Jewellery Care guide
Fine jewellery is made to last a lifetime, but daily wear works against it. Dust settles behind stones, skincare and perfume leave a film on gold and platinum, and a diamond that looked brilliant when you bought it slowly stops catching light. Almost all of that is reversible in ten minutes at home.
When you wear
If possible, jewellery should be the last thing you wear after getting dressed and first thing you take off once you get back home. This ensures that there is minimal contact with makeup, perfume and any chemicals.
Be mindful of any sharp blows against corners or hard surfaces. Although diamonds are known for being the hardest substance in nature the wrong angle or enough force may cause them to chip. Make sure to remove jewellery before doing household chores or other physical activities.
when you store
Store jewellery in a clean, dry, fabric-lined jewellery box. Keep each article of jewellery separate by placing them in individual compartments or fabric pouches. Arrange jewellery inside the box in such a way that the stones are facing upwards.
It is advised to store pearls in a ventilated area wrapped in linen or a soft pouch. Keep chains closed and lay them flat to avoid tangles.
We recommend that you visit us at least once a year to avail our complimentary professional care. With this, there is nothing to stop your jewellery from stealing the show.
Schedule A Viewing
Cleaning by material
Diamond jewellery
Diamonds are the hardest natural material, so the method above is safe and can be repeated as often as you like. The one thing to watch is the setting rather than the stone. Warm soapy water and a gentle brush loosen debris behind the pavilion, which is what restores brilliance. Browse our diamond jewellery if you want to see how setting style affects how easily a piece cleans.
Gold and platinum
Yellow, white and rose gold and platinum all clean the same way: warm soapy water, a soft brush, a thorough rinse. White gold is usually rhodium plated to give it its bright finish, and that plating wears down over years of daily use. Replating is a boutique job, not a home one, and it is part of what a professional assessment picks up.
Coloured gemstone jewellery
Rubies and sapphires are hard, durable stones and take the same warm soapy water treatment as diamonds. Emeralds are the exception in that group. Emeralds are commonly treated with oil or resin to improve clarity, and hot water, detergent or vibration can draw that treatment out and leave the stone looking cloudy. Clean emeralds quickly in lukewarm water, do not soak them, and never use heat.
Tanzanite has a cleavage plane that makes it prone to splitting under impact or sudden temperature change. Opal and turquoise are porous and absorb whatever they are soaked in. Treat all three as delicate.
See the full gemstone jewellery collection for the stones we use.
Pearls
Pearls are organic, and everything that cleans metal will damage them. Never soak pearls, never use detergent or soap, and never put them in an ultrasonic or steam cleaner. Wipe each pearl with a soft damp cloth after wearing to remove perfume and perspiration, then let it dry flat before storing.
Pearl strands are knotted on silk, which stretches and weakens with wear. Have a strand you wear regularly restrung every one to two years. Browse our pearl jewellery for an idea of how strands and pendants differ in care needs.
How do you clean jewellery at home?
Soak the piece in warm water with a few drops of mild washing up liquid for 20 to 30 minutes, brush it gently with a soft bristled toothbrush paying attention to the back of the setting, rinse in clean warm water and pat dry with a soft lint free cloth. This is safe for gold, platinum and diamonds. Pearls and porous stones need a different method.
How to clean jewellery at home in five steps
Soak the piece in warm water with a few drops of mild washing up liquid for 20 to 30 minutes, brush it gently with a soft bristled toothbrush paying attention to the back of the setting, rinse in clean warm water and pat dry with a soft lint free cloth. This is safe for gold, platinum and diamonds. Pearls and porous stones need a different method.
Let the piece dry completely before you put it away. Moisture trapped in a closed box encourages tarnish.
Plug the sink or use a bowl.
Never clean jewellery over an open drain. This is how most rings are lost.
Fill it with warm, not hot, water
Add a few drops of mild washing up liquid. No bleach, no ammonia, no household surface cleaner.
