Jewellery needs some care though it is made from some of the world's finest substances, gemstones and precious metals. By following a few easy guidelines will definately make the shine on your jewellery lasts for years.

Always remember to keep your jewellery clean from lotions, powders and soaps. Natural skin oils can build up on your jewellery therefore reducing brilliance of the gems. Rings tend to collect dust and soap behind the stone, particularly if you wear them all the time. To clean transparent crystalline gemstones, soak them in water with a tinch of gentle soap or ammonia. If necessary, use a soft toothbrush to scrub behind the stone. After brushing, rinse with lukewarm water and allow them to dry. Grease can be removed from plain karat gold jewellery by dipping it into ordinary rubbing alcohol. Rubbing with a soft chamois cloth is an effective way to keep gold jewellery shining.

Always store your jewellery in a clean, dry place. A fabric-lined jewellery box with compartmets and dividers is perfect. However, if you prefer to use an ordinary box, wrap each piece individually in soft tissue paper. Store each piece of gemstone jewellery seperately so that harder stones do not scratch softer ones. Almost every gemstone is much harder than the metal it is set in. Gems can scratch the finish on your gold, silver or platinum if you throw your jewellery in a heap in a drawer or jewellery box.

Do not use chlorine to immerse your jewellery. It is a good idea to remove jewellery before entering a chlorinated pool or hot tub or putting your hands into water with bleach. Chlorine, especially at high temperatures, can permanently damage or discolour your gold jewellery.

There are many types of small machines on the market that will clean jewellery using high-frequency sound. These ultrasonic cleaners can be a convenient way to quickly clean your jewellery at home. However, ultrasonic cleaners can damage some jewelry, particularly pieces set with pearls or coloured gemstones.

Even the hardest gemstones can be vulnerable to breakage if they have inclusions that weaken the crystal structure. Always remember to remove your jewellery during strenuous work or exercise. Diamonds are the hardest substance on earth but they can shatter in two with a single well-placed blow. Rubies and sapphires are the toughest gems but even they can chip if hit sharply. Take particular care if you have a ring set with a gem variety with a hardness less than 7 or an included stone. Treat each piece of fine jewellery you own with respect and you will enjoy it forever.

To clean cultured pearls, apply cosmetics, hair sprays and perfume before putting on any pearl jewellery. When you remove the pearl jewellery, wipe it carefully with a soft cloth to remove trances of these substances. You can also use mild soap and water to wash your pearl jewellery. Do not clean cultured pearls with any chemicals, abrasives or solvents. These substances can damage your pearls. Do not toss your cultured pearl jewellery into a purse, bag or jewel box. A pearl's surface is soft and can be scratched by hard metal edges or by the harder gemstones of other jewellery pieces. Place cultured pearls in a chamois bag or wrap them in tissue when putting them away.

To clean your sterling silver jewellery, use a mild soap and water solution and allow the water to bead up before patting dry with a soft cloth. For more stubborn dirt, use a jewellery cleaner designed for silver use. Take not that if you do use silver cleaner, make sure you keep it away from any gems set in the silver. Store your silver jewellery in a cool, dry place preferably in a tarnish-preventive bag or wrapped in a soft piece of felt or cloth. Store pieces individually so that they don't knock together and scratch. Do not rub silver with anything other than a polishing cloth or a fine piece of felt. Tissue paper or paper towels can cause scratches because of the fibers in these products. Make sure your silver is not exposed to air and light during storage: this can cause silver to tarnish. Do not wear sterling silver in chlorinated water or when working with domestic cleaners.

Due to the softer nature of opals, it require special care. Never user an ultrasonic cleaner, amonia and avoid heat and strong light that will dry out the water in the opals. Opal rings should not be worn during strenuous work or exercise. They will chip if accidentally hit with a sharp blow. Organic gems like coral and amber should only be wiped clean with a moist cloth. Due to their organic nature, these gems are both soft and porous. Be careful about chemicals in hairspray, cosmetics, or perfume: they can damage organic gems. Opaque gemstones like lapis lazuli, turquoise, and malachite, require special care. Never use an ultrasonic cleaner, ammonia or any chemical solution. These gem materials should just be wiped clean gently with a moist cloth. These gemstones can be porous and may absorb chemicals, even soap as they may build up inside the stone and discolour it.

These gemstones are essentially rocks, not crystals of a single mineral. Think about it: when you put a rock in water, it absorbs the water and is moist all the way through. A single crystal gem like sapphire will not absorb water: all the molecules are lined up so tightly in the crystal that there is no room for water to enter.