A Cheatsheet: How To Clean Fine Jewelry

 Photos: Macy's except where marked

If jewelry is your luxury of choice, a Savvy Shopper selects classic pieces she'll wear time and again. Keeping fine jewelry in a box is a complete waste of money! Wear it daily and enjoy it.

Take off your jewelry before showering, washing dishes, or cleaning around the house to prevent scratching the metal or damaging any gemstones. Only when traveling do I wear my jewelry to bed (so I don't accidentally leave a piece behind). At home, I remove my necklaces, rings, or earrings before bed so nothing breaks. Put them away in a safe place. Also at home, I remove my rings before washing my hands with soap.

Periodically it's important to clean jewelry so it continues to sparkle. Here's a ...

Cheatsheet on how to properly clean your fine jewelry:

For gold: 

To clean gold, a mixture of soap and warm water is recommended. Soak the pieces first if you wish. Gold jewelry without gemstones can also be cleaned with rubbing alcohol and then raised with water, but soap and water are all you really need. Buff the precious metal dry with a soft cloth.

For silver: Silver is softer than gold. Clean silver with soap and warm water or a silver polishing cloth. You can also safely use a professional silver cleaner like Tarn-x. Don't use paper towels or tissues to clean silver. They are too abrasive and might scratch the silver.

Gemstones

For amethyst, aquamarine, citrine, diamond, garnet, morganite, quartz, certified ruby, sapphire, tanzanite, and topaz: Clean with warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush.

For emeralds, jade, onyx, opals, peridot, and turquoise: Clean with a damp cloth and a soft toothbrush. Avoid soaking in water and sudden temperature changes. Heat can damage emeralds, opals, and peridots. (Heat will also lighten sapphires.) Emeralds commonly have jardins (which are inclusions such as cracks or air bubbles). Opals can have from 6% - 10% of water content. 

For pearls: Drop a soft cloth in warm water and mild dishwashing soap to wipe the pearls. Follow with a wipe of clean water. Do not soak the pearls in a soapy solution. Pearls are soft (a 4 on the Moh's Scale of Hardness) and are sometimes strung on a silk thread, so soaking can damage them.

For all of your gemstones, here are some final tips: Avoid rapid temperature changes, steaming machines, and ultrasonic devices. Trust only a trained jeweler to deep clean your gemstones. Avoid direct sunlight, chlorine, perfume, hairspray, and harsh chemicals.

Fine jewelry is too costly to take unnecessary risks. Take care of your precious metals and gemstones by cleaning them gently and safely.

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Diamond Accent Flower Studs

A YouTube luxury influencer, Sophie Shohet, whom I sometimes watch, showed a pair of diamond accent flower stud earrings on her channel that looks familiar. I also own a pair in the same style. Her diamond accent flower studs are ruby stones and likely 18K gold. My studs are sapphires in 14K gold. Hers were designed by her jeweler. I got my earrings at Macy's Herald Square in the mid-1980s. In fact, I'm wearing the earrings in the small blogger photo over on the sidebar.👉

I bought sapphire diamond accent flower studs on an entry-level salary and over the years, I have really gotten my money's worth wearing the classic style of earrings (sometimes daily). IMHO they are as beautiful and elegant as diamond stud earrings, with an ample effect for less moola. ↖Over to the right is a similar pair sold by Macy's today.

I'm glad I bought my earrings years ago as they cost 4 times more now (because the price of gold went up) and as much as I love them the price is (arguably too?) steep now! I'd wait for one of Macy's best sales to lower the cost, or I'd consider buying the earrings in sterling silver (still a precious metal) with the choice of ruby or sapphire stones.

Jewelry was always a splurge but sadly it's getting harder to find substantial gold pieces worthy of the much higher price tag of today.

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5 Reasons Not To Buy Cartier Love Bracelets

All photos: Courtesy of Cartier unless noted. I like this design because the diamonds hide scratches that show on the smooth bangles. It's also less common than the plain ones, although I approve of common when cheap. :)

The Cartier Love Bracelet was designed in 1969 by Aldo Cipullo and recently popularized by television personality and makeup entrepreneur, Kylie Jenner, who is known to stack her multiple love bracelets up and down both arms while filming her family's scripted Kardashian reality show. 

Back in 1969, the original Cartier Love Bracelet was gold-plated sterling silver selling for $250. It was a plain bangle with the familiar bolt design that came with a vermeil screwdriver to unlock the bracelet to put it on or take it off. The inspiration for the bracelet was a medieval chastity belt, and ideally, customers like Kylie Jenner are supposed to wear it (or them:), 24/7. 

