Storing your Jewelry

Household items are great for storing jewelry. Old jewelry boxes, pouches, old purses, cloth diapers or even rolled-up felt can work well for keeping jewelry secure.

1. Some jewelry boxes can harm your pieces by not having adequate dividers to keep jewelry from rolling, grinding or bumping into each other, so remember to always separate your jewelry when you store it.

Note: The jewelry industry has developed jewelry holders, pouches, professional leather portfolios and clutches which are portable and flexible for traveling (available at major department stores) and can vary in price anywhere from $10 to $50.

2. When jewelry is not worn, it may tarnish over time. Silver jewelry may “gray,” or blacken, while gold does not tarnish, though the alloys in gold do and give gold pieces a reddish-brown color. To maintain the original luster when storing, place silver anti-tarnish strips wherever you store your jewelry, which will create an environment that will absorb oxidants that discolor and tarnish jewelry.
3. 3) If you live in a climate that is moist or salty and plan on storing your item for a long period of time, be aware that your piece might begin to corrode. To avoid this make sure your items are dry and clean, secure them with appropriate separators along with some anti-tarnish strips and put the wrapped items in an air-tight container like a plastic bag.
4. If you plan to store watches, especially manual or automatic types, wind the watch every two weeks to avoid the oils drying up or attracting dirt and moisture.
5. Chains can easily become tangled when not in use. To prevent your unworn chains from tangling, fasten the ends together and hang on a tie rack, chain tree or self-made hanger.

Note: This storage method will also prevent your chains from stretching, bending or developing kinks.

6. Always store your jewelry face up. Bracelets, chains, and necklaces can develop bends or kinks if they are not properly positioned. Earring posts or clips can bend and rings can wear if they are not secured to a display or insert. Jewelry presentation boxes work well for this, as they are made to store items for long term.
7. Add a drop of glycerin or baby oil to delicate, fine jewelry. This procedure will help keep moisture in the gemstone and the metal lubricated, preventing dust, dirt or tarnish from getting into working parts, joints and clasps.
8. Handle your jewelry using cotton gloves after they are prepped for storage. You don't want to transfer any natural oils to the pieces, which can cause tarnishing and can be difficult to remove if left for a long time.
9. Jewelry can become marked, dented or scratched by coming into contact with anything harder than the metal used. As a soft metal, sterling silver wears very quickly when worn daily. Most silver today has a protective polish applied over during manufacturing, however, this, too, can wear off over time. Hint: When polishing your silver jewelry, keep in mind that the best cleaning method is to apply the polish delicately and dab your piece completely dry. Otherwise, you may wear off the protective overcoat prematurely.

Something to consider —
Keep an accurate inventory of your jewelry with your important documents, such as a photograph and written physical description, or jewelry appraisal (which is ideal), that details every piece and its purchase price or value. Most insurance companies will expedite a claim much faster when accurate records are submitted to them. Should you want to replace your item, a jeweler can reproduce the lost item from a photograph far easier than from a description.