summer care

I try to live by the philosophy that life is short and you should enjoy every second of it.

This is sort of a silly example but I used to save my expensive soap for a special occasion and then when one finally came along the soap was old and had gone bad, I saved it for all that time and I never got to enjoy it.  I don't do that any more. 

I definitely don't do that when it comes to my jewelry, I wear it all the time; water skiing, swimming, working, working out and of course to special occasions.  I'd rather wear it and risk losing it than not get to enjoy it to the fullest, if something happens, c'est la vie.

That is my Shot Through necklace, it is so easy to wear, I wear it almost every day and it shows by the tarnish and the grime that has accumulated.  So I thought it might be nice to show you how to take care of your jewelry over the summer months when you are the hardest on your jewels. 

Sunscreen, perfume, lotions, body oils, sweat, and chlorine are really not great for your jewelry but there is an easy fix and I know you have some in your bathroom right at this very moment.

That's right, a toothbrush and toothpaste.  Go ahead and spread a little on your brush and just start scrubbing that dirt and grime away.

This also works fabulously on any hard stone, I clean my diamond with a toothbrush all the time to keep it sparkling. The key with stones is to clean it from as many angles as possible, not just the top.

Ahh, good as new, just make sure you do NOT use this technique on pearls, turquoise, opals or any soft stones.  Now if your jewelry is tarnished the toothbrush method might return your metal to a sparkling shine but you can use a jewelers polishing cloth or even a soft cotton cloth and rub that tarnish away.

I really love these sunshine cleaning cloths they work like a charm, I will be offering them on the website in the fall.  Of course if you have an ultrsonic cleaner that works too but you will still need to give your jewels a little scrub, scrub.  And if you are ever in doubt about how to clean your jewelry take it to be professionally cleaned by a jeweler. 

Now remember, enjoy life to the fullest and don't be afraid to wear your jewelry everyday.:)