Rubyblue Jewelry is hand crafted from a variety of the finest gemstones and precious metals. The jewelry is intended to be worn and cherished ... We therefore would like to offer a few tips and guidelines for caring, cleaning and storing each 'jewelled work of art'.

To ensure that your jewelry is always 'ready to wear', gently wipe skin oils or make-up from its surface after each use. A 100% soft cotton cloth is recommended for the job. Materials other than soft, 100% cotton may contain fibres that are actually hard enough to damage the surface of your jewelry when used to polish. After cleaning the jewelry it is best to wrap it in jewelry tissue and store it in a soft bag or jewelry box. Protect chains from knotting by re-fastening the clasp and try to avoid bending chains when storing them. This especially applies to Omega style or Snake style chains, once one of these styles has a 'crimp' it cannot be removed.

Rouge Impregnated Polishing Cloths can work wonders and keep gold jewelry looking fabulous for years. Generally the cloths are used in two steps. Begin with the inside or 'red cloth' ( which contains red rouge, a compound used specifically to brighten the lustre on gold ) gently rubbing over all of the jewelry's surfaces. The red cloth is followed by a soft rubbing with the outside cloth ( usually beige, white or grey ). The second cloth will remove any excess fingerprints, light scratches or rouge deposits from the metal and leave the jewelry shining.

Ultrasonic Cleaners are an extremely effective method for cleaning many items of jewelry. They will 'magically' restore the surface and brighten all of the nooks and crannies between the links of gold chains, rings, bracelets and many other items of jewelry. Ultrasonic Cleaners are very powerful so can also do great harm to some jewelry. The heat and chemicals will permanently damage many gemstones such as pearls, ammolite, lapis lazuli, turquoise, emerald, opal and amber, to name but a few. Always check with a jeweller or gemmologist before using an ultrasonic cleaner to clean your jewelry and err on the side of caution. Repeated use of an ultrasonic cleaner can also 'loosen' your gemstones in their settings. Have the 'security' your gemstones checked by a jeweller to ensure that you don't lose your gemstones.

 

STERLING SILVER CARE

Sterling Silver will remain lustrous and 'tarnish free' for longer periods of time if it is wrapped in jewelry tissue and then sealed ( with as little air as possible ) in a ziploc plastic bag. ( 'air' actually triggers the chemical reaction that causes sterling silver to tarnish or 'oxidize' ) If gently wiping your silver jewelry with a soft cloth doesn't sufficiently remove light grease, dirt or fingerprints, a gentle soaking method can be used. Place the item to be cleaned in a 'bath' of half a cup of warm water with a drop or two of mild liquid soap. Allow it to soak for a couple of minutes and then thoroughly rinse in clear water. Dry the jewelry with a soft, 100% cotton cloth. NEVER use a 'soak' method for jewelry containing ammolite. ( water can actually cause the gemstone to de-laminate ) 'Soaking' should only be done with extreme caution if the jewelry is set with pearls, turquoise, lapis lazuli, opal or amber. The polish on these gems is very vulnerable and can easily be marred.

Tarnished sterling silver can be cleaned with a non-abrasive silver polish and a soft 100% cotton cloth. Always avoid the gemstones when using silver polish. 'Soft' gemstones such as pearls, turquoise, lapis lazuli, amber, opal, and ammolite are especially vulnerable. The polish can easily remove the lustre from these gems. Sterling Silver Dips are also available as a tarnish removal agent. Simply 'dip' the jewelry item to be cleaned and then rinse thoroughly in clear water. Sometimes a gentle brushing is required to remove tarnish from recessed areas. Again as with 'soaking' or 'polishing' never 'dip' any of the aforementioned soft gemstones or jewelry with silk thread (such as a strand of pearls ). Their surfaces are not durable and their finish will not stand up to the chemicals in the Sterling Silver Dips.

 

FINE JEWELRY & CHEMICALS

Bleach is 'the enemy' of all jewelry. Always remove your rings and jewelry before using bleach or any cleaning product that contains bleach ! This advice is also true for chlorine products used to disinfect swimming pools and hot tubs. These chemicals actually breakdown the metals and can leave jewelry surfaces irreparably pitted and damaged. Your jewelry also needs to be kept from contact with other common household chemicals: denatured alcohol, ammonia, acetone and petroleum based products.They should all be avoided for the potential damage they can cause to your jewelry.

SPECIAL CARE FOR SPECIAL GEMS

Many gemstones are fragile and require special care to maintain their intrinsic beauty.

OPALS are a very 'particular' gemstone. Their chemical composition contains a lot of water and this renders them vulnerable. Never immerse an opal in an ultrasonic cleaner, expose it to chemicals ( including dish or hand soap ) and avoid extreme temperatures or sudden temperature changes ( which can cause cracking ). Leaving an opal in direct sunlight can cause the gems color to change or 'haze' the stone. Ideally opals should be placed in settings that protect the stone from any potential contact.

PEARLS are the gift of the sea. The outer lustrous coating of a pearl ( its nacre ) is susceptible to damage. Pearls must be protected from scratching ( their surface is easily marred ). Continued contact with perspiration, cosmetics and hair products will eventually deplete the lustre on pearls by breaking down the nacreous layers and stretch and breakdown the silk thread the pearls are 'strung' upon. Never put pearls in an ultrasonic cleaner, never clean in jewelry dips, and never soak pearls in water / soap baths. Ideally, pearls should be stored separately from other jewelry and never contact any abrasive surface.

OTHER 'SOFT' GEMSTONES also require tender care. Ammolite, amber, turquoise, opals, freshwater pearls, malachite, and lapis lazuli are all beautiful gemstones requiring a gentle touch. To keep these gems pristine protect them in jewellers tissue when storing ( to avoid contact with potential damaging hard or sharp objects or edges... ie : other jewelry ). Never expose ammolite to harsh, strong sunlight or soak in water for any period of time ( this can cause the gem to de-laminate if it is a doublet or triplet ).

Wear and enjoy your jewelry, it gives a sparkle to everyday life !