• Store jewelry separately so it doesn't scratch other jewelry.
• When doing household tasks such as gardening and cleaning, be certain to remove rings.
• Put your jewelry on after washing and applying any makeup/hair spray.
• Never wear jewelry while swimming in a swimming pool. The chlorine can cause damage to various gemstones and gold. Gemstones may become loose in their settings (and possibly fall out).
• Avoid storing your jewelry next to a heating vent, window sill or on a car dashboard.
• Store jewelry away from sunlight as the sun may fade the gemstones.
• Always store bead necklaces (such as lapis, pearls, etc) flat as silk stretches over time.

Hardness is based on a gem-trade standard called the Mohs scale. The higher the Mohs scale number, the harder the stone is. The highest Mohs scale rating is 10 (diamonds). Anything with a Mohs scale rating of less than 7 is easily scratched (such as coral, lapis lazuli, opal, pearl, and turquoise). Gold, silver, and platinum are only Mohs 2-1/2 to 4. Always carefully store any fine jewelry.

Be certain that stones mounted in rings are not loose or rattle. The prongs of a ring can and do wear down. If the prongs wear down too much or break, you've lost the stone. Prongs are easily "retipped" by most jewelers to keep the stone secure.

Common stones that are damaged in sunlight (there may be more):

• Amethyst: becomes paler
• Ametrine: may change color
• Apatite: pink variety fades
•  Aquamarine: becomes paler
• Aventurine: translucent types often lose color
• Beryl: brown or orange types may change to pale pink
• Celestite: fades in direct sunlight
• Chrysoprase: becomes paler
• Citrine: may change color
• Fluorite: green and purple types change color
• Kunzite: becomes pale or loses color
• Rose Quartz: becomes paler
• Smokey Quartz: becomes paler

Sterling silver will polish up by rubbing or buffing it with a soft cotton cloth or a Sunshine Cloth. If you store silver in plastic bags with an interlocking seal, it will be less prone to tarnish. (Do not store pearls in plastic bags)

Jewelry and gemstones tend to loose their ability to reflect light when they get dirty. The easiest way to clean your jewelry is to bring it in and have the professionals at jour local jeweler clean them for you.

If you clean your jewelry yourself, try some warm, soapy water and a toothbrush; make sure to dry.

Take all jewelry off before strenuous work or exercise. Make sure to put your perfume, moisturizers, and hairspray on before you put on your jewelry; these products can damage pearls, in particular.

Clean your pearls with a moist cloth.

Do not wear your jewelry in a hot tub or pool; chlorine eats away at gold.

Do not store your jewelry all together. The harder stones may scratch the softer ones.