Jewellery Care

The antique and vintage pieces at The Estate are pre-owned treasures, each carrying the patina and character of their age. Before leaving us, every piece is inspected by our jeweller to confirm that all stones are secure and that catches, clasps, and latches are in good working order.

General Care Principles

Jewellery is the last thing you should put on in the morning and the first thing you should take off at night. Perfume, hairspray, and cosmetics contain chemicals that can dull metals and damage stones — always apply these before dressing.

Remove your jewellery before:

• Sport, exercise, or any vigorous physical activity
• Gardening, cleaning, or household chores
• Washing dishes or doing laundry
• Swimming in pools (chlorine is particularly damaging) or the ocean (salt is abrasive)
• Showering or bathing

Caring for Antique & Vintage Jewellery

Antique and vintage pieces deserve extra consideration. Settings, solder joints, and metalwork from the Victorian, Edwardian, and Art Deco eras were crafted by hand and may be more delicate than modern jewellery. The following guidance will help preserve both their beauty and their integrity.

• Avoid ultrasonic cleaners. The vibrations can loosen stones in older settings, crack fragile gems, and damage enamel or foil-backed stones common in antique pieces.
• Avoid steam cleaners. Sudden heat and pressure can stress aged metalwork and damage heat-sensitive stones such as opals, pearls, and emeralds.
• Handle with care. Filigree, cannetille, and other delicate metalwork can bend or break under pressure. Always hold pieces by their shanks or frames rather than by decorative elements.
• Check settings regularly. Antique claw and collet settings can wear thin over time. If a stone feels loose or you hear a faint rattle, stop wearing the piece and take it to a jeweller promptly.
• Store carefully. Keep antique pieces individually wrapped in acid-free tissue or soft pouches to prevent scratching. Avoid storing them in direct sunlight or in humid environments.

Caring for Porous Stones

Porous stones — including emeralds, opals, pearls, turquoise, coral, and malachite — are particularly sensitive to moisture, chemicals, and heat. They require a gentler approach than harder, non-porous gems such as diamonds or sapphires.

• Never soak porous stones in water. Prolonged exposure can cause swelling, cracking, or colour change. Opals in particular can craze (develop fine surface cracks) if subjected to moisture fluctuations.
• Avoid all chemical cleaners. Household cleaning products, perfume, hairspray, and even hand sanitiser can strip the surface of pearls, dull turquoise, and damage the natural oils that give emeralds their lustre.
• Clean gently. Use a soft, barely damp cloth to wipe porous stones clean. For pearls, wipe with a damp cloth after each wear to remove skin oils and perspiration, then allow to dry completely before storing.
• Avoid heat and direct sunlight. Prolonged exposure can cause opals to lose moisture and craze, fade turquoise, and bleach coral or pearls.
• Re-stringing pearls. Pearl necklaces and bracelets should be re-strung periodically — typically every one to two years depending on wear — to prevent the thread from weakening and breaking.

Cleaning at Home

For most non-porous pieces (diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and similar hard stones set in gold or platinum), a gentle home clean is straightforward:

1. Soak the piece for a few minutes in warm (not hot) water with a small amount of mild dishwashing detergent.
2. Use an extra-soft toothbrush to gently clean around settings and under stones.
3. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.
4. Dry with a lint-free cloth — avoid towels, as the loops can catch on claws.
5. Finish with a gentle polish using a jewellery polishing cloth.

Do not use this method for antique pieces with enamel, foil-backed stones, or any porous gems. When in doubt, a dry polish with a soft cloth is always the safest option.

It is worth investing in a quality jewellery cleaning solution from a reputable jeweller, along with a good polishing cloth for regular maintenance.

Professional Servicing

We recommend taking your pieces to a trusted jeweller at least once a year for a professional clean and inspection. A jeweller can check for worn claws, thinning shanks, and weakened solder joints — issues that are far less costly to address early than after a stone is lost. For antique pieces, seek out a jeweller with experience in period jewellery repair and restoration.

Storage

Store each piece separately to prevent scratching — harder stones such as diamonds can easily scratch softer metals and gems. Use a lined jewellery box, individual soft pouches, or acid-free tissue. Keep jewellery away from direct sunlight, extreme temperatures, and humidity. Silver pieces benefit from anti-tarnish strips or pouches to slow oxidation.

With the right care, your pieces will retain their beauty and integrity for generations to come.