How to Preserve the Timeless Beauty of Your Necklace

A woman's jewelry necklace represents feminine beauty and mystique. Its timeless appeal has held the attention of both women, and men, for ages. From Greek mythology to the French Revolution, the necklace has played a major role in cultures worldwide.

Preserving the timeless beauty of your jewelry necklace can only be achieved with special care and storage. Specific care of your necklace also varies, depending on its style and the material used to create your piece of artistic expression.

Step One

Necklaces made of gold may require less work to maintain its appearance than other metals such as silver. The beauty of gold is that it does not tarnish or discolor. However, it can be affected by the daily wear of life, such as perspiration, soap, make-up and hand creams. Also, harsh chemicals such as chlorine can cause permanent damage to gold's luster so never wear your gold necklace (or any other type of gold jewelry) in a swimming pool or Jacuzzi. When not being worn, gold jewelry should be stored in it original box or a soft cloth bag away from other jewelry. One of the worst things you can do for any type of necklace is storing it with other necklaces where they can become a scratched and tangled mess. Gold jewelry may be cleaned with a mild soap and dried with a soft cloth.

Step Two

Sterling silver is a popular metal for endless styles of necklaces. The body's oils can help to slow the tarnishing process. So to keep tarnish to a minimum, wear your sterling silver jewelry often. When it comes to cleaning, use a soft cotton cloth or a sterling silver cleaning cloth to gently rub away any makeup or dirt. Sterling silver can scratch easily so avoid rubbing it too briskly. Light dirt can be removed from your jewelry necklace using a mild detergent and warm water. After rinsing and drying, sterling silver necklaces should be stored in an air-tight zip lock bag. Heavily tarnished sterling silver necklaces should be taken to a reputable jeweler for proper cleaning.

Step Three

There's nothing more lovely than the look of a pearl jewelry necklace draped around the neck of a beautiful woman. Audrey Hepburn made the look of pearls the go-to style, even for today. Pearls are soft and delicate, which means they require special care and cleaning to ensure a long life of luster and beauty. Cultured pearls even are still considered fragile and can be damaged. Pearl jewelry necklaces should be cleaned by wiping them with a soft damp cloth on a regular basis. In fact, anytime you wear your pearl necklace, they should be wiped off before being returned to storage. After washing them with a gentle soap, leave them to dry on a cloth. Avoid harsh chemicals and ultrasonic gem cleaners for pearl cleaning.

Step Four

If you're fortunate enough to own a diamond necklace or a jewelry necklace with a diamond pendant, you know how beautiful you feel wearing it. Keep its brilliance lasting with a gentle cleanser and pat dry with a lint-free cloth. Avoid wearing necklaces with diamonds while doing strenuous work such as exercise, housework or gardening. Diamonds should not come in contact with chlorine bleach. Storing diamond jewelry with other jewelry pieces can cause scratching. It should be stored in a fabric-lined case when not being worn.

Step Five

Sometimes jewelry necklaces develop tangles or knots. While the first reaction is often frustration, pulling and tugging on your necklace may only make the problem worse or cause it to break. Instead, lay your necklace on a hard surface and spread it out to get a good look at the knot. A pin is a handy tool to try to loosen the knot. Once it begins to open, it will become easier to straighten the strands. For really tight knots, it's a better idea to see your local jeweler rather than risking breakage. Again, prevention is the best policy, so make sure to store all of your jewelry necklaces neatly.