Cleaning your gems and jewels with random cleaners at home is not something we recommend. You might argue that Elizabeth Taylor would clean her 33.19 carat Krupp diamond ring with hot water, a toothbrush, and gin! However, we do have a few other techniques we would recomend…
You must not be afraid to shine a little brighter, darling! – Kirsten Kahn
We would recommend taking your precious and sentimental jewelry to an expert jeweler for professional cleaning once a year. In the meantime, there are a few steps to surface-clean your jewelry at home from time to time.
How to clean gold jewelry at home
Cleaning jewelry from home is actually quite an easy process; there are specific products for gold and gemstones that can be bought. At Morphée Joaillerie, whenever you purchase a piece of jewelry, they gift you with their favorite solution “JoliBijoux” to keep them clean. This is how to use it:
Step 1: Fill up a small container
Pour some of the JoliBijoux product in a small plastic or metal container.
Step 2: Leave jewelry to soak
Pop your jewelry into the JoliBijoux solution and leave for 10-15 minutes to soak.
Step 3: Scrub with a soft brush
Use a soft-bristle toothbrush to loosen any stubborn dirt between settings or details.
Step 4: Rinse and dry
Rinse under the tap and then dry the jewelry by gently patting it with a kitchen towel.
If you are not content with the result, you can start the process a second time.
This is a nice way to keep your jewelry clean and shiny as various residues such as soap from cleaning hands or hand cream can create layers of deposit and tarnish the shine of your gems and gold. We recommend you to clean once a week jewelry you wear everyday.
Don’t use ultrasonic jewelry cleaners at home
While ultrasonic jewelry cleaners do produce a sparkling result, the machine works by sending vibrations through the water and cleaning solution in a matter of minutes. All that vigorous movement can cause stones to become loose or even fall out in the machine. When Morphée Joaillerie takes your jewelry back to the workshop for professional cleaning, they test the stones to see if they’re all still intact and secure them on the spot (settings can loosen in time depending on the wear). However if you try this at home, you would never know if one of your pavé set stones became loose in the machine – unless, of course, they fall completely out, in which case you have to go to a jeweler anyway to have the stone set back.
Where to get your ring professionally cleaned?
If your jewelry came from Morphée Joaillerie, professional cleaning is offered as a lifetime complimentary service. Having your jewelry cleaned at the same place it was purchased is best because the jewelers will be most familiar with your specific jewel and how to care for it. When looking for a new place to take your jewelry for cleaning, speak with the jeweler who will actually be performing the service. You’ll want to look for someone with experience caring for jewelry similar to yours in materials, age (important for antiques), and structure, and with an understanding of the piece you own.
You can find Morphée Joaillerie at the Balthasar Brussels concept store, Place du Grand Sablon 40, 1000 Brussels. Open every day from 11AM to 7PM.
