Jewellery Care

…..when we love and care for something we look after and treasure it…..

Pearls and Stones

Pearls are delicate and relatively soft and can be damaged through scratching and exposure to heat and chemicals. When wearing pearls or stones, make sure you have already applied hairspray and perfume. It's best not to apply perfume where your jewellery sits if you can avoid it. Don't keep pearls in a sealed plastic bag because they need to breath. Prolonged exposure to sunshine may dry or discolour them. Pearls and some stones should not be placed in an ultrasonic cleaner, silver dip or detergents. No bleaching agents and powdered cleaners should be used. Abrasive materials such as scouring pads or stiff brushes are detrimental.  Look after them by giving them a gently wash in lukewarm, soapy water now and again and dedicating a clean, soft toothbrush, delicately brush clean then rinse and gently pat dry.

Chain

The style of your chain should enhance your piece of jewellery so it needs to be looked after and handled with care. Leave them lying flat. Hanging them will prevent them from kinking and knotting and always fasten them to avoid tangling.

Polished or Brushed/Satinised Silver

Silver tarnishes over time. It happens naturally when it's exposed to air for a long period of time and not worn and with some people, it's contact with their skin and natural oils which causes it.

To keep it looking its best either polish it gently with a silver cloth or wash it in warm soapy water (a tiny bit of washing up liquid works well) using a soft toothbrush to get into awkward grooves. Always read the instructions carefully when using cleaning fluids as, for example, if your jewellery incorporates pearls and some gemstones, it should not be immersed.

Caring for Oxidised Silver

Applied oxidation is the chemical treatment of silver to change the surface colour, giving it a dark grey/black finish. This is a unique and positive feature of oxidation as it enhances detailing in the design of the jewellery, for example the relief pattern in the finish, therefore it wears to the individual making the jewellery even more unique. As with most surface treatments, oxidation is not permanent and wears off over time. This is the same with rhodium plating on white gold or gold plating/vermeil. We can re do this for you - there is a charge for both.

To help care for it avoid:

  • contact with chemicals – i.e. perfumes, deodorant spray, hairspray, tanning lotion and creams etc. Make sure these have been absorbed and dried into the skin first.
  • rubbing, hard brushes and abrasives will scratch the surface and remove oxidation.
  • do not immerse oxidised pieces in any chemicals including jewellery cleaning solutions. This will remove it.

Oxidised silver does not generally require any cleaning. If it's a ring and you are constantly wearing it the soap and water you wash your hands with will also be cleaning your piece of jewellery. If cleaning is required, do it gently with a soft damp cloth.

Caring for Gold

Use a soft polishing cloth that is suitable for use with gold alloys. Gold can also be cleaned using warm soapy water and brushing with a soft toothbrush to remove any built up grime and dirt.

General Care

With textured, precious metal items in particular, as mentioned, a dedicated very soft toothbrush and warm water with a tiny amount of washing up liquid, works well. Gently pat dry and don't leave to soak for long periods of time.

Please be aware that if your jewellery has a lightly, textured or satinised finish, it will wear off over time. How long will depend on how emphasised the detail is, how often you wear it, what you do for a living and whether it's gold or silver.

Please contact us if you are uncertain how to clean or look after a piece you have purchased from us, or you have any other queries about how to look after your jewellery.

Always keep the box you purchased your jewellery in – this is the best place to store it, it prevents it from rubbing against other items.

Enjoy wearing your jeweller - flaunt it! Don't put it in it's box too often, hidden away waiting for that 'special occasion'.

…every occasion is special - look good, feel good - wear it!…