When your favorite pieces become part of your journey, they grow in meaning, embodying the moments and memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime. After all, jewelry isn’t made to be tucked away in a drawer just waiting for the right occasion. It’s made to be worn. Before heading out on your next adventure, our Personal Jewelers shared a few pointers to help ensure your favorite jewelry and watches are ready to go the distance.
Having your jewelry inspected and cleaned will provide some much needed peace of mind when you travel. Over time, gemstones can come loose in their settings or clasps can bend or break. It’s a good idea to discover small issues before they become big problems. Your local Ben Bridge will clean and inspect your jewelry for free and if any repairs are needed, we’ll do the work in-house.
Harder gemstones like diamonds and sapphire can easily scratch softer stones such as turquoise or pearls, so that’s something to keep in mind when organizing your travel case. Our Personal Jewelers recommend using a quality jewelry case and organizing in a way that keeps keeps your pieces from touching or rubbing up against each other.
A soft cloth and mild soap can can be your jewelry’s best friend while you’re away. Exposure to sweat, sunscreen, lotion and beauty products can all cause jewelry to tarnish or damage certain gemstones or precious metals. After a long day of activity in the sun, you can rinse your jewelry thoroughly with warm water and dry with a soft cloth. If a deeper clean is needed, scrub with a soft brush and use your soft cloth to dry your piece.
If you can’t remove your jewelry before jumping in a pool or the ocean, our Personal Jewelers recommend cleaning it as soon as you have time. Pools have chemicals that can impact gold and saltwater has corrosive qualities that can impact gemstones over time. Pearls and other less-hard gemstones like opal should always be removed beforehand.
Luxury watches span a vast spectrum of style and function. While nearly every timepiece will be water resistant, the level of waterproofness will vary. If you’re not sure, check your watch’s manual. Don’t go into the water without making sure your crown is screwed down and snugly in place. If your watch has a leather strap, either avoid wearing your watch in the water or swap out the leather for a silicone strap or stainless steel bracelet.
Drop by your nearest Ben Bridge Jeweler to have your favorite jewelry cleaned and inspected so you can head out on your adventure worry-free. Our watch experts can swap out a battery or strap - or schedule a service with our world-class team of certified in-house watchmakers.