Jewelry Wear & Care

Jewelry made with fine materials is an investment, and proper care must be taken if you want it to last a lifetime. Here are a few of our favorite tips. 

To help retard tarnish on sterling silver and copper, wear your pieces often and store in air tight zip lock bags while not in use. 

The safest way to clean your jewelry investments is by filling a small bowl with warm water and a mild liquid soap, soaking briefly and gently brushing with a non-metal soft brush, such as a soft toothbrush. Carefully rinse and dry completely with a clean, soft cloth (100% cotton is preferable) before storage. 

Polishing cloths are easy to use and can be used safely on precious metals. 

Commercial jewelry cleaning solutions may be used with caution. They are not recommended for pearls, turquoise, emeralds, lapis lazuli, coral, opals, and some coated glass beads (soaking of any kind is generally not recommended for most of these stones either). Take care to not soak any jewelry in commercial cleaners for more than a couple of minutes, and please follow the manufacturer’s directions carefully. 

Take care when cleaning pieces that are “antiqued” or “oxidized” as polishing too roughly or using any chemical cleaners can remove the lovely patina. 

Copper that has tarnished can be cleaned with distilled vinegar or lemon juice. Take extreme caution when pieces contain beads or gemstones. 

Pearl Care

As mentioned above, commercial cleaners are not safe for pearls, which are naturally very soft and easily damaged. Gently wipe pearls with a soft chamois or flannel cloth after wearing to remove oils and dirt and use only a very mild soapy water solution for gentle cleaning. Do not soak and do not store pearls in plastic bags. 

If your skin cannot handle a certain metal or if it reacts with your chemical make and leaves unsightly marks, you can coat the part of the jewelry that comes into contact with your skin with clear nail polish. 

Jewelry Don’ts!

Don’t wear your jewelry while working with chemicals, doing household chores, or gardening. Chlorine bleach is especially harmful to your pieces so you should also avoid wearing your investments while in chlorinated pools and hot tubs.

Don’t use toothpaste to clean your jewelry! Contrary to popular belief, this is NOT a recommended or accepted practice by fine jewelers. Toothpaste contains abrasives and can damage some gemstones and precious metals.

Don’t wear your jewelry while spraying hairspray or applying cosmetics, lotions and perfumes.

Don’t expose your jewelry to extreme temperatures or store in sunlight.

Don’t overcrowd your jewelry as you store it. Some pieces are fragile and can be easily bent, while others are more sturdy and can scratch pieces made with softer metals and stones.

Don’t allow children to play with your jewelry and especially do not allow them to place it in their mouths. Not only does it pose a choking hazard, beads and stones can break and leave sharp edges, and some such as crystals contain lead.