Jewellery care

Life in the twenty-first century can be pretty hectic and this means that we need to take extra care with our precious jewellery. Your jewellery may be among the most expensive items you own, so it is important to take great care of it.

Try and have your jewellery checked and cleaned at least once per year. At Bradley Hatch Jewellers we will be happy to do this for you, as well as being able to recommend any maintenance that may be required.

General care – What to do:

  • Store your jewellery carefully in a soft pouch or jewellery box to avoid rubbing against other items.
  • If your jewellery appears dirty, wash in warm soapy water. If it is necessary, you can use a soft toothbrush to remove any trapped dirt.
  • When you wash jewellery, rinse it thoroughly and dry with a soft towel.
  • As mentioned above, for a more thorough clean we can arrange for this to be done for you.
  • Take if off when you get home or at least at night.
  • Keep chains and necklaces fastened when you are not wearing them to avoid tangling.

General care – What not to do:

  • Try not to drop your jewellery.
  • Avoid exposing your jewellery to harsh or abrasive household cleaners.
  • Try not to spray perfume on your jewellery.
  • Ideally you should never swim wearing your jewellery, as the chemicals used in swimming pools can react with the alloys in the gold and cause damage.
  • When on the beach be aware that sand and suntan oil can both dull the shine on gold.
  • Don’t wear jewellery for 24 hours a day.

Caring for pearls – What to do:

  • Clean and dry your pearls with a damp soft cloth or chamois leather.
  • Put on your pearls after applying make-up, hairspray, deodorant or perfume.
  • Take off your pearls before bathing, showering or swimming to avoid wetting the thread.
  • Keep your pearls in a soft bag to avoid scratching by other items of jewellery.
  • The silk thread used to string good quality pearls can stretch if the pearls are worn often. Periodic restringing (about once a year) is advisable in these circumstances.

Caring for pearls – What not to do:

  • Never use detergent, bleach or chemicals on your pearls. This may cause them to melt.
  • Never try to remove dirt with a toothbrush or abrasive material. They may scratch the pearl’s soft surface.
  • When removing pearl earrings, try to avoid grasping the pearl itself.

Caring for your watch:

Your watch is an intricate piece of engineering and works constantly day after day. Like your car it needs to be serviced to keep it running at its best and as a guide, we would recommend this is carried out every three or four years. 

  • Regularly give your watch a quick check over making sure, for example that the strap or bracelet is securely attached.
  • If you have a mechanical watch, wind it in a clockwise direction. Try to do this at about the same time each day. To avoid stress on the winder, remove the watch from your wrist before winding.
  • Water resistance is often misunderstood. If a watch shows 30 metres on the dial it does not necessarily mean it is perfectly safe to swim in. Be warned, that 30 metres is actually static pressure that the watch can take. Jumping into a pool can exceed this pressure possibly causing the watch to let water in. If you really need to know the time when you are swimming, it is recommended that you have a watch with at least 100 metre water resistance or greater. Even then it is still best to avoid wearing your watch in the bath or shower.