Storing Jewellery So It Survives the Drawer

Most damage happens in storage, not on the wrist. How to store gold and diamonds so pieces do not scratch, tangle or kink.

Ask a jeweller where jewellery gets damaged and almost none of them will say "on the wearer".

It happens in the drawer, in the dark, over months, while nobody is looking.

The problem is that diamond cuts everything

Diamond is the hardest material used in jewellery. Gold is soft. Put a diamond ring loose in a box with gold bracelets and the ring will slowly work its way across every other surface in there.

The scratches you eventually notice were not an accident. They were an arrangement.

The rule

One compartment per piece. A lined box with dividers, or individual soft pouches. Anything that keeps hard surfaces away from soft ones.

Hang chains, do not pile them. Laying necklaces on top of each other causes knotting, and many chain constructions kink permanently once they twist. A kinked chain often cannot be fully restored.

Clasps closed. A closed clasp cannot catch on anything else, and a bracelet that is fastened cannot tangle with its neighbour.

Two things people forget

Dry it first. Anything stored slightly damp, after a rinse, after a swim, after rain, will mark. Dry completely before it goes away.

Keep the box out of the bathroom. Humidity is the enemy of clasps and of any piece with adhesive-set stones. A bedroom drawer is better than a bathroom cabinet in every respect.

For travel

Individual pouches, not a shared pocket. And put the pieces in your hand luggage rather than a case that leaves your sight.

Storage is unglamorous and it is where most of the wear on a piece is decided. Five minutes of arrangement outlasts any amount of polishing.

Book a complimentary design consultation at our Kuala Lumpur atelier: 010-766 7448 · hq@cgarden.com.my

C'Garden is an independent bespoke jeweller in Kuala Lumpur. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by or certified by any organisation, laboratory or brand named in this article. Third-party names are used only to refer factually to those organisations and their published standards. All text and imagery in this article is original work created by C'Garden.

Reference

Jewelers of America. (n.d.). Jewelry care. Jewelers of America. https://www.jewelers.org/buying-jewelry/jewelry-repair-and-care/jewelry-care