To keep scratching to a minimum, store your jewellery separately in its
box when not being worn. In order to avoid blackening of your jewellery
caused by oxidisation of the silver, it is recommended to polish shiny
surfaces regularly with a proprietary impregnated silver cleaning
cloth. Silver jewellery benefits from being worn
and regular contact with water such as in the shower or when washing
hands will prevent tarnishing. If you are not wearing your
jewellery regularly, most pieces, particularly those with a textured
finish, should be washed periodically in warm soapy water (not
detergent) and brushed gently with a soft toothbrush.
Remember, harsh chemicals such as ammonia, alcohol, acetone, turpentine
can irreversibly damage your jewellery so always remove it before using
any of these.
“Oxidised” Silver
Darkened pieces should not be cleaned with silver polish as this may
remove some of the coloured surface. Gentle polishing with a
soft cloth (not impregnated with silver cleaner) is recommended to
restore sheen. These pieces should also be washed
periodically in warm soapy water and brushed with a soft
toothbrush.
Freshwater Pearls
Extreme dryness is damaging to pearls, and they are very sensitive to
acids, hair spray, cosmetics, and perspiration. Since pearls have such
a low hardness, they should be worn and stored in such a way that they
do not come in contact with metals or harder stones that may damage
them. Make sure that they are not exposed for a long time to direct
sunlight, especially ultraviolet rays. The protein in pearls becomes
yellow under sunlight. The calcium carbonate in pearls dissolves in
sweat or oil from the skin, and this will diminish the pearl's lustre.
To prevent this, wipe pearls well with a soft cloth immediately after
taking them off and before putting them away in their box Do
not put pearls in an ultrasonic cleaner - they can be rinsed in warm
soapy water.
Gemstones
To maintain the sparkle and lustre of gemstone jewellery,
your piece should be washed regularly to remove dust and
grease. It is best not to use an ultrasonic cleaner as some
stones cannot withstand heat and might crack. Do not handle
your jewellery by the stone particularly with claw settings as over
time this could lead to loosening. Jewellery pieces should be
stored individually in their box as gemstones vary in harness and a
hard stone such as a diamond or ruby could scratch a softer
gemstone. Do not wear gemstone rings to play sport or do
household chores as a sharp blow or strong chemicals can cause damage,
as can extremes of temperature.
I do hope you enjoy wearing my jewellery. If you
need further advice I can be contacted here.