Cleaning and Repair Tips
This is by no means meant to be a complete "How To" for cleaning and repairing your vintage jewelry, just a few tips that you might find useful.
Most glued in and prong set stones can be safely cleaned with a soft toothbrush dampened (not saturated) with alcohol (no, not booze, the rubbing kind), which dries very quickly. The exception would be faux pearls and aurora borealis stones, which might have their a/b finish scratched by the bristles of the toothbrush. For those I recommend lens cleaning wipes because they won't scratch the finish.
Unfoiled stones in open back settings can get a build up of dirt and grime on the underside that can be difficult (or impossible) to reach with with a toothbrush or even a Q-tip. For these I recommend using pressurized steam (I use a Eureka Enviro Steamer).
After cleaning using any method that uses a liquid of any kind, pat dry then follow with a blow dryer on a low setting to make sure all moisture is gone. Moisture is the enemy of costume jewelry.
For cleaning metal discolorations, especially verdigris, a fiberglass brush is indispensable. If you take your time and don't use a heavy hand the discoloration or verdigris will be removed without damaging the finish and without the mess of catsup or vinegar.
You must however be careful because tiny splinters of figerglass can get in your clothes and your fingers. Always have a disposable covering over your lap when you use the fiberglass brush. The splinters can be removed from your fingers by rubbing an emery board over the splinter in the opposite direction that the splinter went in. Another method is to apply tape over the area, rub it using some pressure and then remove it. The splinter should come out on the tape.
Lite tarnish on silver or gold washed silver can be removed with just your thumb and won't interfere with patina. Just keep rubbing with your thumb and the silver will shine through. You will need to keep cleaning your thumb though!
In addition to using Simichrome polish for testing bakelite it can also be used for removing worn gold wash since it does contain an abrasive.
Never throw away a broken piece of jewelry until you've stripped it of all parts that could be used in the future to repair another piece. Things such a good rhinestones, bracelet clasps, pin stems, J hooks, extender chains (from necklaces), earring clips etc. can really come in handy.
The best way to remove glued in rhinestones without damaging the stone or the foil is to soak the piece in pure acetone, which can be purchased at any beauty supply store.
Here are a few tools that I find helpful for small repairs:
Though most of the items above are self-explanatory you might be wondering about the X-acto knife and the dental tools. The X-acto knife is especially useful for lifting prongs and prying out dead rhinestones. The dental tool with the needle like end is useful for getting dirt and dried glue out of crevices that nothing else would reach. The flat head dental tool is great for pushing stones down into their settings without scratching them and also for pushing prongs closed.
For repairs to metal there are times when J-B Weld can be used but for your nicer pieces I recommend laser welding. The equipment to perform this is very expensive, so not many jewelers have them. One that I can highly recommend is Victor Weyrich of Gem Products in Glendale, AZ. He has lots of experience with costume jewelry and accepts repairs by mail.
New tips will be added as I discover them. If you have any tips you would like to share, click the Live Help icon to drop me line and I will add your tip.
