Prepare Your Jewelry For Summer

School's out, camp is on, and we're ready to relax! Well, for the most part: jewelry design never really takes a break, but your jewelry should and the summer months are a great opportunity to take stock of what you have, clean and check your favorite pieces, and think through future projects you may see for yourself. Here are our suggestions for getting your jewelry collection in tip-top shape for summer:

1. Consider taking a more minimalist approach for the season.

While true fine jewelry can withstand plenty of exposure to sunscreen, sand, and salt water, we don't exactly recommend wearing your finest jewels to the beach. You'll inevitably get them clogged with product and could run the risk of losing a treasure in the waves. Also, your hands tend to swell in the summer so it might be more comfortable to take off some of these items and pursue a more simplistic look for the season. Now is a great opportunity to get your pieces cleaned and professionally checked so that you know they'll be in perfect shape when you're ready to wear them again.

2. Sort and take stock of your collection.

Lay out your collection and think about whether you're getting the best use from it. Those pieces that were never quite right - put them in a pile and think about whether you might want to redesign them. Check if anything is loose or doesn't fit well, and consider making an appointment to get them into shape. Now is also a great opportunity to double-check whether your appraisals should be updated for anything. We generally recommend revisiting them every 10 years or so.

3) Determine your collection "gaps." 

Are you always on the search for the perfect pair of diamond hoops? Do you envision a diamond tennis bracelet in your future? First, think about whether you have existing pieces that could be repurposed for these "gaps." We're always happy to talk through options and help you decide what would be worth redesigning, or provide suggestions for entirely newly-sourced ideas. The summer months provide a great opportunity for mental breathing room to think through these big purchases so that you don't find yourself scrambling come the holiday season.

Meaghan Foran

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Creative Director & Co-Owner | Alexandria and Company

I came to join Alexandria & Company by way of love: my husband Tim has owned the shop for nearly ten years, and I started by helping him on Saturdays so that we could spend more time together. Eventually, I quit my other life in the legal field to become Alx&Co’s Creative Director and co-owner with Tim. Now, we run our small business together in Old Town and I haven't looked back.

Alexandria & Company is an Old Town-based workshop and design studio specializing in creating and restoring fine jewelry and silver hollowware. They are the in-the-know jewelers of Alexandria and have been serving clients out of their small workshop for decades. Tucked in their historic building on South Royal Street, the team at Alx&Co. brings a personalized, modern approach to their craft – this is not your average stodgy jeweler or antique shop. Visit them online to view their collection of handmade fine jewelry; or, if you’re feeling creative, make an appointment to talk about that custom design project you’ve been imagining.

inquiries@alxandcompany.com  |  alxandcompany.com

121-B South Royal Street

Alexandria, Virginia 22314

703.548.0659

By appointment only for all services.

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