1126 Riverside Dr, Macon, GA 31201   |   Phone: 478-745-0837

Jewelry Care

Jewelry Care

Bashinski Fine Gems and Jewelry encourages you to bring your jewelry in to be cleaned and inspected every six months. In addition, we are honored to give the finishing touches to your beautiful pieces for special events, holidays, or even that perfect manicure. For those times when you are unable to bring your pieces to us, we have the following suggestions. As always, please click our chat or call us at 478-745-0837 with any questions or concerns.

Storing Your Jewelry

  • Remove rings before performing household chores, going to the gym, swimming, and gardening. 
  • Jewelry should be stored separated from each other to avoid scratches and damage. It is best to store your jewelry in a jewelry box or in individual cases/pouches. 
  • Store necklaces, chains and bracelets flat to avoid kinks and knots.
  • Always store bead jewelry and pearls flat and in a soft pouch. Avoid storing pearls in plastic bags, as the lack of moisture will cause the pearl to dry out and decay.
  • Store jewelry away from sunlight, as light and heat may have adverse effects on certain gemstones, causing them to fade or even crack. 
  • Never throw your jewelry in your handbag or parcel.
  • Never leave jewelry on the edge of a sink – they can very easily slip down the drain.
  • Do not sleep in your jewelry.
  • When traveling, protect your pieces from scratches and impact damage by using a jewelry travel pouch with padding.

Cleaning Your Jewelry

  • Clean your jewelry and colored gems with warm water, a soft brush, and use only a mild soap (no detergents). Clean ear wires in rubbing alcohol.
  • A water pick or toothpick may be used to clean the hard to reach places 
  • Pearls require special care. After each wearing, gently wipe them with a soft cloth to remove body oils and perfume.
  • Use only a polishing cloth or fine piece of felt on precious metal to prevent scratching from fibers.
  • Avoid wearing jewelry when spraying hair spray, perfume, and when coloring your hair
  • Consider using an ultrasonic cleaner, but first, consult your trusted jeweler about your gemstone cleaning.

Special Considerations

  • Ultrasonic Cleaners and Commercial Cleaning Solutions
    • Bashinski Fine Gems and Jewelry is happy to provide for all of your jewelry care needs. Should you purchase an ultrasonic cleaner or commercial cleaning solution for at-home use, we invite you to stop in and learn about the appropriate use of the cleaner and its solutions.
    • An ultrasonic cleaner should never be used on organic materials such as amber, bone, coral, horn, ivory and pearls. Opals and Turquoise should also not be put in an ultrasonic.
  • Grease and Chemicals
    • Should your jewelry become exposed to grease or chemicals, rather than attempting to clean them yourself, we encourage you to bring your pieces to us at the earliest possible opportunity and allow the professional jewelers at Bashinski Fine Gems and Jewelry to evaluate how best to care for them.
  • Deep Cleaning
    • Caring for jewelry that has been worn extensively without cleaning can become a delicate matter. The team at Bashinski Fine Gems and Jewelry is trained to ensure that your precious gemstones and metals are well cared for during a deep clean process.