pulire gioielli Archives

Clean the jewels with ketchup, beer and vodka

Published on November 13, 2023

Tomato ketchup, vodka or beer to clean your jewelry. Yes, you can. If you do not have anything better at hand … ♦

At the table with jewels. To clean them. According to somebody, there are many ways to make brighter necklaces, rings and earrings: just use some products that are usually used in the kitchen. For example, ketchup, beer and vodka. Attention: we are not advising to follow these indications, especially for your most precious jewels. But, who knows, maybe it works …

For example, a bowl of ketchup can clean a ring dipped in red sauce after 5 or 10 minutes. Don’t leaving the jewel in contact with the sauce for too long: could cause damage. Clean everything with a toothbrush and rinse. Another useful food is beer: just pour a little on a clean cloth and rub gently to revive the gold. Better not to try, however, on light plating, and do not use dark beer.

Pulire i gioielli con l'acqua minerale — Pulire i gioielli con l’acqua minerale

Alcohol also likes diamonds: a small glass of vodka can restore brightness to the stones, but also to zirconia and crystal. Just pour the vodka on a soft cloth and carefully clean the jewels, or immerse the jewel in a glass full of the Russian liquor par excellence. Those who are teetotalers are consoled: sparkling water is excellent for resurrecting the splendor of the gems. Immerse a jewel with stones embedded in a glass with sparkling mineral water. Let it rest overnight: in the morning everything will be more shiny.
And after lunch? Brushing your teeth is a good hygiene rule. While you are there, however, you can use toothbrush and toothpaste on metal jewels or stones like diamonds or rubies. Then, rinse (before returning to the table).

Spazzolino e dentifricio sono utili anche per pulire i gioielli — Toothbrush and toothpaste are also useful for cleaning jewelry

How to clean steel jewelry

Published on September 26, 2022

Campus

Collane della collezione Breil Magnetica System

How do you clean a steel jewel? The most common answer is: don’t worry, it’s steel. Wrong. Although steel is a very resistant metal, steel jewelry can be damaged if they are not cleaned properly. Here is what you need to know about steel jewelry and what precautions you should use for their cleaning. But, first of all: what are the characteristics of steel jewelry? Why are they so widespread? And why is steel jewelry so popular?

Bracciale tennis in acciaio con cubic zirconia bianchi e cuore rosso

The characteristics of steel
Steel is commonly used to make many different objects and this thanks to its characteristics. Steel is obtained from an alloy of iron and carbon (maximum 2%). But there are different types of steel, more or less soft or hard, according to the uses for which the metal is intended. These differences depend on small amounts of other elements that can be combined with the base material, iron. Among the elements that can be added to iron and carbon are nickel, vanadium, copper, tin, titanium and many others.

Orecchini in acciaio, elementi traforati e cristalli

What kind of steel are the jewels made of?
Often the jewelry is made of 316L steel. It is a non-magnetic stainless steel alloy composed of iron and carbon (about 0.035%), chromium (16-18%), nickel (11-14%) and molybdenum (2-3%). This steel is designed to be corrosion-free and resistant to acids, but also to sea salt. The chemical resistance of this type of steel also makes it useful for medical applications, both instrumental and plant engineering.

Orecchini in acciaio, pvd nero e cristalli di ematite

How to clean steel jewelry
In short, steel does not rust and is resistant. So, does it have any weaknesses? Warning: when we talk about steel jewelry, we often talk about necklaces, bracelets or rings that are also made of steel. In short, it is necessary to distinguish between a jewel composed only of metal in its natural state and one that is finished, for example with PVD. This acronym stands for Physical Vapor Deposition and is a technology used to deposit thin metal films with elements such as zirconium, chromium and titanium. This treatment offers resistance to abrasion, scratching and corrosion. Usually the PVD coating is used to change the color of the steel jewel which can become, for example, gold or black.
Even if the PVD coating is quite resistant, the manufacturers recommend cleaning these jewels with a soft cloth moistened with water, without resorting to particularly aggressive detergents. This soft system is also recommended for gold or silver plated steel jewelry.

On the other hand, jewelry made of steel only, without other elements, can be cleaned in a different way. If you don’t have specific products at home, you can simply use a sponge or cloth soaked in white vinegar. Rub gently, so as not to deform the jewel and rinse in water. Lemon can be used as an alternative to vinegar.
If you are lazy, you can soak the jewel for a couple of hours in warm water and vinegar, or with a few drops of liquid soap. Then, rinse and dry with a paper towel, microfiber cloth or towel. Be careful, however, that the jewel does not have glued elements, which could become untied in prolonged contact with water. There are also those who use a more aggressive method, with hot water and sodium bicarbonate, if the jewel is particularly dirty, but you have to be careful.

