Tips for caring for and cleaning your jewellery

Our pieces are made from quality materials and will last for many years if cared for correctly. We have popped together the below tips to keeping your jewellery looking its best and lasting a long life.

How to store your jewellery:
Tarnish proof boxes or individual bags are the best way of keeping your jewellery untarnished and reduce scratching. Many people also get anti-tarnish tabs in a velvet lined jewellery box. Please ensure they are kept in a cool, dry discrete place or in a safe.

When to wear your jewellery:
We recommend that you avoid wearing your jewellery whilst cleaning, gardening, swimming/showering and particularly when doing sporting and gym activities.
Remember gold and silver are relatively soft metals and damaging the setting or chain can compromise the safety of the stones and pearls. We always suggest precious jewellery is saved for wearing on occasion rather than everyday.
For all pearl jewellery we say avoid wearing them in pools, showers, saunas or in hot environments as heat can break down the jeweller's glue used when setting the pearls. We also suggest avoiding wearing rings whist doing dishes. Also avoid knocking any setting, a pearl is often held with a glued single pin and therefore can be knocked out of the setting if not cared for properly.
Also apply cosmetics, moisturizers and perfumes prior to putting on your jewellery.

How to clean your jewellery:
We do offer jewellery cleaning and polishing services. Please contact us if you would like to know more about these services and what we can do to bring your jewellery back to life.
After wearing we recommend to wipe jewellery with a soft lint free cloth. A soft fabric like velvet or cotton make a good cloth to wipe your pieces down.
You can also clean your jewellery in warm water and diluted dish washing liquid (one drop to 1/4 cup warm water). Allow your jewellery to soak for 10 minutes then use a soft tooth brush to clean areas like engraving, details and behind stones.

Other care for your jewellery:
Always ensure your jewellery is covered by your insurance policy and have a safe place for them to be stored when not being worn. Some insurance policies require valuation of higher value items so be sure to clarify this with them to ensure your jewellery is covered.

Specific care for pearls and pearl jewellery:
As with any gemstone, pearls require special care to ensure they keep at their best. Cosmetics, sun block, perfume and hairspray all contain chemicals that can dramatically dull the luster of a pearl. The natural acids contained in body oils and perspiration can also damage pearls in the same way. It is best to put your pearls on at least 30 minutes after applying any personal care products, and to take your pearls off before getting ready for bed. A good rule of thumb to remember is that pearls should be the last things to put on and the first things to take off. Pearls are a soft gem and will crack, please wear them with care and avoid knocking or bumping them. They are often set on a fine pin to the setting itself and once broken it can become near impossible to remove this pin and making the pearl redundant.
Wiping the pearls with a damp, soft cloth after you wear them will ensure that they remain free of harmful build-up of compounds that may damage the nacre of your pearls. Always keep your pearls separated from hard jewelry items such as rings or bracelets to prevent them from being scratched. Pearls are best kept in a soft-cloth pouch or a soft-lined jewelry box. Never store your pearls in an airtight environment such a a zip lock bag. Pearls are organic and do contain trace amounts of water. Storing them in an airtight environment will cause them to become brittle and damage the luster.
Restringing: If you wear your pearls often, they should be strung about once a year to prevent strand breakage.