Take rings and bangles off gently rather than pulling or twisting them over the knuckle. Take special care with rings when washing your hands or applying skin cream. The stone and its setting hold their shine far longer when they are kept away from soap and cream residue.

Apply makeup, perfume and hairspray first, and let them settle, before putting your jewellery on. Direct contact with these products dulls the shine on stones and metal alike, and can cloud gold plating over time.

Sterling Silver 925

Silver tarnishes naturally with air and moisture, not from a fault in the piece. Wipe it after each wear with a soft, dedicated jewellery cloth. For a deeper clean, a silver polishing cloth restores shine in seconds; avoid dips and abrasive pastes on pieces that carry a gemstone, since these can seep into the setting. If you are ever unsure whether a piece is genuine 925 silver, our silver versus gold-plated buying guide explains what to look for.

Gold Plated Jewellery

Gold plating is a thin layer over silver or brass, so it needs the gentlest touch of all. Wipe with a dry, soft cloth only. Keep gold plated pieces away from water, chlorine and perfume, all of which shorten the life of the plating, and store them separately so they don't rub against harder pieces.

Copper and Brass

Copper and brass develop a natural patina over time; this is part of the metal's character, not damage. To restore shine, cut a lemon in half, rub it gently over the piece in a circular motion, then rinse with tap water and dry immediately. A dab of vinegar on a soft cloth works just as well.

A gemstone's hardness on the Mohs scale tells you how easily it scratches, but it doesn't tell you the whole story. Some of our hardest stones are also our most porous, and need the gentlest hands. As a rule, all our gemstones should be cleaned with a soft, dry or barely damp cloth, and never with an at home ultrasonic or steam cleaner. Professional ultrasonic cleaning should only be done by a jeweller who knows the specific stone. For more on the specific stones we work with, see our Gemstones of Pakistan guide.

Soft and Porous Stones

Lapis Lazuli · Turquoise · Amazonite · Green Aventurine (Sang e Sabz) · Fluorite · K2 Jasper

These stones are naturally porous and can absorb liquids, which leads to discolouration or a clouded surface. Clean with a dry cloth only. Keep them away from water, soap, and household chemicals altogether, and remove the piece before washing your hands.

Hardier Stones

Quartz, Amethyst and Citrine · Garnet · Topaz · Tourmaline · Peridot · Nephrite Jade · Idocrase

These stones are more resistant to scratching and can be wiped with a soft cloth lightly dampened with warm water, then dried immediately. Avoid soaking, and keep them away from sudden temperature changes, which can cause internal fractures even in a hard stone.

Emerald and Ruby

Emeralds in particular are often treated with natural oils to improve their clarity, and can be more brittle than their hardness suggests. Wipe both stones with a dry, soft cloth only, avoid ultrasonic cleaners entirely, and keep them out of direct sunlight for long periods, which can affect the oil treatment in emerald.

Gemstone tasbeeh follow the same rule as gemstone jewellery: a dry, soft cloth after use, and no water or chemicals on porous stones such as lapis lazuli or turquoise. The cord threading through the beads wears with daily use over the years; if a bead loosens or the cord frays, reach out to us for a restring rather than continuing to use it.

Wooden beads should be kept away from prolonged direct sunlight and humidity, both of which cause cracking over time. An occasional light coat of unscented oil (such as sweet almond or coconut oil) on wood beads keeps the grain from drying out; buff off any excess with a dry cloth afterwards.

Pietra dura plaques, calligraphy frames and other inlaid decor pieces are best dusted regularly with a soft, dry brush or cloth to stop dust settling into the stone inlay. For a deeper clean, wipe with a barely damp cloth and dry immediately; never submerge or spray a cleaner directly onto inlaid pieces.

Keep decor pieces out of direct, prolonged sunlight, which can fade the surrounding wood or metalwork over years, and place standing plaques on a felt pad or soft base to protect both the plaque's foot and the table surface underneath.

Store each piece separately in its own soft pouch or a lined compartment, rather than letting pieces touch in a single box. This prevents harder stones from scratching softer ones and stops chains from tangling. Keep jewellery and decor pieces away from direct sunlight, humid bathrooms and radiators; a cool, dry drawer is ideal.