Other methods for cleaning steel jewelry: as for gold jewelry, you can use a toothbrush and toothpaste, it works, even if steel will never suffer from cavities.

Allergies and steel
Speaking of steel jewelry: can they cause allergies? It’s very rare. But not impossible. Steel contains, as we have seen, a small amount of nickel, a metal that causes skin allergies in many women. This is why there are those who advertise nickel-free jewelry. But it is a definition that often does not correspond to reality, since stainless steel is an alloy that contains nickel. However, it depends on how much it contains. Nickel is used to make steel flexible and malleable, suitable for being transformed into jewelry. However, to be defined nickel free, a steel must release less than 2 micrograms per square centimeter of skin per week, i.e. 0.2 ug / cm2 / week (which is the official measure used in Europe to measure the safety limit for allergies. ) for jewelery in contact with the skin. Or it must be less than 0.5ug / cm2 / week for jewelry that penetrates the skin, for example, earrings or piercings.

How to clean gold and precious stones

Published on July 30, 2022

Campus/ORO

How to clean gold, diamonds and other precious stones? Here is a quick guide with what you need to know about how to clean your jewelry ♦

Of course, a very precious jewel must be kept with care and, frankly, if it has a great value, even emotional, it is better to take it periodically to the jeweler, who can also check its state of health: it happens, for example, that the stones can be detached. , or that the surface is covered with scratches. But it is not always necessary. You can (indeed, must) clean your jewelry periodically, just like washing your laundry. A jewel, in fact, is almost always in contact with the skin and is covered with an opaque patina due to the natural fat that comes out of the pores, and even worse it can be ruined by perfumes, creams and lotions used regularly. Here, then, are the tips for cleaning jewelry to perform at home.

Unlike silver, for example, gold does not blacken over time, but it can easily accumulate dust and dirt. The same goes for diamonds which, of all gems, have the greatest ability to retain organic fragments. And so jewelers are horrified when customers bring rings to tighten or widen, earrings to fix, and wonder why they don’t wash them like their clothes. You can restore the luster of jewelry by yourself, just a few household tools and a few ingredients.

1 Pour a few drops of liquid dish soap into a bowl of water that is just over warm, but not hot. Gently mix. Even if normal tap water works well, for even better results, you can use soda-free soda water: carbon dioxide gives rise to a process, carbonation, which in surfactants, i.e. detergents, helps to dissolve dirt. and accumulated debris. Do not use very hot or boiling water because some stones, such as opals, pearls and corals, can break with a rapid and drastic change in temperature. Then, soak for about 15 minutes to allow the solution to penetrate otherwise hard-to-reach cracks and crevices.

2 Gently scrub the jewelry with a soft bristled toothbrush, the softest possible (there are specific products, but a toothbrush or eyebrow brush will be fine), to avoid scratching the surface. Attention, stiff bristles may remove the top layer in the case of gold plated or galvanic treatment jewelry. Particular attention should be paid to very sensitive and soft stones, such as opals, or pearls.

3 Rinse in running water (always lukewarm) to remove the last residues, remembering to cover the drain plug with a pasta or metal filter coffee sieve. Domestic accidents are more frequent than imagined and even the ring or earrings in the sink pipe are a classic! One last consideration. Let the jewelry dry completely before wearing it again: if it is still wet, even slightly, it can retain moisture on the skin and cause mild skin irritation.

There is another method, that of toothpaste, useful for traveling or for everyday jewelry

1 Mix a small amount of toothpaste and water in a bowl to make a smooth paste.
2 Scrub with an old soft-bristled toothbrush.
3 Rinse thoroughly.

But if the dirt remains, before trying more radical methods such as boiling water or ammonia, which we strongly advise against, it is best to consult a professional.

All about gilding

Published on May 26, 2022

Campus

The techniques of gilding in jewelry. Here are the things to know before making a purchase and what to do to avoid damaging your jewelry with gold plating ♦

You don’t need to buy a solid gold piece to show off something gold. And there is no need to resort to jewelry plated with yellow metal. If you want to save, just choose something that has the color of gold or, better, is covered with a layer of precious metal. More or less subtle, it depends. But be careful not to ruin it: here are the things to know and how to clean your gold plated jewelry. But, first of all, what is gilding? How do you do?

Guscio di riccio di mare dorato con diamanti

The gilding

But have you ever wondered how earrings, rings and necklaces are made of steel or silver and gold-colored on the outside? The most common method of gilding is the galvanic process. It is a complicated and rather recent process: in the past, in order to make as gold the jewels made of another kind of metal, the laminating system was used, that is the application of a thin sheet of gold on the underlying surface. For this you will never find an antique jewel with a galvanic gilding. Galvanic gold plating is, in fact, a fairly recent type of electrochemical process: in the so-called galvanic bath, a thin layer of gold is adhered to a metal using electrical current.

