Most gemstone jewellery is fairly durable, but some care does need to be taken.
- When putting on a stretch bracelet, roll it on to your wrist gently. Do not pull it outwards as this can unnecessarily stretch the elastic out of shape.
- Remove jewellery before doing any housework - household cleaners are corrosive and may permanently damage your gems.
- Remove jewellery before doing any manual labour; or work requiring hands to be immersed in water.
- Remove jewellery before swimming or showering - chlorine, some soaps and just immersing in water, may cause damage to your gemstones or their settings.
- Remove jewellery before sleeping - tossing and turning in your sleep puts excess strain on your jewellery, causing it to become loose or even break.
- Only put on your jewellery after perfume and/or hair care products have dried - these may cause breakdown of the stones or their settings.
- Store in a dark place, out of direct sunlight, in a pouch, ziplock bag, or jewellery box - sunlight may cause fading of stones and the humidity in the air can cause tarnishing to silver.
General Cleaning
Gemstone & Crystal Jewellery - Take care when using polishes and tarnish removers around your crystals, as these can be corrosive and cause your stones to become dull and fade. Some stones are more sensitive to getting wet than others, so it is always best to clean your gemstone and crystal jewellery by wiping with a soft cotton cloth.
Silver Jewellery - Silver can tarnish quite easily, leaving it looking black and dirty. To ensure that your silver jewellery is kept shiny it can be polished gently with a jewellery cloth, or you can use a standard silver polish.
Copper Jewellery - Copper is likely to develop a distinctive patina. Patina is not a "defect", it is a natural by-product. If you do not like the patina effect, you can clean copper goods using standard copper polish.
Gold Fill Jewellery - Gold Fill can tarnish over a period of time. To prevent this from happening you can give your gold fill jewellery a quick rinse in clean, lukewarm water and immediately dry it with a soft cloth.
Brass Jewellery - Brass will naturally tarnish, leaving a greenish patina. Patina is not a "defect", it is a natural by-product that adds colour and character. To preserve the patina effect, you can clean your brass jewellery with soap and warm water every now and then, to remove the dirt and grime build up. Simply wipe gently with a soft cloth and dry the jewellery well, to avoid water stains. If you do not like the patina, using a polishing cloth will remove it, or you can use a simple mixture of the juice of one lemon and one cup of water. Submerge the brass in the mixture and leave in the juice for about 15-30 minutes. Use a soft cloth or a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently remove the tarnish. Rinse thoroughly with water and wipe dry.
