Peranakan jewellery requires a considered care approach. The high-purity gold, the range of gemstones and pearls used across the tradition, and the traditional craft techniques that hold each piece together all benefit from thoughtful handling, proper storage, and professional care when the piece needs attention. This guide covers how to care for your Peranakan jewellery through daily life, how to store your pieces safely, and how to work with Poh Heng for professional care that keeps your jewellery in good condition for the long term.
Understanding Your Peranakan Jewellery
Peranakan jewellery has a few characteristics that shape how it should be cared for.
Multiple materials in one piece. A single Peranakan piece may combine high-purity gold with diamonds, pearls, coloured gemstones, and mother of pearl. Each material has its own care requirements, and a cleaning method that suits one may damage another. This is why professional care, rather than home cleaning, is the safer default for gem-set Peranakan pieces.
Fine goldwork and detailed craft. Peranakan pieces often feature filigree, granulation, and structural craftsmanship that is finer and more detailed than mass-market fine jewellery. This detail is part of what makes each piece valuable, but it also makes the piece more sensitive to rough handling.
Cultural and material value. Beyond the gold and gemstone value, Peranakan pieces carry cultural significance rooted in the tradition. Careful handling protects both the material and the meaning of the piece across time.
Daily Handling
Day-to-day care follows a few consistent principles.
Put jewellery on last. Apply perfume, lotion, hair products, makeup, and sunscreen before putting on your jewellery, and allow them to dry fully. Chemicals in these products can affect gold surfaces and gemstones over time.
Handle pieces by structural elements. Hold pieces by their main body - the pendant body, the back of a brooch, the band of a ring - rather than by stones, fine wire, or delicate decorative components. This reduces stress on the parts of the piece most vulnerable to damage.
Avoid contact with hard surfaces. Fine jewellery is vulnerable to dents and scratches from contact with hard surfaces. Avoid setting pieces down directly on stone countertops, dressers, or unpadded jewellery cases.
Take pieces off for activities where they could be damaged. Remove jewellery before swimming, exercising, showering, sleeping (particularly for chain pieces), and any activity involving significant hand or body contact with equipment or surfaces.
Be aware of Singapore's climate. Humidity, salt air near the coast, and rapid temperature changes between air-conditioned interiors and outdoor heat can all affect fine jewellery over time. Storage that controls for humidity and mindful handling of pieces when moving between environments both help.
Storage
Storage protects pieces from physical damage and environmental effects.
Store pieces individually. Pieces stored together can scratch each other, particularly when harder stones sit against softer materials. Each piece should have its own compartment, pouch, or wrapping.
Use soft-lined storage. Soft fabric pouches, lined boxes, or jewellery rolls with separate compartments protect pieces during storage. Hard plastic, paper, and unlined metal containers do not offer adequate protection.
Control humidity where possible. Store jewellery in a location with reasonable humidity control, away from bathrooms and kitchens. Where practical, keep it in an air-conditioned space. Placing silica gel packs in the storage area can also help manage moisture.
Keep softer materials separate from harder ones. Softer materials such as pearls and mother of pearl are easily scratched by harder gemstones and by other pieces of jewellery. Store these separately from your other pieces.
Keep a written inventory. A simple inventory of your Peranakan pieces, ideally with photographs, supports general recordkeeping and helps you keep track of what is in wear and what is in storage.
Cleaning and Professional Care
Bringing pieces to Poh Heng for professional care is the safest approach for keeping Peranakan jewellery in good condition. Peranakan pieces frequently combine multiple materials in a single piece - gold, gemstones, pearls, mother of pearl, diamond accents - that each require different treatment. Because a cleaning method that suits one material can damage another, we recommend professional care rather than home cleaning for any attention beyond gentle surface wiping.
At-home care. The safest home care is minimal:
• Wipe pieces gently with a soft, lint-free cloth after each wear to remove skin oils and surface residue.
• Avoid contact with perfume, lotion, hair products, sunscreen, and household chemicals.
• Do not use commercial jewellery dips, silver polishes, or chemical cleaners at home.
• Do not use ultrasonic cleaners at home. Even for pieces that appear robust, ultrasonic vibration can loosen stone settings and damage delicate work.
• Do not immerse gem-set pieces in water or attempt spot cleaning of stones. Different materials react differently to water and moisture.
For anything beyond soft-cloth wiping, bring the piece to Poh Heng. If a component on your Poh Heng piece needs restoring or replacing, our Add-ons & Replacement service can restore and rejuvenate the beauty of your piece, with a wide selection of clasps, studs, charms, and more available to add or replace parts as needed. For personalisation and extension services, also see our full jewellery services page. Find your nearest boutique on the boutique location page.
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