With so much time invested in selecting your handcrafted jewelry, you’ll want to ensure that you get to enjoy wearing it for a very long time!
It’s easy- here are some suggestions:
Your jewelry should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off every day. That is, the last thing you put on after dressing and applying fragrance and the first thing you take off before removing clothing at the end of the day. This will protect your beautiful jewelry from potentially damaging grooming products and possible mishaps from catching your jewelry on clothing items.
Your jewelry will stay nicer much longer if you avoid letting it come in contact with cleaning products and other damaging chemicals such as those typically found in pools and spas and products in the shower.
When not being worn, silver pieces and other metals should be kept stored in sealed plastic bags. This will keep them looking their best for a very long time. The easiest way to keep silver looking it’s best is to simply wear it frequently! When they do need some attention, most metals can be easily refreshed or cleaned by lightly wiping the surface with a silver polishing cloth, such as a “Sunshine Cloth”. A brushed surface can often be refreshed by lightly wiping with a “green scrubby”, moving in the same direction. You can also clean silver by soaking in warm water with a few drops of Dawn Dish Detergent, gently scrubbing with an old soft toothbrush.
Liquid dip type “dip” cleaners are not recommended, as they will wear away and pit the metal over time.
I usually apply a sealer to Copper and Nu Gold pieces, if they have been colored or patinated. This will ensure the rich colorations stay true for a very long time. These pieces should also be stored in a sealed bag and only need to be occasionally wiped with a soft cloth.
Pearls should be wiped with a soft cloth after wearing to remove any body oils which, will eventually dull the luster of the pearls. Pearls need to breathe and should not be sealed in a baggie for any great length of time. They should be stored on a soft surface, separate from other pieces of jewelry to avoid scratching. The pearl industry recommends re-stringing hand knotted pearls every two years if they are worn very frequently.
Feel free to e-mail us with specific questions you may have concerning care of your Fine Artisan Jewelry by Kathleen Barris.