Jewellery Care
Our top tips for taking care of your jewellery and how to keep it looking beautiful.
Take care when wearing your jewellery:
Skin and hair products can react with jewellery causing it to tarnish and discolour, we advise applying any cosmetics and perfumes at least half an hour before you put on your jewellery. Perspiration can also cause tarnishing. Chemicals found in swimming pools, hot tubs and natural springs can cause extreme tarnishing so be sure to remove jewellery before entering any of these, we also recommend you don’t shower or bathe whilst wearing your jewellery. Remove your jewellery before any exercise, in the gym, gardening, cleaning to prevent any accidental damage. We don’t advise sleeping in your jewellery and would recommend removing your jewellery before your clothing to prevent it getting caught or pulled.
Storing your jewellery:
Always store your jewellery in a dry place, damp, hot conditions such as a bathroom or windowsill will cause tarnishing. We would recommend keeping your jewellery in separate plastic ziplock or self-seal bags which will help prevent tarnish and ensure pieces don’t get tangled or scratched.
Cleaning your jewellery:
You can brighten up your jewellery by using a silver polishing cloth or cleaning with warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush to remove any dirt, always make sure you dry it thoroughly with a soft cloth. Silver jewellery is prone to tarnishing which can usually be removed with a silver polishing cloth, we would only recommend using a silver dip solution as a last resort.
Silver
It is generally 925 sterling silver which is used in jewellery making, a relatively soft precious metal, it will scratch more easily than gold and platinum and it can tarnish easily if not being worn. Silver jewellery can be cleaned with a soft silver polishing cloth.
Gold Vermeil
Usually an 18ct, 22ct or 24ct gold plating over sterling silver, gold vermeil can fade over time, avoid wearing in the shower or whilst swimming to minimise this. Gold vermeil jewellery can be cleaned gently with a soft, chemical free cloth.
Gold
The most frequently used gold alloys are 9ct (375) and 18ct (750), 18ct gold has a more yellow colour as 750 parts out of 1000 are gold, the other 250 parts consisting of other metals. Rose or red gold is created by adding more copper to the ‘other metals’ part of the alloy. White gold is achieved by including more white metals in the alloy to create a grey colour metal which is often rhodium plated to give a bright white finish, over time this plating will wear off and white gold jewellery may need re-plating. Gold is more hard-wearing than silver but not as durable as Platinum or Titanium.
Platinum
A rare and precious white metal, platinum is more resilient than gold although it can scratch and show signs of everyday wear as any jewellery will.
Titanium
Titanium is the strongest metal used to make jewellery, it is resistant to most acids and chloride solutions which means it is safe to swim in. Titanium is also very lightweight which makes it a great choice if you have an active lifestyle.
Steel
Stainless steel is incredibly strong and resistant, it doesn't tarnish and it is hypoallergenic. Steel was not traditionally used for jewellery as it is not malliable like gold and silver but it will stand the test of time.
Pearls
As an organic material, pearls are more vulnerable to acids and alkalis than other gemstones so care must be taken to avoid contact with household cleaning products and cosmetics. Pearls should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off, they keep their lustre by being worn but before storing they should be wiped with a soft cloth.
Freshwater Pearls are typically found in lakes and rivers in China, they grow in mussels and more than one pearl can be produced at a time, they therefore have a more affordable price point. High quality pearls are cleaner, rounder and more lustrous, the sizes tend to range from around 5mm to 12mm.
Tahitian Pearls , also known as black South Sea pearls or simply black pearls, are cherished for their exotic colours and incredible lustre. Whereas other pearl types are limited in colour, Tahitian pearls consist of hundreds of overtones with hues such as peacock green, silver green, blue and aubergine to name a few. These pearls are produced by the Pinctada Margaritifera oyster which is found exclusively in Tahiti and several other French Polynesian islands. They can only produce one pearl at a time and sizes range from 9mm to 16mm.
Gemstones
Keep your gemstones bright and sparkly by cleaning regularly with warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush and drying and polishing with a soft cloth. Gemstones belong to different families of minerals which have different hardnesses, the hardness is measured using the MOHS scale. For example; ruby and sapphire have a hardness of 9, emerald and aquamarine are both beryl and have a hardness of 7.5 – 8.