Knowing how to wear and care for your jewelry and gemstones will help protect it and ensure a lifetime of wear.  

Here are a few basic do’s and don’ts

Wearing your fine jewelry:  While jewelry from Baxter’s is well-made, it is not indestructible.  And although diamonds are among the hardest materials on Earth, they can chip or crack.  To avoid these problems, do not wear your jewelry while you’re doing physical labor such as gardening or cleaning.  And take rings and bracelets off before doing any kind of activity that may cause them to catch on something.  Even if you don’t do these types of activities, have diamonds or gemstones checked every 6 months to be sure the settings haven’t loosened.  This service is always provided free of charge at Baxter’s.  

We also recommend removing jewelry while bathing or showering since soaps, shampoos and moisturizers can dull and discolor it over time.  If this does happen, bring it into Baxter’s and we’ll clean and buff it back to its original shine. 

Cleaning:  There are home ultrasonic jewelry cleaners available online and in stores.  While not as strong as a professional machine, they do loosen and remove dirt.  They typically come with an alcohol-based cleaning solution that removes dullness from metals.  If you don’t have an ultrasonic cleaner, you can simply soak your jewelry in the solution for the prescribed amount of time and loosen any dirt or grime from the setting and crevices with a soft brush.  Do not use a stiff bristle brush as this can leave microscopic scratches.  Once the jewelry is soaked and lightly brushed, rinse under cold water and dry with a soft cloth.  

Never put any type of pearls or other natural materials other than gemstones and diamonds in alcohol-based solution as it can ruin the finish.  This also applies to turquoise, jade and opals.