Extending the Life of Costume Jewellery

Posted by johnpreston on July 14th, 2016

In many ways, costume jewellery pieces are a substantial investment especially when these are made from semi-precious stones and Swarovski crystals. You must then take good care of these pieces so as to get the best value for your money particularly when these are part of your growing collections of chandelier earrings, cocktail rings, cuff bracelets, and bib necklaces, among other pieces.  Here are a few things to remember in extending the life of your costume pieces of jewellery.  

Dry and Clean Is the Way to Go

While stainless steel doesn’t corrode or tarnish easily, it still requires proper care to keep its beautiful luster. You should avoid exposing your stainless steel jewellery to chemical products; body and bath products like lotions, creams, and perfumes; and oil and water since these will accelerate the degeneration of the metal. You must remove your jewellery before applying any of these substances and before washing your hands.  

Give Them a Break

You may be proud of the bold designs on your costume Art Deco jewellery so you wear them every day. But you will soon find out that these pieces are not designed to be worn on a daily basis, not because of style concerns but because daily wear will also accelerate discoloration. You should give them a break by alternating several pieces as part of your daily ensemble, such as buying two or three necklaces with similar styles for this purpose.  

Remove Them When You Don’t Need to Wear Them

Giving your pieces of jewellery a break also means removing them when you don’t have to wear them.  You should remove them in the following instances:

•   Sleeping since the sharp parts can cause injuries, such as scratches on your skin and choking of your neck, not to mention that the pieces can also be damaged
•   Exercising since your sweat will adversely react with the metal resulting in discoloration
•   Swimming because the pool’s chemicals will also have adverse reactions with the metal

The bottom line: If you don’t have any reason to wear jewellery, you should just skip it.  

You should obviously store your jewellery in the right place and conditions, such as in jewellery boxes, pouches and drawers, even on hooks. Your vigilance in ensuring that your costume pieces of jewellery are kept well can work to your advantage in another way – you can re-purpose them and make them into personalised gifts!

For more information please visit our website: www.aridnorman.com