Fine jewelry is a precious possession that is designed and crafted to last a lifetime. The proper care will assure the lasting qualities of your jewelry. Jewelers of America (JA) is pleased to offer simple guidelines and tips for the care of your fine jewelry.

If you have any questions, ask the staff at Erik Runyan Jewelers. Your jeweler values you as a customer, and you should trust his/her judgment.

Colored Gemstones

Tips for General Care:

• Do wipe your precious gemstone jewelry thoroughly with a clean, soft, damp cloth after wearing. This will enhance the luster and assure that your jewelry is clean before being stored. Store in a soft pouch when not being worn.
• Don't expose your precious gemstone pieces to salt water and harsh chemicals, such as chlorine or detergents. These chemicals may slowly erode the finish and polish of the gems. Use of hair spray, perfume and the presence of perspiration may cause jewelry to dull. Also, do not subject gemstone jewelry to sudden temperature changes.

There are many different types of colored gemstones, some of which require specific care and cleaning procedures, it would be impossible to enumerate all in this page. Erik Runyan is your expert and can advise you on your particular colored gemstone. The staff at Erik Runyan Jewelers is your best source of information.

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Cultured Pearls

Cultured pearls are precious jewels and should be treated as such. Some tips:

• Put on pearls after applying cosmetics, hair sprays, and perfume, not before.
• Don't toss them carelessly into a purse or jewel box where they can be scratched by hard metal edges or harder stones.
• Place cultured pearl jewelry in a chamois bar or wrap them in tissue when putting them away.
• Bring your pearls back to your jeweler for restringing once a year. Cosmetics and ordinary wear weaken and stretch the threads on which the pearls are strung. It's better to be safe than sorry.
• Have pearls strung with a knot between each pearl. This will prevent loss of pearls if the string should break.

• Don't clean cultured pearls with chemicals or abrasives.
• Wash them with mild soap and water after taking them off. This will remove all traces of perfume, cosmetics, or hair spray from the pearls.

Diamonds

• Don't wear it when you're doing rough work. Even though a diamond is durable, it can be chipped by a hard blow.
• Don't let your diamond come in contact with chlorine bleach when you're doing household chores. It can damage and discolor the mounting.
• Do see your jeweler at least once a year and have him check your ring and other precious pieces for loose prongs and wear mountings. He'll usually give them a professional "shine-up" too.

• Keep your precious pieces in a fabric-lined jewel case, or a box with compartments or dividers.
• If you prefer to use ordinary boxes, wrap each piece individually in tissue paper.
• Don't jumble your diamond pieces in a drawer or jewelry case, because diamonds can scratch other jewelry - and can even scratch each other.

• There are many types of carryalls, especially designed for jewelry travel, available in all price ranges. They come in all sizes, shapes and patterns. Most have velvet pads inside to attach pins and earrings, and special compartments for bracelets and necklaces.
• Pack a small plastic bottle of prepared jewelry cleaner with your cosmetics. Then you can give your precious pieces a quick "shine-up" any time.
• Don't leave your ring on the rim of a sink when you remove it to wash your hands. It can easily slip down the drain.

Detergent Bath
• Prepare a small bowl of warm suds with any of the mild liquid detergents used in the home. Brush the pieces with an eyebrow brush while they are in the suds. Then transfer them to a wire tea strainer and rinse them under running water. Pat dry with a soft lintless cloth.
  
Cold Water Soak
• Make a half-and-half solution of cold water and household ammonia in a cup. Soak the pieces 30 minutes. Lift out and tap gently around the back and front of the mounting with an old soft toothbrush. Swish in the solution once more and drain on tissue paper.
  
Quick-Drip Method
• Buy one of the brand name liquid jewelry cleaners, with its kit, choosing the kind most useful to you. Read the label and follow its instructions. Don't touch your clean diamonds with your fingers. Handle your jewelry by its edges.
  
Ultrasonic Cleaner
• There are many types of small machines on the market that will clean, in a matter of minutes, any piece of jewelry that can be dunked in liquid. They consist of a metal cup which you fill with water and detergent. When the machine is turned on, a high-frequency turbulence creates the cleaning action. Since each machine is slightly different, read the instructions very carefully before use.

Karat Gold

Tips for General Care:

• Always separate your gold jewelry in a compartmentalized jewelry box. This protects against scratching.
• Remove all jewelry before showering or cleaning. Soap can cause a film to form on karat gold jewelry, making it appear dull and dingy. By preventing the formation of this film, you immediatly reduce the occasions your pieces will need to be cleaned.

• To clean your jewelry at home, you'll find many commercial cleaners available. Ask your professional jeweler to recommend one for your jewelry. In addition, you will find a soft chamois cloth from any hardware store an effective and inexpensive way to keep your pieces lustrous and shining.
• For certain gold jewelry, an 'ultrasonic' cleaning machine may be appropriate. The machine can be purchased in many retail outlets. Once again, ask your professional jeweler to advise you.
• Remove tarnish with a prepared jewelry cleaner or by using soap and water mixed with a few drops of ammonia.
• Brush with a soft bristle brush. An old toothbrush is perfect. After soaping, simply rinse with lukewarm water and allow to dry.
• Grease can be removed from karat jewelry by dipping the jewelry into plain rubbing alcohol.

• Remove jewelry when applying makeup and face powder
• Wash hands after applying makeup and powder and before putting on jewelry.
• Keep your jewelry in a dry place.

Sterling Silver Jewelry

• Do clean with a mild soap-and-water solution, allow water to bead up and pat dry with a soft cloth. For more stubborn dirt, a jewelry cleaner labeled for silver use is appropriate.
• Keep your silver in a cool dry place, preferably in a tarnish-preventative bag or wrapped in a soft piece of felt or cloth. Store pieces individually so that they don't knock together and scratch.
• Don't rub silver with anything other than a polishing cloth or fine piece of felt. Use of tissue paper or paper towels can cause scratches because of the fibers in these products.
• Don't expose to air and light when storing because it will cause silver to tarnish. And, don't wear sterling silver in chlorine water.

Watches

• A mechanical watch should be checked regularly by your jeweler and serviced according to the manufacturer's suggestions. This is important because tiny particles of dust can get into the works, increasing friction of moving parts.
• Wind your watch in a clockwise direction, preferably about the same time each day. Take it off your wrist so as not to place undue pressure on the stem.
• Although many watches are equipped with shock-resistant devices, it's not wise to subject it to overly vigorous treatment.
• Replace broken or scratched crystals immediatly; even a hairline crack can let dust or moisture into the mechanism, threatening its accuracy.
• Unless the degree of water-resistance was clearly specified when you bought your watch, don't risk wearing it into the shower or pool, or on a moist wrist.
• No matter how handy you are, don't attempt any "do-it-yourself" watch repairs. Only an expert watchmaker should be trusted to put your watch back into working condition.
• It's best to replace a battery in a quartz watch before it runs out. Dead batteries left in the watch can leak or corrode and ruin it. Also, don't attempt to change the battery in a watch yourself. Take it to a jeweler. Batteries run for about two years. Those in some less expensive, multifunction digitals have shorter lives, as little as six months, if the wearer frequently uses extra features such as a calculator or game.