Soak for 20 to 30 minutes
This loosens the film of skincare, hairspray and body oil that dulls the metal and blocks light from entering the stone.
Brush gently with a soft bristled toothbrush.
Work behind the setting, where a diamond's pavilion sits. That is where the dirt that kills sparkle collects, and it is the part people always miss.
Rinse and pat dry.
Use clean warm water, then a soft lint free cloth. Avoid paper towels and tissue: the wood fibres in them are abrasive enough to leave fine scratches on polished gold.
What you need
- A bowl of warm water
- Mild washing up liquid
- A soft bristled toothbrush kept only for jewellery
- A soft lint free cloth or the polishing cloth supplied with your piece
That is the entire kit. Commercial dip cleaners and jewellery dips are best avoided at home, because most are formulated for a single metal and can strip rhodium plating or attack a treated stone.
Safe cleaning method by material
| Material | Warm soapy water | Soft brush | Ultrasonic cleaner | Steam cleaner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond, untreated | Yes | Yes | Usually safe | Usually safe |
| Diamond, fracture filled | Brief only | Light | No | No |
| Gold and platinum | Yes | Yes | Usually safe | Usually safe |
| Ruby and sapphire, untreated | Yes | Yes | Usually safe | Caution |
| Emerald | Brief, lukewarm | Light | No | No |
| Tanzanite | Brief, lukewarm | Light | No | No |
| Opal and turquoise | No, wipe only | Light | No | No |
| Pearl | No, wipe only | Light | No | No |
Are ultrasonic and steam cleaners safe for jewellery?
Ultrasonic and steam cleaners are safe for most plain gold, platinum and untreated diamond jewellery, and unsafe for a long list of gemstones. An ultrasonic cleaner works by driving vibration through liquid, which is exactly what a fractured, treated, porous or heat sensitive stone cannot tolerate.
The Gemological Institute of America advises keeping these out of an ultrasonic cleaner:
- Organic materials: pearl, coral, ivory, shell cameo, amber and jet
- Heat and temperature sensitive stones: tanzanite, opal, moonstone, sunstone, fluorite, iolite, kunzite, lapis lazuli, malachite, topaz, turquoise and zircon
- Treated stones: fracture filled diamonds and emeralds, oiled or resin filled emeralds, and impregnated opal, lapis lazuli and malachite
What to keep your jewellery away from
- Chlorine and swimming pools, which attack the alloys in gold over time
- Bleach and ammonia based household cleaners
- Perfume, hairspray, self tanner and body lotion applied over the piece
- Hand sanitiser used repeatedly while wearing rings
- Salt water and hot tubs
- Abrasive cloths, paper towels and toothpaste
Travelling with jewellery
Use a small case with individual padded compartments rather than a pouch where pieces can rub together. Carry fine jewellery in hand luggage, never in a checked bag. Thread chains through a drinking straw or a strip of card to stop them tangling, and take a photograph of each piece before you leave in case you need to describe it.
How often should jewellery be professionally cleaned?
Have pieces you wear daily, particularly engagement rings and eternity bands, professionally checked once or twice a year. Occasional wear pieces can go two years. A professional check is not only about cleaning: it is when loose settings, worn claws, thinning shanks and rhodium wear get spotted, before a stone is lost.
Signs a piece needs professional attention:
- A stone that moves or rattles when you shake the piece
- Claws that catch on fabric
- White gold that has taken on a yellow or grey cast
- A band that has become noticeably thin on the underside
- Sparkle that does not come back after a proper home clean
Complimentary lifetime cleaning and assessment
Every La Marquise piece comes with complimentary lifetime jewellery assessment and cleaning at our boutiques. Bring in anything you have bought from us and our team will clean it professionally, check the settings and tell you honestly whether anything needs work.
For pieces that need more than a clean, contact our team and we will assess the repair and come back to you with an estimate, usually within seven working days.