Soon after promoting the bracelets, Cartier dropped sterling silver and made the bracelets out of 18-carat gold. In 1979 the retailer added diamonds to the design. Today the Cartier Love Bracelet Collection has grown to about 50 variations selling from $4,450 to $62,000 depending on the width, gold, and gemstones you buy. For unknown reasons, white gold costs more than yellow or rose gold at Cartier. The bracelets weigh between 30 grams and 38 grams. On the resale market, yellow gold retains more of its value due to its greater demand.

I won't lie ... I like the chic solid bracelet ... rose gold and sparkly 3 rows of diamonds would be my choice, yet I will never in a million years buy one. 

Here are 5 reasons why I don't think you should buy it either:

1) It's not good value for the money. You spend a huge markup to own a status bracelet. You're not paying for the value of the gold or diamonds, you pay for the Cartier name, and the concession isn't good value for the money.

2) There's nothing unique or special about the bracelet, which is often the natural criteria along with demand for driving up the price of an item. It's as if the bracelet is mass-produced! Every luxury influencer, wannabe, and Kardashian wears a Cartier Love Bracelet. You are spending a ton of money to join the flock of over consumptionairs.

3) The bangles don't stay pristine, but scratch and break easily, so you will make several trips to Cartier for repairs. After charging double-digit-thousands, why can't Cartier design bracelets that don't scratch up and locks that don't loosen or break?

4) It's a hassle to take the bracelet off and on. You'll always need the help of another person to unscrew it, not to mention, do you want to leave on an expensive piece of fine jewelry 24/7? One that scratches easily?? Really, do 'ya???

5) A slew of Cartier Love Bracelets always end up on the resale market. What does it tell you? 

Photo: Pinterest

1. Too many customers have regrets after parting with a heap of moola: The allure of owning the bracelet sometimes exceeds the love of wearing it. 

2. You need not buy a new bracelet at full price: If you must own a Cartier Love Bracelet save a few thousand bucks by perusing the reputable resale markets. 

 

Frankly, I wouldn't pay the still-inflated prices for a pre-loved Cartier Love Bracelet. But I'm a value shopper, and it's a hard habit to break. 

If a buyer were to choose a non-staus, fine jewelry bracelet, she could get an equivalent bangle (sometimes with more gold and diamonds) for less money that fewer people own, for example, the Roberto Coin Love in Verona bracelets - plain or with flower diamonds or pave diamonds. Moreover, you don't need a key to take it on and off! That said, whatever brings you happiness is not to be judged. Logic doesn't always win. Personally, I like the Cartier Love Bracelets, but think consumers can find beautiful similar pieces for significantly less. Same joy + a car ... or some retirement money.

Roberto Coin Love In Verona

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Yellow vs White vs Rose Gold

Photo: eragems

Nowadays jewelers and customers have access to a wide range of medals. Gold is always an excellent choice when buying earrings, rings, bracelets, and necklaces. 

The metal is classic and less expensive than platinum. As it turns out platinum scratches more and isn't as easy to resize as gold if, in years to come, the size of your ring finger changes. For this reason and others, gold is widely used to make engagement rings.

Photo: BlueNile.com

Pure 24K gold (meaning 100% gold) is soft, malleable, and not durable enough to wear as everyday jewelry. The gold we usually wear as a ring is a gold alloy (meaning it is mixed with a harder metal) to make it stronger so your jewelry won't bend or scratch with daily wear. 

• 

  Photo: Novemgold

  22K is 91.67% gold and 8.33% of a secondary metal. 
  
• 18K gold is 75% gold and 25% of other metals. 
• 14K gold is 58.3% gold and 41.7% of other metals. 
• In the USA 10K gold is sometimes sold, which is 41.7% gold and 58.3% other metals. 

The higher the percentage of gold, the deeper the color, and yet 14K gold is stronger than 22K, so not a bad choice for jewelry. You will pay less and can wear 14K gold with more abandon. Less gold in the alloy doesn't translate into less beautiful; however, you should never be overcharged for the amount of gold you're getting either.

Nowadays gold comes in 3 popular colors: Yellow, white, and rose. There are differences between them, but when considering which hue to get, it's more a matter of personal preference.

Yellow gold is the color of pure 24K gold. When making jewelry, yellow gold is an alloy made by mixing it with yellow metals like zinc and copper. It looks fabulous on most skin tones, which is why yellow gold is so popular for engagement rings.

White gold is an alloy of gold and a white metal such as palladium, manganese, or nickel. Not significantly enough to make you select it over yellow gold -- which also wears well, but if comparing the 2, white gold is stronger, meaning it scratches and dents less than yellow gold. Yellow gold is just a tad softer due to the other metals mixed with it. On the other hand, unlike yellow gold, white gold must be dipped in rhodium to shine and after years of wear and tear, you'll have to have white gold re-dipped in rhodium to maintain its luster. Thankfully the cost of this process is inexpensive.

