Have you inherited some jewelry from an estate? Whether you've received some new gems or a watch or other estate heirloom or you have estate jewelry that you'd like to pass on yourself one day, you want to take care of these items and keep them in great condition. For a few reasons, estate jewelry repair and maintenance should be done by a professional: first of all, these pieces can be vintage and contain fragile, hard-to-replace pieces. Secondly, keeping estate jewelry in great condition requires an expert touch.

How you should care for your estate jewelry depends on what you plan on doing with your pieces, their current condition, and other factors. Use this guide to help you learn how you should care for your estate jewelry items.

Find a safe location

Keep your estate jewelry in a safe location, like an actual safe, a jewelry closet, or an organizer. Line organizers or drawers with soft linen so you can keep pieces secure and safe without scratching them. Periodically check your estate jewelry to make sure earring sets are complete and other pieces are not tangled and are in their proper place.

If you wear your estate jewelry often, you can invest in a small wall rack to hang necklaces off of. This way, your favorite items are easily within view and you won't have to worry about things tangling up.

Use jewelry cleaning supplies

Your estate jewelry should be cleaned regularly to keep copper and silver items from tarnishing and to remove fingerprints and other debris that can wear out precious metals. Regular cleanings with the right brushes, rags, and cleaning tools will keep your jewelry fresh and ready for easy wearing. If you notice any loose gemstones, prongs missing or sticking out, or that gold and silver coatings are wearing out, then call your estate jewelry repair specialist right away.

If you are planning on selling or giving away some of your estate jewelry, clean the pieces first. You can have a jewelry repair specialist who works exclusively with estate items check out your pieces to ensure they are in great condition and make smaller repairs as needed.

Whether you wear your estate items or not, you should keep all bracelets, necklaces, watches, and other items in beautiful condition as long as you can.This way, you can enjoy your estate treasures longer and even be able to pass them on to other people when the time is right. 

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