Jewelry Tender Love and Care

Give it space - Keep the jewelry away from contact with other objects when stored so they don’t rub against each other. Friskiness in the jewelry's home will lead to scratches and wear.

Give it a thought - Chemicals such as salts, alcohols and acids can have a detrimental effect on metals.

  • Put on perfume, body creams and hairspray and let it dry before you put on the jewelry. Remember when dressing, jewelry is the last to be put on and the first to come off.
  • Don’t wear jewelry, especially plated metal, when swimming, bathing, sleeping or during vigorous activity when you are likely to sweat, I mean glow, profusely.

Confession time: if you are like me and feel naked at Nia dance classes without at least a few beaded bracelets and their charms, then it helps to get into the habit of giving the jewelry a little TLC using the Cleaning Kept Simple method mentioned below.

Cleaning Kept Simple

  • Get a soft lint-free cloth (Old cotton T-shirts work well).
  • Dip the cloth in a solution of lukewarm soapy water with a mild detergent that that is dye and perfume free and wring it out.
  • Use the damp cloth to gently wipe down the piece.
  • Use a dry cloth to pat the piece dry completely before storage.

Care for Varnish Coated Brass

Our brass is coated in a hard-wearing varnish to keep it gloriously gold for longer. The varnish can be scratched off by heavy abrasion and by dips in a pool with salt and chlorine. (Just ask my mermaid mother how many times I have re-sealed her brass after she has taken a swim. Brass polish should not be used, rather if it needs cleaning use “cleaning kept simple”.

Care for Sterling Silver

Sterling silver will naturally tarnish over time after exposure to pollution, moisture and certain chemicals. Store the jewellery in a box with a baggie of silicon beads or paper strips designed to prevent tarnish. Silver polish and impregnated polishing cloths are widely available and recommended for removing unwanted tarnish.

Silver is a soft and delicate metal and scuffs and scratches can occur and are particularly visible on silver with a high sheen polish, so care should be taken when wearing it. Polishing aids are widely available and will get rid of shallow scratches but a professional jeweller may be needed to take care of deep scratches.

Care for Gemstones

To clean a beaded necklace or bracelet, use the “cleaning kept simple” method mentioned above. Do not submerge beaded necklaces or bracelets unless the piece has fallen into a pool, bath or sink with chemicals in it. In this case rinse the piece with clean, warm, water thoroughly and gently pat it to dry as much as possible then let it dry completely on a soft lint-free cloth (old T-shirt material will do fine). A little bit of sweet talk and cooing to the piece to sooth its frazzled nerves wouldn’t hurt.

For more instructions on cleaning gemstones, see the following links:

Care for Concrete

The concrete cabochons and hoops used in the GemCrete collection are made over a 9-day period, including multiple drying and curing times to ensure a hard, durable set. The concrete coated with a hard-wearing matt varnish to prevent stains from accidental spills. The pieces should not be damaged by exposure to water, but just in case submerging the piece should be avoided.

Care for Acrylic

Certain solvents can damage acrylic. To clean the acrylic use the “Cleaning kept simple” method mentioned above. Acrylic can be scratched so it should be stored separately to avoid friction with any of your other dear pieces.