We have been decorating ourselves with jewellery for centuries, we love it! We choose it according to our taste, what’s in fashion, always taking into account the four C’s; cut, colour, clarity and carat. Jewellery is often longed for on special occasions, and every man knows (or should know) that diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

…And after all the Christmas gifts had been opened, there was just one small box remaining underneath the tree. She stared at it like a crazy person, completely possessed, and he told her to open the box. The magical moment of engagement that women wait their entire lives for. You wear that ring with pride, and show it off at every possible opportunity. You even take selfies with it – that’s right, the rock is personified for Instagram. But you can’t stop feeling anxious about the fact that you might wake up without your fine antique silver jewellery and it was all a dream. Well, it’s not a dream! But without precaution life could turn into a nightmare…

There is nothing that makes your heart stop more than looking down to notice that your ring is missing. The most expensive possession you own, but also the most precious and sentimental. A piece of jewellery that holds memories of courtship, engagement and marriage, so personal to each individual wearing it – they’re irreplaceable possessions. Unfortunately, sometimes we neglect our treasures when we should be preserving them with just a little extra care. Whether you own a family heirloom, perhaps a piece of antique silver jewellery, or a modern or branded piece, it’s really important to look after your precious gems.

Here are five ways to ensure that you’re looking after your jewellery with devotion:

1. Remove jewellery before hopping in the shower, using swimming pools or spas. This isn’t just because your ring might slip off, but because chlorine may react with the metal in your jewels, causing them to change colour.
2. Remove jewellery for chores such as cleaning and gardening.
3. Jewellery and contact sports do not mix.
4. Clean your jewellery with care by using specialist polishing cloths.
5. Put jewellery on after applying your makeup and perfume to avoid chemicals in cosmetics causing damage to your jewels.

Maybe you’re wondering why this is so important. Well, if you happen to have inherited a family heirloom, you might be wearing an antique without quite knowing the extent of it’s worth. You may even think so little of your old bling, It could be boxed up, ready to be taken to a car boot sale! Often times things we may think look valuable turn out only to be worth a few pounds, whereas simple pieces can be worth hundreds of thousands.

So how can you tell if your Grandma’s old jewellry collection is a literal gold mine, or not? Well, one of the first things you should do is look for hallmarks; one hallmark will tell you the metal content, and the other should tell you the designer or country of origin. You should also check out the weight of the jewellry to ensure it’s not fake and inspect the prongs. Fine jewelry will be finely crafted with each stone set in a prong setting, rather than glued into place like less valuable pieces.

So, think carefully about the potential worth of your beautiful jewels, look after them, because one day they might look after you!

*collaborative post