Investing in expensive jewelry can be counterproductive if you do not take appropriate measures to protect your purchase. The following tips are designed to help you care for your jewelry properly to ensure many years of enjoyment.

1. Avoid storing your jewelry for extended periods of time in humid areas or in extreme heat or cold. A good temperature controlled environment is best to avoid damage to expensive jewelry over time.

2. Do not boil jewelry to clean. Excessive heat created in the boiling process can damage certain fragile stones.

3. Do not get into the habit of taking jewelry off in random locations. It is all too common for watches, jewelry, and other expensive baubles to be left on counters at the local gym, or on a shelf near a hot tub or on a rock near our garden plot. While it is generally appropriate to protect your jewelry from damage during such activities, it may not be wise to remove jewelry in all cases. Poor planning often is to blame for lost jewelry in these cases. It is easy to remove jewelry, set it aside with the intent of putting it back on after an activity or workout. Unfortunately, very often the duration or excitement of the activity can cause us to be distracted and forget about the item until it is too late.

4. It is best to have a prescribed storage place for your jewelry. There should never be any guesswork in trying to find a prized piece of jewelry on short notice. A jewelry box is generally a good investment and gets more valuable as your jewelry collection expands.

5. Show care in inserting and removing jewelry from a jewelry box. Jamming jewelry haphazardly into an overcrowded box can cause damage to expensive items.

6. Have your jewelry professionally cleaned periodically to ensure that it retains it shine and brilliance. It can be counterproductive to the intended affect to adorn yourself with an expensive piece only to have it appear dull and lackluster.

7. Have your jewelry professionally inspected every year or two. There is nothing more disheartening than to look down at your prize ring and realize that one of your gems has fallen out because of a weak, broken or loose setting or prong. With proper care and a little thought, a nice collection of jewelry will last a lifetime and provide tremendous satisfaction over the years. And with gold and gemstone prices continuing to increase over the years, it can be a nice investment and something that can be passed down to the next generation.