Precious jewelry needs special care, especially fine jewelry, including necklaces, rings, earrings, wedding bands and bracelets. Whether you wear your jewelry every day or just for special occasions, you’ll both look your best when you get the care you need. All jewelry can tarnish and wear over time, even precious jewelry, so it’s important to clean your pieces regularly to ensure they remain truly timeless.
At DeVons Jewelers, jewelry cleaning is always free and entirely complimentary. Maintaining your jewelry can help it last beyond your lifetime so it can be passed down to your family. Although you can try to clean it at home, that can be messy, tedious and even potentially damaging if the wrong material or technique is used. With that in mind, here are the top reasons to trust your jewelry, shared by DeVons professionals.
How Much Does It Cost to Get Jewelry Cleaned?
The cost of professional jewelry cleaning varies by retailer. Some jewelers include cleaning as a complimentary service, while others may charge depending on the condition of the piece.
At DeVons Jewelers, professional jewelry cleaning is complimentary for all fine jewelry in good condition, whether it was bought at a DeVons store or somewhere else. If our team notices loose stones, worn prongs or other structural concerns, we may recommend repair before cleaning to prevent further damage. Repairs, if needed, may involve an additional cost.
Keep Your Jewelry Looking Timeless
Few things are as stunning as an elegant piece of jewelry. Regular professional cleanings will keep your jewelry radiant and looking brand-new throughout its lifespan. Since life gets busy, it’s best to schedule regular cleanings at DeVons every six months. For pieces that you wear every day and are susceptible to more wear and tear, you are welcome to bring them in as often as you like!
How Often Should You Clean and Inspect Jewelry?
While at-home care helps maintain shine, professional cleaning ensures a deeper clean and a thorough inspection of your setting and stones.
A DeVons jewelry specialist shared their insight:
“We recommend having frequently worn pieces professionally cleaned about every six months. The most common issues we see are loose stones or worn prongs that customers didn’t notice at home. Cleaning restores brilliance, but inspection is what truly protects your jewelry.”
As a general guide, follow this cleaning and inspection schedule:
| Frequency | Recommended Care | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Daily | DIY wipe with a soft, lint free cloth | Daily-wear rings and bracelets |
| Weekly | DIY with gentle warm water and mild dish soap soak | Engagement rings and frequently worn pieces |
| Every 6 Months | Professional cleaning and inspection | All fine jewelry |
| Annually | Professional comprehensive inspection and prong check | Heirloom or high-value pieces |
If you frequently use lotions, cook while wearing rings or exercise with jewelry on, more frequent professional cleaning than 6 months is recommended to achieve similar results.
3 Benefits from Professional Cleaning
1. Prevent Damage or Loss Ahead of Time
When you bring in your items, the professional jewelry cleaner will use a jeweler’s loupe, a more precise magnifying glass, to carefully inspect your necklace, ring, earrings or bracelet, allowing them to spot any potential problems within the piece before a gem is lost or any damage occurs. Even if you regularly inspect your jewelry at home, you might not notice a loose stone until it’s too late. A professional will know exactly what to look for when handling your precious jewelry.
2. Gently Remove Surface Issues
Jewelers will give your piece a light polishing to remove surface scratches they spot with the jeweler’s loupe. The polishing can also remove any oxidation that may have occurred, something that can be difficult to manage with a home cleaning. It’s best done with special tools that will avoid damaging the piece.
3. Safely Deep-Clean your Precious Jewelry
DIY at home deep clean might be a good option for your daily wear pieces, but it could damage a precious metal or stone if you use the wrong type of care. A professional at an accredited jewelry store will carefully clean your jewelry with a heated soak, using a special degreasing detergent that is fully safe for jewelry and gemstones.
Depending on the material and condition of the piece, professional cleaning may also include ultrasonic cleaning for durable stones such as diamonds, steam cleaning to remove remaining residue and buildup, and light polishing to restore brilliance to the metal.
Some precious stones won’t tolerate agitation, so those pieces are better off sitting in a still bath. Diamonds, for example, will accept an ultrasonic bath that will fully remove dirt and grime. Some stones also won’t take extreme heat. Depending on what’s appropriate, a pressurized steam bath may be used to finalize the cleaning.
Ultrasonic cleaning is not suitable for all gemstones. Softer or more delicate stones, such as pearls, opals, turquoise or heavily included stones, require gentler methods. Professional evaluation ensures that the safest and most effective deep-cleaning technique is used for each individual piece.
Do Gentle In-Between Home Cleanings
In between professional cleanings, we recommend using a gentle dish soap and warm water solution to remove surface-level dirt and grime buildup. Simply let your jewelry soak in the solution for a few minutes, then use a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently scrub the piece all over. A soft-bristled toothbrush is key — you want to avoid using anything that is too hard and could scratch the stones.
This method is not a replacement for professional cleaning but rather a supplement to it. You want to avoid harsher products than gentle dish soap. For example, many believe that toothpaste is a great at-home cleaning product for jewelry. However, something like toothpaste is incredibly abrasive. While it might remove tarnish, it also can damage and scratch your precious stones.
Jewelry Cleaning Do’s and Don’ts
Proper at-home care can help maintain your jewelry between professional cleanings. However, certain common methods can cause unintended damage.
Do:
- Use mild dish soap and warm water for light cleaning.
- Use a soft-bristled toothbrush.
- Rinse thoroughly and dry with a lint-free cloth.
Don’t:
- Use toothpaste or baking soda, which are abrasive and can scratch metal and gemstones.
- Use harsh chemical cleaners.
- Attempt ultrasonic cleaning on delicate stones.
- Ignore loose stones or visible wear.
“We often see scratches caused by abrasive products people assumed were safe,” notes our jewelry care specialist. “When in doubt, professional cleaning is the safest option.”
Let Us Care for Your Precious Jewelry
Bring your fine jewelry to your nearby DeVons for our expert care and customer service. We’ll ensure that your pieces never lose their magnificence and sparkle. Keep your diamonds and pearls looking brand-new with regular cleaning visits. And, while you’re here, find the next piece to capture your heart. Visit our locations page to find a store near you!