Mikimoto Akoya Cultured Pearl Bracelet, 18K White Gold

Keep an eye on your gemstone jewelry to make sure that your settings are secure and that the prongs holding your stones stay intact and in good shape. This will ensure that you don't accidentally lose a stone. On pieces with larger gems, it may be obvious when there's a problem, but for anything with smaller settings like pave, it's a good idea to get your jewelry professionally cleaned and inspected (free at your local Ben Bridge store), where a jeweler can look at all settings under magnification.

You can also keep your diamond and gemstone jewelry clean and sparkly at home. After wearing, wipe your jewelry with a clean, soft, slightly damp cloth. This will remove any oils or smudges and ensure your jewelry is clean before putting it away. You can also clean most diamond and gemstone pieces by putting them in jewelry cleaner or in an ultrasonic machine for a few minutes. You can pick up jewelry cleaner for free from your local Ben Bridge store or order an inexpensive home ultrasonic machine. Some gemstones such as emeralds, lapis lazuli, opals, pearls, tanzanite and turquoise should not be submerged in jewelry cleaner or in an ultrasonic machine.