At Gregory Jewellers, we pride ourselves on the craftsmanship and quality of each piece of jewellery. Your Gregory pieces are precious and deserve special care to ensure they remain sparkling for the next generation.  Whether for your engagement ring, or a classic pearl necklace, follow our care guide below to care for your jewellery with confidence.

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General

To preserve the life of your jewellery we recommend to:

• Store your jewellery in a clean, dry space
• Not wear whilst involved in physical activities such as house work, manual labour, gardening, exercise or contact sport
• Avoid damaging chemicals
• Insure your jewellery
• Undertake regular checks and cleans

To ensure your Gregory Jewellers piece stays in its best condition, we offer complimentary ultrasonic cleaning and checking on all Gregory Jewellery.

Diamonds

Diamonds are the hardest natural mineral.

However, diamonds aren’t invincible and can fragment or fracture if hit with a sharp blow on the edges or at the wrong angles. To prevent causing damage to your diamonds or the settings, we recommend you do not wear your jewellery while doing any laborious work such as house work, gardening, exercising or handling heavy objects.

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Diamonds are formed naturally and also attract ample amounts of oil and grease which will reduce their sparkle and brilliance over time.

It is recommended to undertake regular checks of the setting to ensure the security of the diamonds, as general wear and tear can cause diamonds to come unfastened.

All Gregory Diamonds are purchased from legitimate site holders and are not involved in conflict funding.

Gemstones

Precious and semi-precious coloured gemstones are natural minerals.

However, they do not exhibit the same hardness, resistance and durability of a diamond.

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Coloured stones should not be continuously exposed to direct heat and sunlight as this may reduce or alter their overall colour or appearance overtime. Sudden temperature changes should also be avoided.

Gemstones should not be worn around harsh chemicals such as bleach, chlorine, detergent, hand creams, perfumes and hair sprays which can slowly erode the finish and polish of the gemstones.

It is recommended to have your gemstone jewellery cleaned professionally at Gregory Jewellers as coloured gemstones require extra care when cleaning due to some gems reacting to particular cleaning methods.

Pearls

Cultured pearls, whether South Sea, Tahitian, Akoya or Fresh Water, are all organic and are produced in water from live oysters.

However, once harvested, water becomes its worst enemy.

Pearls are constructed by layers of thin calcium nacre applied by the oysters and mussels, making them very brittle and porous. If water penetrates through the drill holes of strands, it can eventually destroy the pearl’s nacre structure layers.

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Pearl strands are usually strung on nylon and silk strings which are resistant to wear but can deteriorate after prolonged use. Depending on wear, it is recommended to have your strand restrung every 1 to 2 years.

Pearl rings, earrings and pendants should be checked once a year to ensure pearls have not come loose from their settings.

We recommended to not store your pearls away in sealed bags or under prolonged sunlight or light as this can cause dehydration, discoloration and damage to the pearl. Cosmetics and cleaning chemicals should not come into contact with the pearls. After wear, pearls should be cleaned and packed in their box, away from other jewellery that can scratch or damage them.

Gold

 

In its purest form (99.99%), gold is referred to as 24 karat (kt).

Pure gold is one of the very few natural metals resistant to acid, rust and discoloration.  It always retains its shine and is reuseable but too ductile for jewellery manufacturing.

Therefore, it is alloyed to increase its hardness. Commonly, in Australia, gold is alloyed to produce 18kt, consisting of 75% pure gold and 25% other metals, and 9kt, consisting of 37.5% pure gold and 62.5% other metals. Other common karats used in international markets are 14kt, 22kt and 24kt.

White and rose gold are a mixture of pure gold and selected metals to create an alloy that transforms gold from its true yellow colour. Gregory Jewellers white gold alloy has a high palladium content which is best and most valued in white gold. Palladium is a rare earth metal mined from the same ore as platinum and rhodium. It produced a whiter, harder and denser white gold.

To preserve the lustre of your gold jewellery, avoid exposure to chemicals such as bleach and other cleaning products.

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Silver

Silver is another precious metal that is used for jewellery.

It is usually much less valuable than other precious metals due to its vast mining supply. Discover our silver care guide to keep your silver pieces sparkling and shiny.

If you have any questions or concerns about cleaning your jewellery, please reach out to our specialists. We are always happy to assist.