Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-02

Ways to Clean JeweIry.
Now that rhinestone jewelry is being
worn extensively by women, the trick of
keeping the stones bright and clean Is
some thing everyone wants to learn, for
though when new it IS sometimes difficult
to tell imitation brooches, bracelets and
hair ornaments from the genuine, when
the duplicates begin to tarnish and turn
black there is no installing the fact that
they are not real The discoloration OF
these stones makes them practically use
less, too, and, while most women wear
them to a greater or less extent because
they are inexpensive and duplicate the
most exclusive designs, they lose their value
Immediately when the luster is gone.
Cleaning rhinestones is almost as diff
cult a task to do at home as freshenng
pearls says an expert jeweler for once
these imitation diamonds begin to turn
black there is nothing that can be done
to bring back their brilliancy. Preventing
them from becoming duh is, however, quite
possible If, as is often the case, the sill
yer in which they are set begins to tarnish,
that discoloration may be removed with
a vigorous scrubbing in lukewarm water
with suds from CASTLE or any other pure
toilet soap and a stiff brush. Care should
be taken that the water is not too hot
Vt IL may SOlltu the GelLeul dIOuIQ lne
stones.
In preparing a warm water bath for
rhinestone jewelry be sure that the liquid
is clear aud free from any gritty sediment
before immersing the pieces. Let them
stay in the water but short time-say,
two minutes-then begin scrubbing with the
stiff brush, plunge each piece into bowl
of clear water to rinse off the soap and
then place In a box filled with jewelers.
sawdust and leave for half an hour until
all the water is absorbed. When dry whisk
OF any fine pieces of the wood with soft
brush and rub gently with a soft cotton
or silk cloth. This cleansing should
brighten the silver and unless the stones
are turned the pieces should be as bright
as IL new.
IF the silver is still discolored after the
bath plunge the piece into n bowl OF
cyanide of potassium, using rubber gloves
so that the poison acid will not touch the
flesh. The ornament must be merely dipped
in this fluid and Immediately withdrawn,
for the liquid is so powerful that the jew
elry would be destroyed IL left in it for
more than a few seconds. The moment
the piece is taken from this frightening
fluid it must be plunged into bowl of
lukewam water so that the cyanide will
be washed off.
"Such treatment even the water bath
is only possible where the rhinestones are
set in silver, platinum or gold, for when
the stones are not entirely surrounded by
some metal the only way they can be
cleaned is by careful brushing with a soft,
dry camers hair brush
1T is because many women do not uu-
derstand how rhinestones are set that re-
suits in the ruin of them in the average
attempts at cleaning. For if they knew
that the majority of these imitation dia-
monds are nothing but pieces of glass,
really softer and easier TO scratch than
ordinary window panes and that their
brilliancy is obtained by the tips of lead
or aluminium in which they arc set. the
idea Of washing these stones unless they
are set I'm a metal would no longer exist
For they would realize that scrubbing and
lquids-even water-will loosen the tips
and allow dirt and moisture 10 get i'm be
tween the stone and the lead foil. etc
Some Of the more expensive rhinestones
made Of a composition can be washed
when in a raised setting-the same as dia-
monds, with lukewarm water soap and a
brush, and then dried in hot jewelers. saw
dust. The best plan In cleansing with
those set in silver or any other metal is
70 scrub them with prepared chalk and
stih7 brstled brush.
With the tipped stones that are in
raised settings the only successful way Of
cleaning is by careful brushing with a soft
brush, and this should be done after each
wearing, that the dust will not get
around into the foil or aluminium"