5 tips to keep your jewellery beautiful

I have tried many displays across the years - both at home and at fairs. I finally opted for the classic flat one because I like to see all my treasures laid out on a shelf and accessible. Whatever the display you choose at home though, there is one golden rule you should remember in order to preserve your precious pieces, be they valuable by nature or by attachment.

Pick the right room, and by right I actually mean do not pick the wrong one! Avoid humidity at all costs so no bathroom please. Not too cold, not too warm, not too dusty, no humidity and no direct light. In short any other room should do. Abiding by this simple rule will significantly limit the risks of cracks, distortions as well as colour fading and tarnishing.

Is that all? Of course not. Although it is a good start, here are a few tips to become even more of an expert.

1/ Keep those fancy gift boxes you are given. They have the right size, the right padding and they have a lid when comes the time to put those beauties to sleep.. You can also keep the tissue paper - or have your own - and wrap your earrings away when you are finished or use as cushioning for a cuff in a jewellery box for instance.

2/ Boxes precisely. With a large choice of materials and styles it has become very easy to buy affordable jewellery storage. My heart goes to the glass ones with velvet base. They are available online from a good number of sellers and start at £20 but keep your eyes peeled as sometimes fortune can smile on you. I came across mine by absolute chance in Aldi, £7 each, I grabbed the bargain! That said, you can also hunt some really lovely vintage boxes from your local antique shops and end up with a really unique display. Personnally I have mixed both and my shelf looks just right for me.

3/ Always have a silver polishing cloth handy. A large one costs less than £5 on Amazon - your local jeweller may also have some spare ones for sale. This amazing little piece of cloth will do miracles in a jiffy on your silver chains, pendants and more. You will have to rub them on a regular basis though, why not get into the habit to rub after every use?

4/ Create a collection of earrings backs that you will store separately in dedicated boxes or trinket dishes. This way, you can discard the ones you struggle with and you will always have more backs to use when you loose them. Warning : not all earrings posts are the same so not all backs fit. You could find it helpful to sort them first by type to avoid wasting time rummaging through your collection. Starting with butterfly, clutch and rubber is easy, over time you will find your own way of sorting.

5/ Sometimes life is hard even with your jewellery. Let's not get into the details but we can all happen to finish the day with sticky stains on our pendants. You hear me already don't you? DO NOT SCRATCH the stain away with your fingers but massage gently with a clean cloth and a drop of vegetal oil instead. Amazing right? Though again WARNING : only varnished surfaces and metals will tolerate a bit of oil on them. When in doubt, ask for advice, get in touch with the seller or with me.

That's me for now - I hope these simple pieces of advice will be easy to put into practice and that you will find enjoyment in taking better care of your little treasures.

Take care,

Amandine x