Some tips on how to clean your jewelry

Your fine & precious jewelry can easily become dull & dirty & it is important to take proper care to keep them sparkling & shiny.

Wrong methods of cleaning can cause damage to your jewelry items, so in this article we will look at some points on how to properly clean them to keep them shining all the time.

1. At the time of cleaning or showering it is important to take the jewelry off as a film could form on it & gradually it will attract dust, dirt & other contaminants.
2. Using a snub free 100% cotton cloth is advisable for cleaning the jewelry.
3. Many commercial cleaners are nowadays available but you should properly read the instructions before using them.
4. Do not clean with bleach! Bleach is an oxidizing agent which reacts with the metal & causes it to become brittle.
5. Some chemicals such as denatured alcohol, ammonia, chlorine bleach, acetone & turpentine are very harmful. These can pit the surface or make the jewelry dull.
6. Do not use toothpaste; the abrasives in it can easily damage the metal surface. Toothpaste also abrades the surface on softer stones such turquoise, lapis and amber.

By taking the following precautions you would be able to keep your loved jewelry sets in good condition for years to come.

Month wise division of birthstones

Many people believe that gemstones have mystical powers which are bestowed on the wearer. As for example, cool blue sapphire means that the person wearing it remains cool even under pressure while fiery & passionate people wear a red ruby.

With time people started relating gemstones with zodiac signs or months of the year and those who were born in that month were believed to have qualities resembling that of the birthstone or gemstone that was linked to that particular month.

At present the official birthstone list from American National Association of Jewelers, Jewelers of America, has been officially adopted in 1912.

The modern birthstones & their respective birth months are:

1. Garnet - January
2. Amethyst - February
3. Aquamarine - March
4. Diamond - April
5. Emerald - May
6. Pearl - June
7. Ruby - July
8. Peridot - August
9. Sapphire - September
10. Opal - October
11. Yellow Topaz - November
12. Blue Topaz - December

Apart from these, the traditional birthstones also exist like Mystical birthstones with Tibetan origin & Ayurvedic birthstones.