Storing Your Vintage Cufflinks
It is not often that men invest in jewelry.
More often than not, collecting jewelry is considered a woman's domain.
Men simply purchase them.
When men do purchase jewelry for themselves, their investment will usually consist of two types of pieces: watches and cufflinks.
Men usually do not care all that much for vanity and that seems to extend to their choice in jewelry; both these types of jewelry are not simply adornments but have real and practical uses.
While there are cufflinks that are a dime a dozen, there are pieces that have become heirlooms, handed down as it were from one male generation to another.
It is therefore important to keep these pieces in mint condition, and one way to do that is to store your cufflinks properly.
First, vintage cufflinks should not be thrown carelessly into a drawer to be forgotten until the next time that you need them.
This is to prevent scratching on the surface of your cufflinks.
Even if you were to place your cufflinks in a jewelry box along with other jewelry, one should take care that the pieces do not rub against each other, as this can also cause scratching.
Your best bet will be to place your cufflinks in a soft pouch or cufflinks box, being careful arrange jewelry pieces within the box such that there are spaces between them.
The choice of where your vintage cufflinks are stored is an important part of caring for them.
Aside from the fact that they should be properly stored to prevent scratching, the kind of container that they are placed in is also essential.
Oak cabinets reportedly give off fumes that can be damaging to your jewelry.
The small boxes that your jewelry comes in are also not your best bet for long-term storage as these may contain sulfur.
Sulfur can cause damage to silver and gold.
The best containers include the already-mentioned soft pouches, metal or plastic containers, zip lock bags, or cufflink boxes made specifically for your cufflinks.
There are small zip lock bags that will make storing your equally small jewelry pieces easily, and they are sold by the hundreds at really cheap prices.
Having them in zip lock bags will also ensure that a pair of cufflinks is constantly kept together, and any stones that might fall off can be easily found.
When storing jewelry, make sure that they are placed in an area where temperature is kept constant, especially if the pieces are studded with gems and precious stones.
Changes in temperature can affect the glue that holds stones onto jewelry, and can cause the gems to fall out.
Aside from having constant temperature, the storage place for jewelry should be free from moisture.
Moisture is a known culprit for the development of rust.
Also, rhinestones can lose their foil backing as well as their luster if they come into contact with moisture.
Should jewelry pieces, including cufflinks become moist, it is recommended that an owner should ensure that they are completely dry before they are stored, and that the place that they are stored in is not one that can develop moisture.
By storing your cufflinks properly, you can ensure that it will be in all its classic vintage glory when you hand them down to your son.
More often than not, collecting jewelry is considered a woman's domain.
Men simply purchase them.
When men do purchase jewelry for themselves, their investment will usually consist of two types of pieces: watches and cufflinks.
Men usually do not care all that much for vanity and that seems to extend to their choice in jewelry; both these types of jewelry are not simply adornments but have real and practical uses.
While there are cufflinks that are a dime a dozen, there are pieces that have become heirlooms, handed down as it were from one male generation to another.
It is therefore important to keep these pieces in mint condition, and one way to do that is to store your cufflinks properly.
First, vintage cufflinks should not be thrown carelessly into a drawer to be forgotten until the next time that you need them.
This is to prevent scratching on the surface of your cufflinks.
Even if you were to place your cufflinks in a jewelry box along with other jewelry, one should take care that the pieces do not rub against each other, as this can also cause scratching.
Your best bet will be to place your cufflinks in a soft pouch or cufflinks box, being careful arrange jewelry pieces within the box such that there are spaces between them.
The choice of where your vintage cufflinks are stored is an important part of caring for them.
Aside from the fact that they should be properly stored to prevent scratching, the kind of container that they are placed in is also essential.
Oak cabinets reportedly give off fumes that can be damaging to your jewelry.
The small boxes that your jewelry comes in are also not your best bet for long-term storage as these may contain sulfur.
Sulfur can cause damage to silver and gold.
The best containers include the already-mentioned soft pouches, metal or plastic containers, zip lock bags, or cufflink boxes made specifically for your cufflinks.
There are small zip lock bags that will make storing your equally small jewelry pieces easily, and they are sold by the hundreds at really cheap prices.
Having them in zip lock bags will also ensure that a pair of cufflinks is constantly kept together, and any stones that might fall off can be easily found.
When storing jewelry, make sure that they are placed in an area where temperature is kept constant, especially if the pieces are studded with gems and precious stones.
Changes in temperature can affect the glue that holds stones onto jewelry, and can cause the gems to fall out.
Aside from having constant temperature, the storage place for jewelry should be free from moisture.
Moisture is a known culprit for the development of rust.
Also, rhinestones can lose their foil backing as well as their luster if they come into contact with moisture.
Should jewelry pieces, including cufflinks become moist, it is recommended that an owner should ensure that they are completely dry before they are stored, and that the place that they are stored in is not one that can develop moisture.
By storing your cufflinks properly, you can ensure that it will be in all its classic vintage glory when you hand them down to your son.