Handmade jewelry, beads, agates, and vintage pieces can last longer with gentle handling and thoughtful storage. The safest cleaning method depends on the materials used.
For many pieces, begin with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid soaking jewelry unless you know that the stone, metal, stringing material, and adhesives can tolerate water. Porous stones, dyed materials, glued settings, and some metals may be damaged by harsh cleaners or ultrasonic machines.
Store individual pieces in separate soft pouches or compartments to reduce scratches and tangled chains. Keep jewelry away from excessive heat, direct sunlight, household chemicals, and moisture where practical.
Natural stones should not all be treated alike. If you are unsure what a specimen is, choose gentle dry cleaning first and seek an informed identification before using acid, polishing compounds, or abrasive cleaning.
Our Earthly Treasures inventory includes varied materials, so we review and describe each item as accurately as we can.
Illustrative jewelry photograph: Alexey Demidov / Unsplash; not a photograph of our sale inventory.