New Delhi, Jul 2 (IANS): The pitter-patter of rain may bring immense joy, but it certainly is not a good sign for jewellery, say experts.

Sumeet Dhanraj, Director and Creative Head of Dhanraj Jewellers, and Saumya Ghai, Designer and Merchandiser at Shaya by CaratLane, have suggested some self-care tips to help protect your ornaments in this damp weather:

* Gold jewellery is prone to catching dust and dirt quickly when kept in a humid environment. Hence, during monsoon one must use warm soapy water to clean gold ornaments.

* When it comes to jewellery such as pearls, coral or amber, it would be advisable to keep them in separate boxes. Do not mix them with other gemstones as scratches are inevitable.

Furthermore, gemstones need to be given proper care and attention. Pearls are delicate and direct contact with perfumes and sprays might damage them. If adequate precautions are not taken while storing them, it is likely to develop scratches.

* Moisture can affect metal alloy used to make ornaments and cause it to lose its original lustre. To prevent this from happening, store your jewellery in a box with a sturdy exterior and a soft interior, which would do half the job for you by keeping the humidity and moisture out.

Meanwhile, the soft interior would save the articles from probable friction and help retain their natural sheen.

* Over-exposure to air and humidity can damage your delicate silver. It's advisable to store silver jewellery in individual, air-tight bags with an anti-tarnish properties paper. These types of bags minimise air exposure and keep the jewellery new for a longer period of time.

* Keep the jewellery away from water as much as possible, since the contaminants in water can result in tarnished and dull looking silver. If your jewellery gets wet, take a soft cloth, dab the water out and blow dry the jewellery before storing it.