Rose of Sharon Jewelry » Series http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog Creating a Fulfilling Life and Jewelry, Too Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:52:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Cleaning Your Jewelry – Part 2 in the How to Spring Clean Your Jewelry Box Series http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2010/03/cleaning-your-jewelry-part-2-in-the-how-to-spring-clean-your-jewelry-box-series/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cleaning-your-jewelry-part-2-in-the-how-to-spring-clean-your-jewelry-box-series http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2010/03/cleaning-your-jewelry-part-2-in-the-how-to-spring-clean-your-jewelry-box-series/#comments Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:58:10 +0000 Sharon http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2010/03/cleaning-your-jewelry-part-2-in-the-how-to-spring-clean-your-jewelry-box-series/ Make your jewelry look its best with easy cleaning tips from handmade jewelry artist, Sharon of Rose of Sharon Jewelry. Learn how to make your prized jewelry sparkle and shine.

This series is dedicated to maximizing your jewelry investment. In part 2, I’ll share great tips and easy tricks to safely clean your jewelry before and AFTER each wearing. Whether you inherited Grandma’s pearls or made an impulse purchase at Macy’s, keeping each piece of jewelry in good shape means you’ll get more wear out of it!

Jewelry Cleaning Tips and Tricks

  1. Learn what your jewelry is made from. This is especially important with precious and semi-precious stones and metals.  photo_11455_20100113A stone’s hardness affects its wearability and cleaning methods. For example, softer stones can be damaged accidently with chemical cleaners and vigorous silver polishing can ruin antiqued silver components. Stones like turquoise just require a soft toothbrush and warm soapy water. With the out-of-sight price of gold and the rising price of silver, filled, plated and less costly substitutes are on the rise and quality can be unknown. Learn what you have to make the right cleaning choice.
    1. To learn more about specific stone hardness, see Antique Jewelry Investor and International Gem Society.
  2. Buy a rouge cloth (a soft cloth impregnated with jewelers’ rouge paste) for removing oxidation (a dark surface resulting from oxygen slowly interacting). A quick buff before wearing will keep your pieces sparkling. BEWARE this cloth should not be used on low quality plated metal as you can erode the plating through abrasion.
  • Before wearing for the first time, gently swish your jewelry in warm water with a few drops of mild dish soap. Often beads are dyed  especially in less costly products. This is a common practice in the jewelry industry, photo_2751_20081227 but not all processes have the same quality results. If the water discolors during cleaning, rinse until clear to protect clothing and your skin. This process also clears out any hidden grit or grim accumulated from drilling beads and polishing metals.
  • Read the label before using any cleaning product on jewelry. Avoid ammonia (often found in glass cleaning products) which might be a good diamond cleaner but too harsh for pearls, soft stones and metal findings.
  • Use warm not hot water. Excessively hot water can damage some treated stones such as those with resin stabilizers.

    • More Jewelry Cleaning Tips and Tricks

    In writing this post, I realized that I had too many great jewelry cleaning ideas for a single post. So I’ve divided the ideas into multiple posts for quicker reading. I will also be writing and sharing a free downloadable booklet on jewelry cleaning. Watch for the booklet release in April at the Rose of Sharon Jewelry blog , on Twitter @rosjewelry and at the Rose of Sharon Jewelry Facebook Fan Page

    To learn more, be sure to subscribe to the Rose of Sharon Jewelry Blog via RSS feed or email updates. You can unsubscribe at any time.


