Of all material possessions of man, jewelry is considered most valuable. It symbolizes not only beauty but also power and wealth. Hence, people took trouble earning and collecting pieces of jewelry. To care for such precious items, jewelry boxes were created to complement each peace with proper storage and protection. Later on, wooden jewelry boxes was created to provide a more organized and charming storage for all jewelry pieces.History tells that jewelry already existed about 75,000 years ago. Ancient African people made beads out of snail shells, which they wore as a traditional ornament. Eventually, ceramic jars were constructed to be used as a home storage or transport means for such items. The boom of ancient commerce gave birth to the first jewelry boxes. 7,000 years ago, people from Middle East countries created boxes to store and ship jewelry merchandise via river transports. It is during this era that boxes were used to hold precious gems and jewelry. On the other hand, the Egyptians are equally known to fancy jewelry precious gems and more pieces of jewelry. Hence, it is also believed that Egyptians may have been among the first people to construct boxes to hold their jewelry collections.It was in during the industrial revolution that mass production of jewelry boxes started. When intricately carved and constructed jewelry boxes were once exclusive to the reach of the upper class crowd, it is during this time that such boxes were made more available and available for all. Together with the establishment of middle class society is the mass production of luxury items, which include both jewelry and boxes. However, as the move of purchasing these charming storage boxes become as easy as walking into a store, this era somehow compromised and sacrificed the traditional handcrafted beauty of older boxes.The boxes made during the industrial revolution primarily used antimonial lead as its base material. Metal was then used to establish durability to withstand years of use in sheltering previous jewelry pieces. The boxes were also electroplated with copper, gold or silver as finishing materials, giving the boxes ornate accents. Also, materials like Parisian silver, French bronze and Roman gold were also used as finishing materials. Copper plated boxes were considered as one of the rarest and most sought-after commodity of this era.Eventually, ceramic jewelry boxes have earned a following. They slowly replaced the metal boxes with their Art Nouveau style, which became the rage come 1900s. Design motifs range from roses, four-leaf clovers and other lovely nature themes. Flowing lines and asymmetrical patterns were eventually used to add modern touches to the traditional boxes.The 20th century marked a rapid change in the continuing evolution of these boxes and the wooden jewelry boxes. The advent of mail order catalogs made way for more variety in the design of traditional boxes. As the market grew accustomed to the variety of design, sizes and style available for boxes, it has opened up to the new and more organized jewelry storage options offered by a wooden jewelry boxes. Compared to traditional boxes, the wooden jewelry boxes provided more space and more charming displays for everyone’s jewelry collections. In this light, this modern storage furniture piece offers enough drawers, hooks, and dividers for your genuine, costume and other fancy jewelry pieces. From rings to necklaces and bracelets, cuff links to pendants, the wooden jewelry boxes offers a one-spot storage or repository for your most cherished possessions.

Your jewelry is perhaps one of your most valuable collections so it is just right that you take very good care of it. Jewelry must be clean to be truly beautiful. Diamonds in particular needs to be cleaned regularly so it won’t lose its brilliance from grease and dirt from constant use.Here are five useful tips on how to care for your jewelry:1) Always check the jewelry for any loose gems and clasp before wearing it. If you find a problem, take it to your jeweler immediately for repair to avoid losing any small pieces. Each piece is very expensive so one should always be careful.2) Always remove the jewelry when you engage in high impact activities or exposure to chemicals while doing housework. If you can’t easily remove your rings while cleaning then make sure to use rubber gloves to protect it from strong cleaning products. Even your other jewelries like earrings and necklaces is no exemption to chemical damage when you use make-up and strong fragrances.3) As for pearls and beads jewelry, it is best that you have it restring every two years or even annually by your jeweler.4) Clean it regularly and the safest method is cleaning it with mild warm soap solution. Here are some suggestions on various ways to clean your jewelries.
Use a damp cloth – This method is often use for those delicate jewelries. Just dampen a soft cloth with warm water and wipe the jewelry. This is often use with pearl strands, amber, ivory and other delicate gems.

