once fit so snugly. Secondly, chlorine exposure, particularly in swimming pools and spas, can weaken metals and may lead to discolouration over time. Rose gold is particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of salt and sand because of the copper element in the alloy. (Not to mention, sand is an incredibly abrasive material and can be particularly damaging to gold and rhodium plating, so it’s probably best to leave your plated pieces at home.)
Products like sunscreen and zinc can also form a film on your jewellery, inhibiting its natural sparkle.
Avoid Wearing Jewellery While Showering or Sleeping
Daily habits matter.
- Remove jewellery before showering or bathing
- Avoid exposure to soaps, conditioners, and cleaning agents
- Do not wear jewellery to bed; with rings, for example, this can weaken claws and settings
While sleeping, jewellery can catch on bedding and clothing, potentially bending delicate components, loosening gemstones, or causing chains to tangle and kink.
And while there’s nothing better than a long soak in a hot tub, the same cannot be said for your jewellery. The cocktail of soaps, conditioners and exfoliants in your bathwater can induce undesirable tarnishing on certain metals, like silver. To ensure that your jewellery retains its original lustre and shine, best practice would be to take it off before jumping in the bath.
Removing your jewellery is a small change but one that makes a significant difference over time.
Avoid Exposure to Harsh Chemicals
Harsh chemicals, such as dishwashing detergent, chlorine, bleach and other household cleaning products, can dull or damage precious metals and gemstones. While your jewellery might look nice and shiny after a soak in the sink, prolonged exposure to these chemicals can cause the finish and polish to gradually deteriorate, leaving your precious jewellery looking dull, flat and exposed to the elements. This can be avoided with regular cleaning with a commercial cleaning product (such as Connoisseurs, available at York Jewellers). Just make sure to thoroughly dry the pieces after!
Always remove your jewellery before exposure - your future self will thank you.
Schedule Maintenance Every Six Months
Fine jewellery benefits from regular attention.
A six-month maintenance appointment allows York Jewellers to:
- Secure loose stones
- Check for fractures or wear
- Ensure settings and bands remain structurally sound
Call in for your complimentary jewellery check with York.
Keep Your Jewellery Professionally Cleaned
With regular cleaning and the right products, your jewellery will stay as beautiful as it looked in the shop window. Depending on the metal, jewel and setting, your jewellery will require specific care.
There are a million-and-one home remedies for dirty jewellery and, while some have their merits, you have to be extremely prudent when cleaning your treasured jewellery. Precious metals and gemstones can be high maintenance and temperamental materials. So, if you are going to clean your jewellery yourself, it pays to do some in depth research beforehand. Unsuitable cleansers can damage your jewellery.
Your best bet is to schedule professional cleaning sessions with your jeweller who should have access to an ultrasonic bath, which can clean even the most intricate designs, bringing your gemstone and settings back to their original splendour. At York, our jewellers not only polish to restore brilliance but carefully inspect each piece, checking for wear, damage, or loosening of stones.
Call in for a professional clean with York to keep your pieces performing at their best.
Re-Plate White Gold and Silver Pieces
White gold and silver jewellery naturally require maintenance over time.
If you notice underlying tones appearing, it’s time for rhodium plating - a service offered at York to restore brightness and protection.
It's important to remember that the rhodium plating on your white gold pieces is, at most, only a few microns thick. Though it is perfect for keeping your jewellery bright, shiny and white, it plays little part in preventing the signs of wear and tear, and will eventually wear off.
With regular wear, the plating typically lasts somewhere between three months to a year.
Call in for re-plating with one of our our jewellers today.
Store Your Jewellery Carefully
Storage is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to protect your collection.
- Store each piece individually
- Even in a jewellery box, use soft cloth pouches with drawstring closures
- Aim to prevent pieces from rubbing together
This preserves surface integrity and prevents unnecessary abrasions.
When storing diamonds, it's worth taking extra precautions. Being the hardest natural material on earth, diamonds can – and will – scratch your other pieces of jewellery (including other diamonds), so it pays to keep them separate.
Protect Your Investment with Insurance
Fine jewellery is both emotionally and financially valuable.
We recommend:
- Professional appraisal every five years
- Comprehensive insurance coverage
Losing your treasured pieces can be absolutely tragic and heart-wrenching, and while insurance may not cover the sentimental loss of your irreplaceable items, it will protect you financially.
As the value of diamonds and precious metals appreciates, your protection should evolve with it. We advise that you have your jewellery appraised at least every five years in line with market changes. If you happen to lose something that was appraised twenty-something years ago, the insured value would be far less than the actual replacement cost.
Broken jewellery or pieces you no longer wear?
Jewellery should evolve with you.
At York, our experienced jewellers specialise in remodelling a range of jewellery pieces, including broken jewellery, and redesigning them for modern wear.
Book an appointment about remodelling your jewellery with York
Cleaning Fine Jewellery at Home
Daily Care
After each wear, gently polish your jewellery with a soft, lint-free cloth; this is especially important with pearls.
At-Home Cleaning
- Use lukewarm water with mild soap
- Clean gently with a soft brush
- Rinse thoroughly and dry with care
Avoid abrasive materials or harsh DIY cleaning methods.
Your best bet is to schedule professional cleaning sessions with your jeweller who may have access to an ultrasonic bath, which can clean even the most intricate designs, bringing your gemstone and settings back to their original splendour.
If that isn’t possible, we endorse Connoisseurs as a take-home cleaning kit; the products are sold in-store at York Jewellers.
Part of your story
Jewellery is meant to be worn, admired, and remembered.
With thoughtful care, each piece can retain its brilliance and meaning for years - becoming part of your story and, eventually, someone else’s.
At York, we're honoured to be part of that journey.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jewellery Care
Can I wear my fine jewellery every day?
Choose durable, low-profile pieces for daily wear and remove jewellery during high-impact activities, exposure to chemicals, or while sleeping.
Fine jewellery is designed to be worn and enjoyed. Many pieces in the York collection are crafted for everyday elegance but longevity depends on how they are worn.
How often should I have my jewellery professionally cleaned?
We recommend professional cleaning every six months. At York, each clean includes a detailed inspection to ensure stones, settings, and clasps remain secure.
How do I clean my jewellery at home safely?
Use lukewarm water with mild soap and a soft brush. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a lint-free cloth. Avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive materials.
When should I re-plate white gold or silver jewellery?
If you begin to notice dullness or underlying tones showing through, it’s time for rhodium replating to restore brightness and protection.
Is it safe to wear jewellery in the shower or at the gym?
No. Water, sweat, soaps, and impact can cause tarnishing, wear, and loosening of stones. Always remove jewellery beforehand.
How should I store my jewellery?
Store each piece individually in a soft cloth pouch or lined jewellery box to prevent scratching, tangling, and unnecessary wear.
How often should I have my jewellery inspected?
Every six months is ideal. Regular inspections help detect loose stones, worn claws, or small fractures early.
Do I need to insure my jewellery?
Yes. Fine jewellery should be insured and professionally appraised approximately every five years to reflect its current value.
Can old, broken or inherited jewellery be redesigned?
Absolutely. At York, heirloom pieces of broken jewellery can be thoughtfully remodelled, preserving their sentiment while refining them for modern wear.
Ready to Care for Your Jewellery?
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Call in for a professional clean or six-month inspection
Visit York Jewellers or speak with our team today.