You've spent a fortune on that piece of prized rock. Now proper care and maintenance will keep your treasured bauble lustrous and sparkling. As jewellery is worn next to the skin, it becomes lodged with oily debris, dust and grime. Read on for jewellers' advice on how to clean and store your jewellery.

Gemstones Care

1. Hard Stones
Diamonds and other hard stones such as sapphires, rubies, topazes and garnets are very tough gemstones and highly resistant to damage. However, you should take care to avoid rubbing two hard stones together as they can scratch each other.

Because lotions and powders can leave a film on the precious stones over time, leaving their surfaces dull, periodic cleaning will restore their lustre: Soak your gemstones in a bowl of warm water and mild home liquid detergent. For emeralds especially, it is advisable to use warm rather than hot water because they are sensitive to high temperatures and rapid temperature change.

Next, use a toothbrush to gently brush your stones while they are in the suds. Rinse under running water then pat dry with a lint-free cloth before you return them to the jewellery box.

2. Pearls
Pearls are organic gemstones derived from living oysters and other bi-valve molluscs. Real pearls - natural or cultured - are fragile and the nacre is prone to damage, so avoid using harsh detergents or abrasive cloths when cleaning.

The best place to store your pearls is in a compartmentalized jewelry box, isolated from your other jewellery as the harder stones can wear away the nacre coating. Have your pearl necklaces re-strung every couple of years to ensure that the silk cord is holding your pearls together securely.

Precious Metals Care

2. Gold
Most gold jewellery can be cleaned in warm soapy water using a toothbrush. High carat alloys (18 carat and above) are usually resistant to tarnishes. Lower carat golds, however, can be harmed by contact with chlorine bleach and cleaning chemicals, so it is best to avoid contact with bleach when you are wearing your gold. And remember, take off your gold pieces when taking a dip in the chlorinated pool.

3. Silver
For basic cleaning, washing with mild dishwashing liquid diluted with water will do the trick. Follow with rinsing and thoroughly dry your silver jewellery with a soft cloth.

Tarnish is, unfortunately, a common nuisance associated with silver due to oxidation reactions with the oxygen in the air or acids from skin. Remove tarnishes once in a while, either using a silver cleaning solution or buffing with a silver polish cloth. Keeping your silver jewellery in ziplock bags when not in use can also help prevent tarnishes.

4. Platinum
Platinum is highly resistant to tarnishing so periodic cleaning with warm soapy water will suffice.