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Amber
Wipe with warm soapy water and pat dry with a soft cloth. Do not
expose the jewel to intense heat as this may cause it to melt. Avoid
using stiff brushes, commercial clensers or chemicals. Do not soak
amber in harsh cleaning agents or hot water.
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Gold
Warm, soapy water or alcohol can help to dissolve stubborn traces of
dirt. Do not use ammonia as it can darken soldered joints. On the
other hand, mercury will wash out all the colour of gold, so keep all
gold well away from ammonia and mercury.
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Emerald
clean with a velvety cloth, warm water or soft brush. Most pure
emeralds have inclusions that make them brittle, so you may consider
having them re-oiled every few years. Do not use an ultrasonic cleaner
or steamer, as they can damage the make-up of these delicate gems.
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Opal
Do not soak, bleach or wet doublets and triplets with chemicals.
Instead, clean them with a moist, soft cloth.
Store the accessories in a padded bag to minimise exposure to changing
temperatures.
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Pearl
Wipe with a soft, dry cloth or chamois leather. If they must be
washed, rinse, pat dry and lay them on soft cloth to drain off all
moisture.
Avoid contact with perfume, hair spray, alcohol and heat.
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Platinum
Use alcohol and a soft toothbrush to remove dirt. Do not use
iodine or Mercurochrome, as these tend to leave stains.
Extracted from The
Straits Times, Classified Ads
Written by Linda Lee |
