Although fine jewelry is made from some of the world's most durable substances, gemstones and precious metals, it does need some care. Following a few easy guidelines will make sure that your jewelry pieces last for generations still looking like the day you bought them.

First of all: keep them clean! Lotions, powders, soaps, and natural skin oils can build up on jewelry, cutting down on the brilliance of the gems. Rings in particular tend to collect dust and soap behind the stone, particularly if you wear them all the time. To clean transparent crystalline gemstones, simply soak them in water with a touch of

gentle soap or ammonia. If necessary, use a soft toothbrush to scrub behind the stone. After brushing, simply rinse with lukewarm water and allow them to dry. Grease can be removed from plain karat gold jewelry by dipping it into ordinary rubbing alcohol. Rubbing with a soft chamois cloth is an effective way to keep gold jewelry shining.

Store your jewelry in a clean, dry place: a fabric-lined jewelry case or box with compartments and dividers is ideal. If you prefer to use an ordinary box, wrap each piece individually in soft tissue paper. Don't jumble your jewelry pieces in a drawer or jewelry case. Store each piece of gemstone jewelry separately so that harder stones don't scratch softer ones. Almost every gemstone is much harder than the metal it is set in. Gems can scratch the finish on your gold, silver or platinum if you throw your jewelry in a heap in a drawer or jewelry box.

Avoid immersing your jewelry in chemicals like chlorine. It's a good idea to remove jewelry before entering a chlorinated pool or hot tub or putting your hands into water with bleach. Chlorine, especially at high temperatures, can permanently damage or discolor your gold jewelry.

There are many types of small machines on the market that will clean jewelry in a matter of minutes using high-frequency sound. These ultrasonic cleaners can be a convenient way to quickly clean your jewelry at home. However, ultrasonic cleaners can damage some jewelry, particularly pieces set with pearls or colored gemstones.

Even the hardest gemstones can be vulnerable to breakage if they have inclusions that weaken the crystal structure. Exercise common sense: remove your jewelry during strenuous work or exercise. Diamonds are the hardest substance on earth but they can shatter in two with a single well-placed blow. Rubies and sapphires are the toughest gems but even they can chip if hit sharply. Take particular care if you have a ring set with a gem variety with a hardness less than 7 or an included stone. Treat each piece of fine jewelry you own with respect and you will enjoy it forever.