Platinum Jewelry has become the premier metal choice for engagement and wedding rings due to its elegant appearance, dense structure, and durability that can last a lifetime. The bright-white color of platinum complements diamonds, enhancing their brightness and making them sparkle even more. It also holds diamonds and other gems in place more firmly than any other precious metal.
Although a platinum wedding ring or engagement ring is durable, it’s still susceptible to scratches. It’s essential to clean it to maintain its enviable luster and beauty and protect it from scratch. But how often should we give our favorite platinum jewelry the TLC they need to live their best life? Keep reading to find out some tips for platinum cleaning and maintenance.
General Tips for Platinum Jewelry Care
The good news is that you won’t need to clean your platinum jewelry collection as often as you do for your gold and silver pieces because platinum is known as a pure kind of metal. However, a surface called patina can accumulate over a piece of platinum jewelry as the day passes. This is simply the loss of luster and it can give a frosted finish to jewelry.
Antique collectors and gem designers treat patina as a natural aging process that adds more character and beauty to a necklace, bracelet, earrings, or ring. A platinum engagement ring can turn into an heirloom piece as patina sets into its exterior.
The Proper Way of Cleaning Your Platinum Jewelry at Home
For a quick clean-up to bring back platinum jewelry’s brilliant finish, you can mix a few drops of mild soap and lukewarm water in a bowl, use a toothbrush with soft bristles, and scrub your jewelry gently. After this, rinse it thoroughly and dry your sparkler with a soft cloth or a lint-free towel. There are also readily available jewelry cleaning solutions you can purchase online. These jewelry cleaners can restore shine and remove dirt buildup without corroding your precious stones.
Other Ways to Keep Your Platinum Jewelry From Scratching
- Take your platinum jewelry off when you’re using chemicals such as bleach.
- Avoid wearing your ring when you’re working in a garage or garden or when doing housework.
- Don’t store your platinum pieces along with your other jewelry items. It’s best to store them in a jewelry box with lots of compartments. In this way, each piece of jewelry can be better protected from scratches.
Different Cleaning Methods For Your Platinum Jewelry
1. Jewelry Cleaning Foam
Aside from a liquid cleaning solution, stores, and online retailers also sell cleaning foam for your precious collection. These non-toxic cleaners usually come with a small brush that can be used on diamonds, platinum, and other gemstones.
2. Steam Cleaners
Many professional jewelers use this type of equipment to remove debris from intricate jewelry pieces such as platinum wedding rings. The device produces pressurized steam and slowly blasts this steam to the cleaning basket where the jewelry is placed.
3. Ultrasonic Cleaners
To use this equipment, the jewelry is laid on a mesh basket, submerged in water, and exposed to ultrasound. These high-frequency sound waves generate bubbles on the surface and come in contact with the grimes that form on a jewelry’s surface.
Frequently Asked Questions about Platinum Jewelry Care
Can platinum jewelry rust when exposed to water?
Since platinum is a pure metal, it does not contain any iron and will not likely form rust even for a long time. Subjecting your platinum jewelry to water will not harm it, but it will affect the luster, shine, and overall look when done frequently.
How often do you need to clean platinum jewelry?
The cleaning schedule for jewelry depends on the usage or the visibility of the patina on it. There is no required frequency for cleaning your jewelry collection, but it’s recommended to check on its appearance every year around the date you purchased the item.
How to restore and repair damaged jewelry?
Leave the repair of defects or setting restoration of jewelry to a skilled jeweler with vast knowledge and the right skill set to do the job. In this way, further damage to fine jewelry can be avoided.
If you’re unsure about how to care for your platinum engagement ring, wedding ring, bracelet, earrings, or necklace, feel free to contact Sep Vergara Platinum Jewelry, Manila’s first and only platinum jewelry shop in the Philippines. You can also visit us in any of our local stores in Manila and Pampanga. We’d be happy to discuss your options and give you our expert advice on your platinum pieces.