Cleaning your vintage costume jewelry can be as tricky as finding them. Some of these old pieces can date back to as early as the 1930s when they first became a popular alternative for those women who cannot really afford jewelry made of precious metals. These types of accessories are relatively inexpensive since they are made of non-precious materials and at times seen to be as disposable after use. Designers from the 40s and 50s eras produced beautifully creative designs that became extremely popular due to its affordability. Those who have kept these are now considered as valuable collectible.
Keeping these pieces in top condition and well maintained can further increase the value of your vintage jewelry. However there are factors that you need to consider before you subject these pieces to cleaning substances. If not properly assessed, some of these solutions might cause more damage than benefit to your old jewelry. Since majority of these accessories are made of low quality materials, collectors need to take extra caution before cleaning them to preserve its bright and flashy look.
Due to the variety of materials used in vintage costume jewelry, it is almost impossible to recommend one method of cleaning. Common materials used for these pieces include glass, wood, leather, stones, shells, plastics and relatively cheap metals. Cut glasses were the popular substitute for precious gemstones and can be dated back to when the Roman times. Contrary to what is normally recommended, the use of water, vinegar or even cleaning agents should be avoided. Water can damage delicate stones and the polish. It could at times make the stones dull and can cause some of the metals to corrode. Same with vinegar, with this liquid’s high acid content, it has the tendency to melt, burn and do damage on the cheap materials used to manufacture these accessories.
To clean these pieces, collectors mostly propose to the use of the dry cleaning method. This entails the use of soft bristled brushes and wooden toothpicks with a very mild cleaning solution. Experts also suggest the use of hair dryer or squeeze duster hand pump air blowers since it is important to keep the pieces dry due to the possibility of further damage when these vintage costume jewelries are soaked in water or mild cleaning solutions. To wipe away fingerprints, the use of a cotton swap with some mild cleaning solution is advised after brushing away the dust from the jewels. You must be careful that these solutions do not contain ammonia, like the common glass and window cleaner, as this substance can strip the finish of your vintage costume jewelry.
Once your collection of antique jewelry is clean, they must be stored in a dry place. Make sure that your storage boxes do not cause any dampness since this could again cause rusting of your pieces and sometimes can ruin the stones. Moisture can also cause mold to form in these old jewelries since their materials do not have the resistance quality of precious metals. Jewelry boxes with protective linings are recommended since this would also prevent these pieces from rubbing against each other causing them to lose luster.
Remember that although vintage costume jewelry is not as valuable as those made of precious metals, their historical value adds to their market price. So to preserve their looks for a longer time, it would be ideal to build a cleaning regimen to maintain these pieces.
