by Bee Lindquist
Coco Chanel by http://www.xdcr.com/
We all have our favorite bobbles we like to wear over and over. Maybe it’s your grandmother’s cameo brooch or a chunky necklace you bought on your last trip to Greece, heck it may be the funky earrings you found at the swap meet. The only problem is the more you wear them the more they look worn. The gold or gold tone begins to look dull and the beads look bland.
The next thing you know you have retired the piece to the back of your jewelry box and you forget all about it.
Here are some suggestions to keep you from forsaking your bling.
Immediately after wearing wipe down with a soft cloth. This removes any dead skin, dust and grime from the days wear. Next put the beloved piece in a plastic sandwich bag and seal it shut. That way it will be fresh for the next wearing. If the piece is already banished to the Siberia of your drawer, pull it out and refresh it.
Mix a solution of 1 tablespoon white vinegar and 2 cups of water. Dip a soft cloth in the water and move all around the piece making sure to go over stones and metal pieces thoroughly. Take a wooden toothpick dipped in the solution and go into crevices to remove lodge grime. Once you have gone over the entire piece with the solution take a clean cool, avoid hot or warm water as it may dissolve older glues, and wipe the piece again then finish with a soft cloth. You will be amazed at how beautiful your bobble will be.
As you are cleaning check for loose stones and sprung prongs. These are simple fixes with a little jeweler’s glue and some needle nose pliers. Tighten any clasp and reattach chains using soft pressure to the metal. A cotton pad around the piece will protect it from denting.
Here are some suggestions to keep you from forsaking your bling.
Immediately after wearing wipe down with a soft cloth. This removes any dead skin, dust and grime from the days wear. Next put the beloved piece in a plastic sandwich bag and seal it shut. That way it will be fresh for the next wearing. If the piece is already banished to the Siberia of your drawer, pull it out and refresh it.
Mix a solution of 1 tablespoon white vinegar and 2 cups of water. Dip a soft cloth in the water and move all around the piece making sure to go over stones and metal pieces thoroughly. Take a wooden toothpick dipped in the solution and go into crevices to remove lodge grime. Once you have gone over the entire piece with the solution take a clean cool, avoid hot or warm water as it may dissolve older glues, and wipe the piece again then finish with a soft cloth. You will be amazed at how beautiful your bobble will be.
As you are cleaning check for loose stones and sprung prongs. These are simple fixes with a little jeweler’s glue and some needle nose pliers. Tighten any clasp and reattach chains using soft pressure to the metal. A cotton pad around the piece will protect it from denting.
When dealing with precious and semi-precious stones and settings always defer to your jeweler’s recommendations. When you can’t wait for your jeweler to clean your good pieces a quick soak in 1 part sudsy ammonia to 3 parts water will take the grime off, rinse in cool water and finish off with a quick polish from a soft cloth.
Silver will stay polished and non-tarnished by storing in a zip lock bag. Wrap silver in silk or rayon fabric and place in plastic zip-lock bag. Make sure to squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible. When you are ready to wear take out of the bag gently rub it with silk and wear.
The Beauty Studio has an array of gorgeous jewelry and fun and fashionable accessories that you can make your new favorite. By taking just a little bit of time you can add years of pleasure to your favorite pieces and keep you looking like a million bucks.
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