Recently Tagged with "tips,"

A previous post with this title looked promising but veered away from giving us chances to share tips in cleaning/care of jewelry/gemstones. So, let's each contribute a 'trade secret' about something good AND things to avoid.

We'll start the ball rolling with a mention about Precious Opals and Pearls.

The best saying we've seen is - 'Your opal/pearl jewelry should be the last thing you put on before going out the door, and the first thing you take off when you return home.'

Opals and pearls should NOT be exposed to hairspray, perfumes, cosmetics, lotions, soaps. Ladies, do your makeup and hair before putting on your opal/pearl earrings, necklace, bracelet or rings.

Truthfully, no gemstone or its mounting benefits from unnecessary exposure to chemicals, sprays or detergents. Your gemstone may not be damaged by the spray, buy hairspray or perfume will coat the gem's surface and make it need to be cleaned more often to regain its sparkling beauty.

NEVER - Never put opals or pearls in an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. And we never use any jewelry cleaning solution on our opals or pearls. Never use a brush, toothbrush or whatever to 'scrub' your opals/pearls - you will damage the surface, the shiny polish or possibly remove/reduce the beautiful colors and shine that attracted you. And, don't try to polish an opal that you have scratched. Take it to a professional who is experienced and equipped with the proper tools and polishes that are needed.

We recomend using a drop of liquid soap and water between your fingertips to lightly remove any soiling on the surface of the opal/pearl and its jewelry mounting. More fresh water should be used to flush away any remaining soap film. Blot the jewelry with a soft clean towel and let it air dry.

We include a CD (at N/C) with each item we ship. It has photos of our current inventory, buying guides and will include a guide on the care and cleaning of opals. You may want to send a sheet of paper with your sold item, giving care information, telling about current/future items of interest to the customer, etc. The cost is low. The chance to establish customer loyalty and repeat sales is high!

Paul