There’s nothing quite like unwrapping a new special piece of jewellery on Christmas morning, from gleaming stocking fillers to future heirlooms a bit of extra sparkle is always welcome. But what can you do when diamonds or gemstones start to dull? If you’ve received something sparkly this Christmas, or have recently gotten engaged, jeweller Natasha Sherling has shared her advice on cleaning and caring for jewellery at home.

Soap is a major culprit for getting stuck in jewellery, dulling its shine – and as we all up the hand-washing ante in the winter, here are a few quick and easy tips to keep your fine jewels sparkling. Even if we are washing our hands regularly, rings can hold a lot of bacteria and so need to be cleaned individually.

Costume jewellery is unfortunately a lot trickier to clean – the best advice in that instance would be to take it off while cleaning hands as soap, water and the chemicals in antibacterial solutions will tarnish and dull non-precious metal. Hand sanitiser will damage costume jewellery but is fine for most precious jewellery – apart from pearls and opals which should be removed beforehand. 

Step 1

First and foremost, as far as we’re concerned, gin is for drinking – so ignore the old wives’ tales about using spirits as a cleaning agent and instead reach for a humble bottle of fairy liquid to clean your engagement ring and other fine jewellery. Grab a toothbrush, a bowl of warm water and a soft cloth, and you’re ready to begin.

Step 2

Over your bowl of warm water (if you must use the sink, make sure the drain is plugged!) pop some detergent on a toothbrush and start scrubbing – it really is the best tool for removing surface residue and fits really well between prongs. For really hard-to-reach areas, inter-dental brushes (available from most pharmacies) work brilliantly.

Step 3

Rinse well then dry with a soft cloth – and you’re done! Do this as often as you like with fine jewellery – but for a really deep clean (and a check on clasps, prongs and anything else) drop in to your local jewellery shop and they’ll no doubt get it sorted out in no time at all.

Step 4

When jewellery is not in use be sure to store it properly either in the box it came in or in a secure jewellery box. Soft, lined boxes (often in velvet) with different levels, compartments and dividers are a practical option to house multiple pieces whether necklaces, earrings, rings or bracelets.

www.natashasherling.ie @natashasherlingfinejewellery