    ]]>     http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2010/03/cleaning-your-jewelry-part-2-in-the-how-to-spring-clean-your-jewelry-box-series/feed/ 4     5 Tips On How to Spring Clean Your Jewelry Box http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2010/03/5-tips-on-how-to-spring-clean-your-jewelry-box/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=5-tips-on-how-to-spring-clean-your-jewelry-box http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2010/03/5-tips-on-how-to-spring-clean-your-jewelry-box/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:35:00 +0000 Sharon http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2010/03/3-tips-on-how-to-spring-clean-your-jewelry-box/ Tip #1  - Set up 4 sorting boxes. Over the newest few blog posts, I’ll discuss ideas and resources on what to do with jewelry in each box.
    1. Keep – Classic jewelry pieces, mementos and jewelry that works with your current fashion sense and wardrobe.
    2. Repair/Repurpose – “Valuable” jewelry worth the cost of repair, jewelry components that can be repurposed into other jewelry or crafts.
    3. Donate – “Not your style” jewelry that in good condition can be passed on through thrift shop donations and other community charities.
    4. Toss -  Seal the box so you’re not tempted and toss
    Tip # 2 – Ask a good friend to help. Jewelry can stir up a lot of emotions making it hard to truly access it’s “value” in your life. A trusted friend can give you some clarity so you end up with a jewelry box worthy of all this effort. Tip # 3 – Take a good look at your wardrobe BEFORE you start cleaning out the jewelry box. Jewelry should accentuate your beauty and clothing. If that Hello Kitty necklace no longer fits  your fashion style or that bright orange floral pendant classes with your wardrobe colors – let it go! Tip # 4 – Set the 4 boxes aside for a few days before you finish your clean up project. This will give you time for your “jewelry” emotions to even out. Take a quick scan  (and I do mean quick or you’ll get lost in the feelings again)  of each box and then take action! Tip # 5 – Collect (buy or make) organizational components that fit into your jewelry box (or in my case boxes and drawers) for all the “keepers”. You’ll also need zipper style plastic bags, plastic twist ties and labels.
    Sign up for the Rose of Sharon Jewelry blog via email or RSS Feed  to learn more about getting your jewelry ready for Spring. This series will run for next 4 blog posts!

    ]]>     http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2010/03/5-tips-on-how-to-spring-clean-your-jewelry-box/feed/ 5     Another Handmade Jewelry Find from Sylvia Jewelry – Copper Swirl http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2009/05/another-handmade-jewelry-find-from-sylvia-jewelry-copper-swirl/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=another-handmade-jewelry-find-from-sylvia-jewelry-copper-swirl http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2009/05/another-handmade-jewelry-find-from-sylvia-jewelry-copper-swirl/#comments Sat, 30 May 2009 14:59:44 +0000 Sharon http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2009/05/another-handmade-jewelry-find-from-sylvia-jewelry-copper-swirl/ Copper Swirl Originally uploaded by sylviajewelry Couldn't resist posting another beautiful design from Sylvia Jewelry. I need to get into the studio this weekend as this really makes my creative juices flow!
    ]]>     http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2009/05/another-handmade-jewelry-find-from-sylvia-jewelry-copper-swirl/feed/ 0     Handmade Jewelry Find – Cotton Candy Tree http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2009/05/handmade-jewelry-find/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=handmade-jewelry-find http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2009/05/handmade-jewelry-find/#comments Sat, 30 May 2009 14:47:51 +0000 Sharon http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2009/05/cotton-candy-tree/ Cotton Candy Tree Originally uploaded by sylviajewelry Even though I am a handmade jewelry designer, I'm always shopping around for the beautiful work of other designers. This caught my eye on Flickr this morning. Flickr is a great one-stop site to explore all types of handmade jewelry. Every type of technique is proudly displayed from talented artisans from around the globe. See what I mean with this beauty?
    ]]>     http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2009/05/handmade-jewelry-find/feed/ 1     Handmade Metal Jewelry – Another Sharon Favorite at Etsy http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2009/05/handmade-metal-jewelry-sharon-favorite-etsy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=handmade-metal-jewelry-sharon-favorite-etsy http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/2009/05/handmade-metal-jewelry-sharon-favorite-etsy/#comments Fri, 22 May 2009 00:45:47 +0000 Sharon http://www.roseofsharonjewelry.com/blog/?p=811 Canadian Rockies Art has some wonderful oxidized silver earrings. Her designs are modern without being too far out for those of us who love classic designs. Stop by and see her great work.

    Mea culpa - I copied a photo from her Etsy store so you could drool over her work, too. il_430xn66697400


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