Use Ammonia solution, rinse and dry – Soak your jewelries for a few minutes or overnight in the ammonia solution depending on how dirty your jewelries are. Use a soft bristled toothbrush to brush around and under the stone. Rinse it and wipe it dry by a soft flannel cloth.

Use warm soapy water to clean it – Soak the jewelries for a few minutes in warm water with a little dish washing liquid. Use a make-up brush or any small brush like the one use to apply an eye shadow to clean your jewelry. This will be perfect in cleaning a pearl ring or any jewelry set with precious stones.

Cleaning using Sonic – Sonic is a small vibrating jewelry cleaner for home use. Can be safely used for diamonds and all faceted colored stones.

Ultrasonic Cleaning – This is much stronger than the sonic cleaner that is used at home. This is not recommended for use at home but a professional jeweler may use this to clean your jewelries.
5) Do not put all the jewelry together. Make sure to isolate jewelry from the other to avoid it from scratching each other. You can wrap them individually in silk or paper.There are different kinds of jewelry and there are jewelries that are better leave in the hands of a professional jeweler. This kind of jewelries you should not attempt to clean at all or you might make damage on the jewelry. Better leave it on the hands of the expert.It is recommended that you seek advice first from a professional jeweler before deciding what method of cleaning to use for your own jewelry. It is worth it to be careful, besides precious jewelry is your lifetime investment.

Vintage jewelry really looks good, but have you ever thought of the cleaning procedure or wondered as to how you would keep your family heirloom or classic jewelry from fading? Do not worry; there are plenty of products specifically made for cleaning this type of jewelry. Classic jewelry frequently mimics fine jewelry if its crafted well by skilled craftsmen and it appears real at the first glance. Some classic jewelry is unsigned and nowadays well-known costume jewelry designers sell some exquisite collections.People usually buy vintage or classic costume jewelry to look stylish or leave a strong impression. This type of jewelry is a beautiful and perfect accessory for any casual or formal wear. It can really dress you up. This type of jewelry is usually made from metals like gold, silver, brass, bronze, copper, stainless steel, and with stones like pearls, opals and other gems. It should be well maintained and cleaned, so that the luster does not fade away.While cleaning costume jewelry, you should always be cautions and use brushes with soft bristles or wooden toothpicks, a hair dryer, cotton swabs and towels. You should never try to use water or high concentrated cleaning agents, as the safest method to clean vintage jewelry is also the driest method. If you wish to just clear the dust of your vintage collection, start by using dry baby brushes and if your rhinestone necklace has a fingerprint or smudge, then you can go ahead and use a cotton swab with some mild cleaning solution.Do not use soap or water to clean vintage jewelry as soap leaves a residue over the metal and thus makes the metal and the stones look dull. Water damages delicate stones and the polish. Vinegar is also considered as a harmful cleaning agent. Do not leave your vintage jewelry wet, as it will lose its sheen. You must dry the pieces thoroughly before and after adorning it. Store your vintage jewelry in a dry place because dampness encourages rusts, verdigris, and other damaging conditions.Be very careful while cleaning around enamel, as some old classic jewelry containing enamel coating will fade with destructive cleaning. You should also be extra cautious when it comes to cleaning colorful art glass because if you rub it aggressively then the coating might come off. Toothpicks are really good to clean small sockets or encrusted material; wooden toothpicks are safer than any metallic toothpick. So while hunting for a classic vintage set, be sure to understand its cleaning methods, as it is important to maintain it, it you wish to wear it daily or weekly.Keep your classic jewelry in a jewelry box and never pull out jewelry when you want to wear them as they lose their luster, rubbing against each other. Always clean your vintage jewelry before and after you wear it and store the pieces back in the boxes. To avoid scratching, you must always store your vintage jewelry separate and not with other jewelry items. You can even store them in separate pouches if you do not have a jewelry box.