Caring for your Hawaiian jewelry!

Many of our customers have asked about caring for their Hawaiian jewelry. I've listed here a few ways to keep your Hawaiian jewelry looking bright and shiny as it was when you first received it.

1. Store your Hawaiian jewelry in a clean, dry place.

2. Keep your Hawaiian jewelry in a fabric-lined jewelry case, or in a box with compartments and dividers. If you prefer to use ordinary boxes, wrap each piece individually in soft tissue paper.

3. Don't jumble your Hawaiian jewelry pieces in a drawer or jewelry case. Pieces can scratch each other.

4. Be careful when removing your Hawaiian jewelry to wash your hands. Do not leave your Hawaiian jewelry on the rim of a sink where it can easily slip down the drain. Also, you can forget you took your jewelry off and leave it. A good friend of mine did this. She was heartbroken when she returned to the Airport restroom only to find someone had taken her ring.

5. See your jeweler at least once a year to have your Hawaiian jewelry checked for loose prongs, worn mountings, and general wear and tear.

6. Visit your jeweler every six months to have your Hawaiian jewelry professionally cleaned.

7. By all means remove your Hawaiian jewelry when you are cooking (it drives me crazy when I watch Paula Dean on TV mixing food with her hands with her wedding rings on), gardening or working on the car. (I knew a woman who was a mechanic and she would wear her Hawaiian bracelet when tuning up her car)

8. There are many types of small machines on the market that will clean Hawaiian jewelry in a matter of minutes using high-frequency sound. These machines are called "ultrasonic cleaners" and are available in many different models and prices. They can be a convenient way to quickly clean your Hawaiian jewelry at home.

9. If has been my experience that most jewelers outside of Hawaii are not familiar with the methods for producing Hawaiian jewelry and find it difficult to repair and work on Hawaiian jewelry, (many mainland jewelers have sent Hawaiian jewelry to us to repair for their customers) so I suggest having a Hawaiian jewelry manufacturer inspect your Hawaiian jewelry.

These are just a few ways to care for your Hawaiian jewelry. If you would like to add to this list please leave a comment.

Mahalo and aloha from Hawaii,

Colette
Designs 'N Gold