I became familiar with rose gold only a few years ago, and it has become a favorite. (This watch introduced me to it -- not even real gold ... but looks like it!) Rose gold is a gold and copper alloy that is strong; doesn't scratch; doesn't fade; and also is universally attractive on all skin tones. Rose gold has a warm, romantic glow and is an excellent choice when paired with red stones like rubies.

If deciding between yellow, white, or rose gold, it comes down to which one you love the best and sometimes the particular gems you're pairing it with ... I think you can always tell which one to get with just one look after trying on a piece. You know it when you see it. Trust your eyes and heart, and you won't go wrong.

Photo: Hamilton

Although I'll stick to one color of gold if ever buying a set of jewelry (earrings, a ring, and a necklace), I'm also a gal who'll mix metals and wear whatever I own that is beautiful! I do not care.💗🔷

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Fashion Jewelry I Like

Photo: Maevery

Let's begin this subject with the truth. Nowadays I don't buy fashion jewelry, yet bought it in my 20s. In my 20s I just needed something to wear daily for work and a few social events. Fashion jewelry was what I could afford. I also thought I had to change my jewelry often ... I don't feel that way today.

Photo: Spiritual Gloss

As I got older I decided to curate what I own: Possess fewer yet better pieces of jewelry that I love. So nowadays I don't do quantity. I decide what it is I love and buy only it. So I save up my money for a few more expensive pieces of fine (real gold with real gems) jewelry. In other words, I curate; get it; then stop buying. I still look, but am slow to pull the trigger! 

However, not all my readers are at this point in their lives. Moreover, fine jewelry doesn't make everyone's heart flutter.

Like designer handbags and shoes, jewelry is never an investment. All 3 examples are luxury buys. We never need luxury, we buy luxury because we like material things. Not everybody wishes to spend their money on fine jewelry just like not everybody wants to spend their money on a Hermès handbag. 

Photo: Maevery

So for those readers, I can recommend 3 fashion jewelry retailers I truly like and would wear if I still bought fashion jewelry. For your money, you get substantial gold plated pieces with small, real diamonds and precious stones that are sturdy and pretty. Often I see the brands promoted on YouTube channels by vloggers who are gifted them by the companies, which is a common, acceptable practice on YouTube. None of the 3 merchants sought me out, so my spotlight on their goods is independent and unbiased. Despite my overall bias against fashion jewelry, I love the creations of the following 3 companies: 

1) Ana Luisa - The company is carbon neutral, meaning they give back everything they take from nature to make their stylish, smart, modern and durable jewelry. 

2) Spiritual Gloss - They offer fair pricing for dainty 14k gold and diamond fine jewelry by cutting out the middle man. The heavier cuban chain (above right👆) is 14k gold plated brass. All 14k or 18k gold cuban chains are pricer, costing thousands of dollars. Think: Budget-friendly for an expensive look that won't tarnish!

3) Maevery - Contemporary, chic, classic and wearable designs, the metals are 14k and 18k gold plated. Another place to get rich looks for less. 

Perhaps you travel, ruin things, or don't wear expensive jewelry to certain places. When going the fashion jewelry route in life, what lovely, affordable and solid pieces that won't fall apart anytime soon!

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Treat Yourself To One Nice Thing

I don't wear costume jewelry. I'd much rather own a few good pieces of the real thing — even if it's just inexpensive sterling silver, or a simple gold chain — over having a dresser drawer full of designer, sometimes more costly costume jewelry.

And I hope everybody has the experience of receiving classic jewelry like 14k gold earrings for a 21st birthday, or a bracelet with precious stones to celebrate a graduation, given to you by someone who matters in your life. That's why it's the worst feeling in the world to lose a piece of jewelry. Often there's a story and sentimental value behind that neckless, so it can't easily be replaced.

Once in a while I'm even good to myself. I notice that with jewelry I'm a more modest spender and not quite as generous with myself, as I am when buying for another person. But it all works out, because that's how special people in my life are with me also.

I have a pair of cultured pearl earrings that I bought on sale at Macy's department store for $80. They may not be flawless Akoya pearls, but they are nice. They are classic ... real ... and a thing of beauty. They dress up any outfit -- and with care, they will last for decades.

So here's a pearl of wisdom. Every so often when you reach a milestone, or overcome a hardship, let yourself have one nice thing. Reward yourself for meeting a challenge with a strength and resilience you didn't know you had. It doesn't have to be a top of the line purchase, necessarily; just factor into your budget a little something you are hankering to buy. Make sure it's something that brings you happiness ... and enjoy it, because the reality is, it doesn't take long to live a life.