‘There’s nothing quite like the sparkle of a diamond or gemstone, especially if it’s a brand new piece that hasn’t even been worn yet. Fresh out of the box it’s delightfully dazzling. But is it possible to keep that like-new shine? For most of us, a jewelry purchase represents a substantial investment. You want to keep each piece looking its best. The good news is that you can definitely prolong the life of your jewelry by protecting and cleaning them properly. First, watch out for chemicals. Avoid wearing jewelry while doing any household chores that involve chemical products. Cleaning products often have highly concentrated chemicals in them that softer gemstones like pearls and opals are susceptible to. Silver can tarnish or discolour almost on contact. Second, it’s best to remove any jewelry before you do any physical activity like gardening, working out, playing a sport or shoveling the snow. Rings in particular can be damaged very easily. You could chip or break gemstones and not even realize it. Third, separate your real jewelry from any costume pieces you own. Ideally you should store each piece in a separate pouch or compartment; this will eliminate scratches and any damaging contact from other pieces. It will also help spare your necklaces from getting knotted together. Easy storage solutions include jewelry boxes, hangers or drawer dividing inserts. Even miniature plastic bags will work in a pinch.’ Finally, taking jewelry to be inspected or cleaning it yourself with special jewelry cleaners can help to keep your favorite keepsakes looking like new. Tobin Jewelers even offers free jewelry cleaner for items purchased at either of our Milwaukee area stores. Feel free to stop in at either of our Mequon or New Berlin locations to pick up your complimentary jewelry cleaner next time you’re in the area! Source