Have you ever looked at your once sparkly and bright gemstone jewellery with a sinking feeling at how dull its looking?

If yes, you are in the right place. Gemstones are prettiest when they are sparkling and throwing light around but they also have this pesky habit of picking up dirt and grease every now and then. If you are anything like me, you have at some point wished you could turn the clock back. Read on for an easy way to do just that. 

What do you need?:

1. Mild detergent

2. Cup or bowl

3. Warm Water 

3. A soft and hard toothbrush

I mostly use the softer worn toothbrush.

What do you do?:

STEP 1: Soak the piece you want to clean in warm water with a dash of mild detergent for 10 to 20 minutes or until the water grows cold. This loosens the dirt caked behind the gemstone, the detergent works on grease making the next step easier. 

STEP 2: Brush and clean. Depending on the hardness of your gemstone, take the hard tooth brush and use the tip of the bristles to brush the gemstone gently but firmly. AVOID bushing the metal as it will scratch with a hard brush. Take the softer , finer toothbrush and scrub again. This makes sure that you are not missing anything. If your gemstone setting has an opening behind it, you will absolutely want to flip it over and brush the back of the gemstone. This is because most dirt build up is almost always at the back of the gemstone. 

STEP 3: Rinse the soap off in cool running water and shake off the excess water.  

STEP 4: Wipe the piece dry with a soft microfibre cloth then polish with a  polishing cloth pre-loaded with polish and enjoy the sparkle!

The most popular cuts of gemstones are cut in precise angles forming facets that reflect light back into your eye. These facets are at the top of the gemstone and at the bottom. In order to get maximum sparkle; both the top and bottom facets must be dirt and grease free. 

EXTRA TIPS:🥳🥳

*You may need to repeat these steps if you have not cleaned your gemstone in a long time. 

*Do not use detergents that contain ammonia.

*When in doubt about your gemstone's hardness, rather use the soft or extra soft tooth brush. 

*Do not try this with organic gemstones like pearls and amber. Or soft treated stones like oil filled emeralds.  

*If you have stubborn accumulations, try to use a shaved matchstick or toothpick, but do not be harsh. Take care with the setting.

*Sometimes gemstones set in claws can be difficult to reach with a toothbrush, try a camel hair artist’s brush.

*BEST TIP: Always put on your jewellery last when dressing. This is because perfumes, lotions, hairsprays contain chemicals that can dull or damage gemstones and often lotion literally gets into the space behind gemstones making them look dull super-fast. If possible, wear perfumes in an area that won't come in contact with your gemstone.  

Was this helpful? We are working on a how to clean your silver jewellery guide  next. Add your email here to get it when it drops.

Fancy some new gemstone jewellery? You can never have too many in your collection. All Gemstone Jewellery pieces ordered this September will come with a free polishing cloth pre-loaded with polish. 

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