The founder of Lark & Berry, Laura Chavez teaches us how to clean jewellery and give shine back to our gems with these clever hacks
From diamond-drenched silver to gemstone-studded gold, it’s essential to care for your jewellery, and that includes knowing how to clean it.
The good news is you can spruce up your pieces from the comfort of your own home—and it’s easier than you might think.
Here, Laura Chavez, founder of jewellery brand Lark & Berry, explains exactly how to shine up your sparklers and keep them clean during Covid-19.
See also: Meet Cara Delevingne, The New Face of Dior Joaillerie
How should we clean our jewellery?
Believe it or not, you can clean your jewellery at home using common household materials. The best homemade cleaning solution is a mixture of liquid dish soap and warm water.
Let the jewellery soak for a few minutes or, if you can plan ahead, even longer. Using an old but clean toothbrush with a soft head, scrub each piece before rinsing with lukewarm water.
You can also visit our Hong Kong store for complementary professional cleaning in our ultrasonic machine, which takes about 30 minutes. We recommend you contact us before to make an appointment.
Why should we clean our jewellery?
Dead skin and bacteria builds up on jewellery, especially behind stones and this results in pieces looking dull.
General maintenance of jewellery ensures your pieces will stay nicer, for longer. With time, wear-and-tear plus natural environmental damage will cause all jewellery to lose its shine.
How often should we clean our jewellery?
Cleaning intervals depend on how much you wear your jewellery. A quick clean once a week and a deeper clean once a month is advisable.
Do we need to be careful when cleaning our jewellery?
Diamonds are the hardest natural substance on Earth, so no amount of scrubbing, rubbing or brushing will harm these stones!
But make sure you handle your jewellery delicately as the settings, clasps, etc. can get knocked loose with too harsh a cleaning.
Here’s another tip: Put a dish in the sink to minimise the risk of losing small pieces down a drain.
I’ve been told polishing jewellery can damage my pieces?
It’s not uncommon for people to mix up cleaning with polishing. Cleaning your jewellery regularly is fine, but we wouldn’t recommend you polishing jewellery as often.
Polishing takes an ultra-fine layer off each piece. Polishing too much will reduce the metal, which makes fine settings more vulnerable.
See also: Yellow Diamonds Take Centre Stage in Harry Winston's Autumn High Jewellery Collection