Rosato, bracciale in argento 925%, galvanica oro rosa con cuori e cubic zirconia bianchi

This current carries positively charged gold ions and adheres to the metal of the jewels which, on the other hand, has a negative charge. The result is that a uniform and thin layer is deposited. This processing is not performed by companies that design and sell jewelry, but by specialized companies. Be careful, though: sometimes this layer is so thin that it can be very easily erased or scratched. So, be aware that not all jewels with gilding are the same: it depends on who performed the galvanic process and how thick the ionized gold layer that covers the jewel is. Obviously, a greater and more resistant gilding is reflected in the price … Any case, the gilding can be made in the classic yellow, or pink or white. But there are also galvanic processes with other metals, such as titan or silver.

Lyra, anello in argento dorato. Prezzo: 76-88 euro — Bjanca Judith, Lyra, anello in argento dorato

How to clean the jewels

Since the galvanizing process only adds a very thin layer of gold powder, the jewels made with this technique should not be rubbed against rough surfaces: it is very easy to scratch them. For cleaning, it is better to use warm and not hot water and a very soft cloth, or a toothbrush but with natural bristles. If the jewelry is very dirty, you can dissolve in the water a drop of neutral liquid soap.

The history of the galvanic process
Now it is used all over the world, but the galvanic gilding was born in Italy, in 1802. To be precise, at the University of Pavia, where Luigi Valentino Brugnatelli experimented with this procedure (not particularly for gilding jewelry), with the use of the new galvanic pile, developed by Alessandro Volta, of which Brugnatelli was a friend and collaborator. The solution used was based on gold fulminate. When you say destiny …

Bracciale in argento dorato con quarzo — Ottaviani, bracciale in argento dorato con quarzo

Orecchini della collezione Malha, in argento dorato. Prezzo: 130 euro — Liliana Guerreiro, orecchini della collezione Malha, in argento dorato

Ciondolo della collezione Blue Note, in argento dorato e lapislazzulo — Giovanni Raspini, ciondolo della collezione Blue Note, in argento dorato e lapislazzulo

Non sembra un laboratorio orafo, vero? Infatti sono i bagni galvanici della Landi, un'azienda specializzata nella doratura dei gioielli — Non sembra un laboratorio orafo, vero? Infatti sono i bagni galvanici della Landi, un’azienda specializzata nella doratura dei gioielli

Prodotti che servono per la lavorazione galvanica

A scientific research: you have to clean the jewels to kill microbes and viruses

Published on January 6, 2022

Campus/Argento/Rings

Jewelry can hide dangerous microbes or viruses. Another good reason why jewelry needs cleaning. This was confirmed by a scientific research by the National Institutes of Health ♦ ︎

Periodic cleaning of the jewelry is necessary. And not only because the jewels get dirty, they are covered with a patina that hides the reflections of metal and stones, and makes it less beautiful. Another good reason to clean jewels is also because enemies can nest inside them: microbes, bacteria, viruses (unfortunately a topical topic) and even harmful substances that can creep into the frames or between the cracks in the metal. This, of course, is especially true for rings, in particular for large and composite ones with many elements or with small empty spaces, as happens in engraved metal: hands can come into contact with objects that hide these bio dangers.

In jewelry these harmful elements can hide for a long time, also because many women often take off their rings before washing their hands and, therefore, do not eliminate the bacteria that have infiltrated the jewelry. Moreover, sometimes the jewels are delicate, for example, they are composed with pearls or stones such as opal, which is easily damaged. This is why it is easy to fall into the temptation to never clean the jewels.

The hidden enemies. But it’s not just the rings that potentially become biological bombs. Even a necklace or bracelet can be in contact with bacteria or unhealthy materials, which find refuge in some small space of the jewel. Don’t believe it? Instead it is: some time ago in the United States an experiment was conducted that proves the dangers that can be hidden in rings that are not cleaned frequently. The goal of the research, conducted by the National Institutes of Health, was to verify whether anesthesiologists and surgeons could infect patients in the operating room with their wedding rings. Ten surgeons and ten anesthetists participated in the screening. The rings were removed at the end of the day, and their inner circumference was swabbed, then placed in a culture medium. Result: Staphylococci were cultured in all. A surgeon developed coagulase-negative staphylococci from annular swab. But the bacteria were eliminated after a thorough cleaning of the hands and ring.

Metals nicked. In addition to becoming dangerous to health, if not cleaned, jewels can be damaged in the long run: sweat, skin acid, cosmetics and dust end up attacking metals and stones or, at least, ruining the shiny patina that covers them. Softer stones, such as opals, can also be severely damaged. So, don’t forget to wash your jewelry at least every now and then.

Read also: How to clean diamonds

perle pulizia2 — Pulizia di una collana di perle