An expert guide to restoring your treasured pieces of heirloom jewellery

Shekhawat adds, "Most people buy jewellery and don't return to the brand for professional cleaning With time, jewellery can face scratches, chipping of gemstones, tarnishing of gold and lose its lustre due to discolouration of stones." How to restore different types of heirloom jewellery"Restoring heirloom jewellery is one of the most challenging processes because it is not only about the price involved, but also somebody's emotional connect with the piece," she explains How to reinvent heirloom jewellery for modern timesAgarwal recommends mixing old pieces with newer designs.

Shekhawat advises, "If the style is outdated, we can create something truly special by taking polki or gemstones from the original and combining it into a modern piece of jewellery as per the client's preferences A heavy bridal neckpiece can be transformed into two delicate chokers which can be more wearable In the case of non-wearable heirlooms, we can also remove certain wearable parts and incorporate them into a new contemporary design.

For example, an old heirloom earring can be reinvented into more contemporary stud earrings." How to store heirloom jewellery for greater longevityNeedless to say, storing jewellery with caution can greatly aid the longevity of the pieces "Do not wrap your jewellery in a cotton cloth; either use muslin or foam to store your jewellery Stacking jewellery together is a big no-no as well.

It is advisable to keep individual pieces separate to avoid damage Do not use perfume on jewellery once it has been worn Always wear your perfume first, allow it to vaporise and settle into the skin before wearing your jewellery," he says.

17 navratna jewellery pieces to inspire your bridal jewellery buys. . Source