Statement jewellery can put the finishing touch to an outfit – whether it’s a cut-glass brooch or a string of chunky beads. But if you don’t take care of it, it can make even the smartest clothing look tatty and unpolished. And unlike fine jewellery, it is very difficult to repair costume jewellery. So it makes good sense to take care of it.
Why is it so hard to fix costume jewellery?
The reason it is hard to mend costume jewellery is because the materials used don’t lend themselves to soldering. You may be able to extend the life of some pieces with a quick repair using wire or glue, but don’t expect to be able to put a post back on a costume jewellery earring. And replacing a missing stone will be difficult. If you have any broken pieces that you can’t repurpose and don’t want to keep for sentiment’s sake, now is as good a time as any to dispose of them.
Are you sure it’s costume jewellery?
The first step in sorting out your costume jewellery collection should be to pull out all your gold and silver items. So-called ‘fine jewellery’ is best stored separately and securely apart from your costume jewellery. If they are really valuable you might find it safer to store them at the bank, rather than in your home. Your storage insurance is unlikely to cover items of jewellery or watches worth more than £500.
Keep silver jewellery away from items made from other materials as interaction between metals can make it tarnish more rapidly.
If you’re in doubt about the nature of a piece of jewellery, you can always pop into a jeweller’s shop and ask. You may find you’ve been sitting on a fortune! And here are some tips to identify real gold from Bullion By Post.
Store your fashion jewellery clean and dry
Moisture and dirt from you skin can cause changes in the surface of metals that will discolour your jewellery. So be sure to clean and dry your items carefully before storing. Many pieces can be safely washed in lukewarm water with a little washing-up liquid using a toothbrush to remove dirt. Then dry them on a microfibre cloth.
Keep costume jewellery out of direct sunlight
It can be helpful to keep your everyday jewellery out so that you can easily see what you have. And there are plenty of pretty and stylish ideas for displaying it. But dyed stones and some plastics (for example) can fade in direct sunlight. And displayed jewellery gathers dust, too, which makes cleaning your home more fiddly. So if you can shut your costume jewellery away when you aren’t selecting the best piece for your outfit, do so.
Keep jewellery pieces separate
There are many pretty jewellery boxes available in which to store your personal adornments. Soft fabric pouches will help you to keep jewellery pieces apart and organised in a larger container. Or boxes with small compartments are good for earrings.
A stable environment for costume jewellery
Metal tarnishes faster in high humidity and in high temperatures. So a climate-controlled storage facility has some advantages over your home when it comes to a collection of costume jewellery.
Rotate your jewellery collection
A large jewellery collection can feel overwhelming, and you may end up wearing the same few necklaces and rings over and over again because you can’t face choosing from the entire selection. It can help to split the collection up and take part of it out of rotation – for example by putting it into your storage unit. Then, after a few months, swap and bring the stored items out so you can enjoy them again.
Should I insure my costume jewellery?
Some high-end costume jewellery can be as expensive as gold and silver jewellery. You should definitely include it in your home contents valuation. If you keep your collection of costume jewellery in your storage unit, be sure to include it in the inventory. Insurance will be a condition of your storage agreement, but you don’t have to take your storage company’s offering. Get a quick quote from us to see if we can give you a better deal on insuring your stored costume jewellery.
Follow these tips to ensure your costume jewellery continues to bring sparkle to your life for years to come.
