I own a vintage jewelry store and I can tell you that it is important to store your jewelry correctly if you want to make it last as long as possible. I can't tell you what horrible things I've seen happen to lovely pieces that were stored incorrectly.
Here are some great jewelry storage tips:
•Those large wood free-standing jewelry boxes are great, but I think the best thing is antique apothecary chests. These awesome pieces of old furniture are full of small drawers and come in a variety of sizes. They have small ones that will fit on table tops as well as free standing ones. Just line the drawers with velvet or felt and you are all set. Search your local antique malls ,Craigslist, etc and I’m sure you’ll find a great one.
•Place silica gel packs (those “do not eat†packets in shoe boxes) in the drawers to prevent humidity damage…especially important in rhinestone and sterling pieces.
•DO NOT store your jewelry in ziplocks. It will trap moister in and damage the jewelry over time. Organza bags are what I use and can be bought in bulk on EBay for cheap.
•Place your jewelry box in an area far from the bathroom. I cringe when I see someone who has a jewelry box in the bathroom.
•An old frame with the glass removed makes a great earring display. Just line the frame with window screen material where the glass was and thread earrings through the mesh. Looks great on your dresser.
•Your jewelry should be the last thing you put on before you leave the house. Hairsprays, makeup, perfume, etc are all bad for jewelry…of all kinds. I always tell my customers to put their “lotions and potions†on first.
If you guys have any questions about jewelry (vintage or otherwise)…just ask I’m more than happy to help out.