Antique rings may have a long story behind them, but that doesn’t mean they are indestructible! You can preserve their beauty, starting with how to clean your antique jewellery…
From how to clean your antique jewellery and rings to maintenance tips, this essential guide will help you protect those pieces full of history.
Vintage or Antique Jewellery? Why Knowing the Difference Matters
The term vintage is widely used for anything fashionable that’s older than us. There’s an important difference between vintage jewellery and antique jewellery, which lies in age and, consequently, in importance and value.
An accessory or piece of jewellery can be called vintage if it was produced between 50 and 100 years ago. Examples of vintage styles are Art Deco and Retro. However, anything that is already 20 years old can be considered vintage these days. For instance, a pair of chunky 80s earrings can be considered a true vintage find.
Antique jewellery, on the other hand, is more than 100 years old. This is the case of Victorian, Georgian and Art Nouveau style jewellery. Their long history gives them a material and perceived value, rarity and uniqueness.
Some jewellery care tips are rules of thumb, no matter the age of your jewellery. Use and time play against these precious items, in particular; this is why it’s important to know how to clean and store them. As heirlooms and old jewellery get older, they will become slightly more susceptible to damage. This means that if you own a piece with a history behind it, you need to pay attention to how you’re caring for it, because it is not always possible to reverse any damage and return the piece to its original condition.
There are a few care tips you need to know; these will be your ABC if you’re wearing antique jewellery.
Clean Your Antique Pieces Carefully
This simple tip, in itself, might not seem all that helpful; however, the key lies in how you clean your antique jewellery and the product you use.
Ultrasonic cleaners can loosen old settings and damage some stones. While there isn’t a blanket risk, it’s a piece-by-piece consideration. It’s worth knowing before you invest in one for cleaning your antique pieces. Plus, these cleaners can strip patina that has built up over decades, and even damage organic materials like pearls, coral and tortoiseshell.
So, how do you clean your antique jewellery? The best way to clean your jewellery is with warm water and a very small amount of washing-up liquid. Then, using a soft toothbrush, you need to work gently around the settings and rinse thoroughly. Then leave it to dry.
If your jewel has paste stones, however, it needs to be kept completely away from water. These were commonly used in antique pieces as gem substitutes, and if they come into contact with water, the foil backing can tarnish.
Store Your Jewellery Correctly
You need to store antique jewellery individually wrapped in a soft cloth or in separate compartments of a jewellery box. Metal-on-metal contact can cause scratches, and harder stones can damage softer ones. It’s essential that they don’t come into contact with each other or other jewellery at all.
You also need to keep it away from direct sunlight and extreme temperature changes, both of which can affect certain stones and cause metal to expand and contract, which will stress old settings in the long run.
Avoid Contact with Chemicals
We all know that chemicals aren’t jewellery’s best friends; the same, if not more, applies to antique pieces. Avoid any accidental contact with creams, perfumes, sprays and cleaning products. This means taking your jewellery off when you apply your hand cream, have a shower or do your chores. The chemicals found in everyday products can build up over time and result in damage to metals and stones.
Resize with Caution
Over time, people change, and the piece itself can change as well. For example, when a ring is passed to different people, there can be the temptation to get it resized to wear it. However, resizing antique pieces comes with more complications than resizing modern jewellery.
Going too large or too small can compromise the structural integrity of the shank, and certain styles, especially those with engraving or decorative details that run all the way around, can be damaged by resizing.
If the rings need to go up or down more than one size, always get a specialist’s opinion before proceeding to ensure you don’t make the wrong decision or cause irreversible damage.
Know the Warning Signs
Taking care of antique jewellery also means recognising the signs that something is off. It’s all of the above, but having an eye for changes as well.
You need to check the stones regularly for loose settings. Gently press each stone with a fingertip, and if it moves or you hear a rattling sound, then the setting needs attention before the stone becomes entirely loose and is lost. You should also look for cracks in the shank, worn claws, and any signs of loose welds.
Spotting these signals early means you can get repairs done before the ring fails and becomes beyond saving.
If you know how to look after your antique jewellery and when to visit an expert restorer to address any issues, your treasures will not only retain their original lustre but also last longer, telling their story for future generations.
Image credits:
Ph. cottonbro studio via Pexels
Ph. LetÃcia Alvares via Pexels
Ph. MARTÂ PRODUCTION via Pexels
Ph. COPPERTISTÂ WU via Pexels
Ph. Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels
Ph. Mikhail Nilov via Pexels
