Easy Fixes for Necklaces

Keeping an organized jewellery box is a great way to ensure a long life for your necklaces. Follow these tips and tricks to keep necklace chains untangled and your jewellery box in order.

Sprinkle on some talc to unravel them

If your jewellery box looks like a bowl of spaghetti, take a little time to untangle your necklaces.

1. Lay the tangled mass onto some newspaper.
2. Sprinkle on a little talc to lubricate the chains and use two straight pins to carefully ease any knots apart.
3. Once they are all separated, wash the necklaces in a mild detergent, rinse and carefully pat dry.

Get your beads back in order

First, gather up the scattered beads into a bowl; keep any part of the necklace that is still intact — this will help you to replicate a repeating pattern in the necklace (if it had one).

1. Fold a piece of index card lengthways to make a W-shape; arrange your beads in the desired order within the folds of the W.
2. Cut a new length of thread about 10 centimetres (four inches) longer than the run of beads and tie a knot at one end.
3. Tape the knotted end of the thread to your tabletop, then thread a needle through the other end to help you help push the thread through the beads.
4. Thread on all the beads; using your needle, tie another knot at the end of the thread, pushing the knot tightly against the last bead. Fix the clasps from your old necklace to either end of the new string (or buy a replacement clasp, if necessary) and trim off any excess thread.

Organize your fine chains with drinking straws

However neatly you lay chains in the jewellery box, you can guarantee they'll get in an impossible tangle with other items. Keep some drinking straws in your jewelry box and thread your fine chains through them when you put them away. The straw needs only to be half as long as the chain.

Jeweller's cloth

It's worth buying an inexpensive jeweller's cloth (available online or from jewellery stores). The cloth is made of two separate layers — one is impregnated with a polishing compound, the other provides a gentle buffing surface. Rub with the first layer to clean and remove tarnish from gold, silver and other metals, and then rub with the second layer to buff the surface to a shine.

Follow these simple tips to help improve the life of your favourite pieces.

1. Clean your jewellery using a mild detergent (such as dish washing liquid), warm water and a soft toothbrush. Work in a plastic bowl, not over a sink, to avoid losing your jewellery down the drain.
2. Don't use water on strings of beads — polish them with a soft, dry brush instead. Never use harsh abrasives or strong cleaning agents as these may discolour certain stones. Be sure to remove your jewellery before you do your household cleaning.
3. Store your jewellery in its original box, which is usually lined with satin or velvet that keeps the piece safe from scratches. The box will also increase the value of the jewelry if you choose to sell it at a later date.
4. Regularly check for loose stones and weak links in chains. Fix them yourself or take them for professional repair before they fail — prevention is always better than cure.