Your Post-Summer Jewellery: Your Essential Checklist

Summer is wonderful for us, but not always quite so wonderful for our jewellery.

After a few months of holidays, swimming, sun cream, gardening, sport and generally being outdoors more, September is one of the times I always recommend taking a proper look at the jewellery you wear every day.

I am a great believer that fine jewellery should be worn. Your engagement ring, diamond earrings or tennis bracelet should not spend their life sitting safely in a box. But pieces that are worn and loved regularly do need a little maintenance.

And catching something small now, such as a worn claw or loose clasp, can save a much bigger problem later.

Here are the things I would check as we head into Autumn.

1. Look Closely At Your Claws And Settings

The first place I would look is around your diamonds.

Claws are the tiny pieces of metal that hold a diamond securely in place, and over time they can wear down, catch or loosen. This is particularly worth checking on an engagement ring or another piece you wear every day.

Have a close look in good natural light. Does one claw look different from the others? Is anything catching on knitwear or your hair? Does the diamond look as though it has shifted slightly?

If you suspect a stone is moving, stop wearing the piece until a jeweller has checked it.

It is such a small thing to have inspected, but it can make all the difference.

2. Don't Forget Your Clasps, Catches And Earring Backs

We naturally tend to focus on the diamonds, but the less glamorous little components of a piece are often just as important.

Check the clasp on your tennis bracelet. Open and close your necklace fastening a few times. Look at the links close to the clasp, as these can take more strain than the rest of the chain.

For diamond studs, check that the backs still fit securely.

If something suddenly feels easier to open than it used to, I would have it checked rather than taking a chance.

3. Give Your Diamonds A Proper Clean

One of the most common things I see after summer is a perfectly beautiful diamond that simply needs a good clean.

Diamonds attract grease and oils, so sun cream, moisturiser, make-up and everyday skin oils can gradually build up around the stone and underneath the setting. You may not notice it happening until one day your diamond just looks a little less bright.

For most straightforward diamond jewellery, you can give it a gentle clean at home:

1. Add a few drops of mild washing-up liquid to a small bowl of warm water.
2. Leave the piece to soak for around 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Use a very soft, clean toothbrush to gently work around and underneath the setting.
4. Rinse carefully in a separate bowl of clean water.
5. Pat dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

One of my little tips is to pay particular attention to the back of the diamond. That is where oils and residue tend to collect, and cleaning underneath the stone can make an enormous difference to how much light gets through it.

And please don't do this over an open plughole!

For more detail, read our Jewellery Care: Our Expert Guide to Keeping Your Pieces Sparkling.

4. Skip The Toothpaste And Harsh Cleaning Products

This is one of those old jewellery tips that refuses to disappear.

Please don't clean fine jewellery with toothpaste.

Anything abrasive can scratch the metal, and chlorine or harsh household chemicals can also affect precious metal alloys and certain gemstones.

I would also leave ultrasonic and steam cleaners to your jeweller. They can be brilliant professional tools, but only once the piece has been inspected. If a stone is already slightly loose, the vibration from an ultrasonic cleaner can make matters worse.

Simple and gentle is usually best at home.

5. Think About What Your Jewellery Has Been Doing All Summer

Jewellery can be incredibly durable, but it is not indestructible.

A diamond may be one of the hardest natural materials, but that doesn't mean it cannot chip if it receives a hard knock in the wrong place.

Think back over the last few months.

Have you been playing tennis or golf in your rings? Lifting weights, gardening, swimming, carrying suitcases? Spending a lot of time at the beach?

Those are exactly the everyday situations where jewellery can take little knocks without us really noticing.

I always recommend removing rings for the gym, gardening, heavy housework and similar activities. It is less about being overly precious with your jewellery and more about avoiding unnecessary wear.

6. Be Particularly Careful With Pieces That Contain Other Gemstones

Not every piece of jewellery should be cleaned in exactly the same way.

Pearls, opals and some coloured gemstones can require much gentler treatment than diamonds, and older or antique settings may also need extra care.

If you have inherited jewellery or a piece containing several different gemstones and you are not sure how to clean it, don't experiment.

Bring it to us and we can tell you exactly what is safe for that particular piece.

That is especially important with sentimental jewellery. Sometimes doing less is the best way to look after it.

7. Give Your Jewellery Its Own Space

One final tip that is easy to overlook is how you store your jewellery.

Diamonds are incredibly hard, which also means one diamond can scratch another diamond, as well as the precious metal in neighbouring pieces.

Try to store your favourite pieces separately rather than dropping everything into one jewellery box together.

A lined compartment, individual pouch or original jewellery box will help prevent pieces rubbing against one another. Chains are also much happier stored separately rather than left to form that impossible knot we have all encountered!

How Often Should You Have Your Diamond Jewellery Checked?

There isn't one rule that suits every piece because it depends on how often you wear it and what sort of setting it has.

For jewellery you wear every day, particularly an engagement ring, I like the idea of making a professional check part of your yearly routine.

September is actually a very good time to do it.

Your jewellery has been through summer, Christmas is still a little way off, and you have time to deal with anything that needs attention before the busy end of the year.

A professional service gives us the opportunity to inspect the claws, setting, metal and fastenings properly, as well as giving the piece a thorough clean.

Quite often, there is absolutely nothing wrong.

And that reassurance is valuable too.

My Final Piece of Advice

I always tell my clients that beautiful jewellery is there to be enjoyed.

Wear the engagement ring. Wear the tennis bracelet on an ordinary Tuesday. Put the diamond earrings on even when you're only going for coffee.

Fine jewellery is made to become part of your life.

Just give it the care it deserves along the way.

A few minutes spent checking your favourite pieces at the end of summer can help keep them secure, sparkling and ready for many more years of wear.

If something doesn't look or feel quite right, or you would simply like us to give your jewellery a professional once-over, get in touch to arrange a private consultation.

Rhona Fitzpatrick
Private Jeweller
The Diamond Expert