Aside from your home and car, your jewelry is likely the most expensive thing you own. The value of something considered “expensive” is subjective so the jewelry may possess a monetary value or a sentimental value to be considered expensive to the beholder.
While many people go to great measures to care for their homes and cars, they don’t always devote the same attention to their jewelry. Preserving your precious jewelry is not difficult; it just requires forethought and planning.
Here are some tips for taking care of expensive jewelry:
(1) Wear – Generally speaking, you should not wear your jewelry when you are cleaning the bathroom, painting the house, lifting weights, or washing the car. Stones can be lost, metal can be bent, and scratches can happen. Expensive jewelry is not designed or intended for all-purpose wear.
Wear your treasured jewelry pieces when you are less active or not active at all; when dressing up for a night out, going to a movie, or any other special occasion.
In everyday instances, invest in a few pieces that are not expensive and easily replaceable to wear in active situations.
(2) Clean – Pay attention to the cleaning instructions for the materials your jewelry contains. There are specifically packaged jewelry cleaners that may work, and soap and water can work also depending on the components.
Whenever possible, you should take your jewelry to a professional jeweler. The jeweler’s machinery and processes are superior to any product or how-to tips you can read on the internet.
(3) Store – Storing jewelry is a difficult dilemma for many. Generally speaking, antique jewelry and other rare collections belong in a safe deposit box.
Traditionally, these boxes are held under lock and key at the bank. If home burglary and theft are concerns, this is a good plan. However, extra planning is required when you want to wear your jewelry. You must make a trip to the bank during banking hours to retrieve them.
A possible alternative is to buy a safe deposit box and keep it somewhere in your home. You are slightly more vulnerable to theft, but you can access and wear the pieces on a whim and at your convenience.
Let us assume you prefer to keep your jewels in a jewelry box. Be diligent about keeping it orderly and neat so that necklaces do not end up knotted and wrapped around bracelets. Proper storage helps you to keep track of everything and not lose pieces.
(4) Insure – You should consider itemizing expensive pieces on your homeowner’s (or renter’s) insurance policy. In the event of a catastrophe, you would have some protection for the monetary value of the jewels.
While we are on the unpopular issue of catastrophes, you should also consider itemizing your jewelry pieces in your will. No one likes to think about their demise, but you can be assured that after the mourning is over, family members will be trying to figure out how to disseminate your precious jewels. Inevitably, that can lead to hurt feelings and grievances. By preparing in advance, you can eliminate some of the infighting and hurt feelings by making your wishes crystal clear and documented for all to read.
