Jewellery Care Guide
Of course all jewels need loving care, and not to be bashed on a weight bar at the gym, plunged in a bucket of bleach or smothered in soil. Try to take off your jewels when you are doing physical tasks like this, if at all possible.
- Skin and hair products can react with jewellery causing it to tarnish, discolour and possibly corrode. Try to put pin make ump and perfume before you put on your jewels.
- Don’t wear your jewels at the gym, when you are gardening or cleaning. Cleaning products can damage the surface and patination of your jewels as well as damage them. As I say, soil is not your ring’s best friend!
- Chemicals in swimming pools and natural springs will cause extreme tarnishing in silver, the sulphur makes silver go black, and we actually use this a s a technique in Goldsmithing! Some water will also contribute to tarnishing of your jewellery. Therefore always remove your jewellery before entering a pool, shower, spring or the sea.
- I recommend storing your jewellery in a zip lock bag as exposure to the air and environment can cause your jewellery to tarnish over time. Zip lock bags are a cheap way to keep your jewellery looking newer for longer. Acid free tissue is also an excellent way to store your jewellery. I mean I don’t do this but you probably should.
- Store your jewels separately, so that they don’t tangle or rub and scratch against each other. We do not recommend sleeping in them although we know everyone does! (Even us).
- Do not store jewellery next to heating vents, windowsills or in the bathroom. Damp and hot conditions will cause the jewellery to tarnish too.
- To brighten up your jewels and clean the stones, make up a little cup of hot water, fairy liquid and with a bit of white spirit in and leave for a while, I always say ‘Bake off!” when people ask how long, or until you suddenly wonder where your ring went. With a baby soft toothbrush brush all over and in the back of the settings to remove any dirt.
- Take extra care when cleaning jewellery with gemstones and pearls and if unsure, let me know.