General Care and Maintenance

My jewellery is made to a high standard in my Welsh workshop, and they are meant to be enjoyed for years to come.  As much as we would like to wear our jewellery all the time it is sometimes best to treat it with care to avoid any unnecessary damage.  Here’s my guide to help you achieve this. 

I include a little care card with instructions on how to clean your jewellery with every piece that leaves the workshop. Please keep it safe so you can refer to it if needs be.

Silver Jewellery

Silver will naturally tarnish with time, but cleaning and caring for silver jewellery is easy. 

Here’s the method I would use to remove the golden-yellow tarnish.  

Do NOT follow this method if your piece contains a precious stone as the boiling water may cause the stone to crack.

  • Line a glass dish with a piece of slightly crumpled aluminium foil, with the shiny side facing up.
  • Place your jewellery on the foil, ensuring the whole piece is touching the foil.
  • Sprinkle a layer or baking soda over the foil and jewellery, them immerse with boiling water.  
  • Make sure the pieces are fully immerged.
  • Move the jewellery around gently using a plastic or wooden spoon. 
  • Leave for a minute or two until the fizzing has subsided.
  • Remove the jewellery with a plastic tong or tweezers and be careful of the just-boiled water. You may add cold water to cool if you have enough depth in the dish, you can use your hands then to pick up the pieces.
  • Rinse the pieces thoroughly under warm or cold tap water.
  • Pat dry with an absorbent soft towel.
  • Buff up with a soft polishing cloth.

I recommend that you keep a silver polishing cloth nearby where you take off your jewellery, so it can easily become a habit to pick it up and give a quick polish before wearing the jewellery.  Silver polishing cloths are widely available in jeweller’s shops such as Siop iard, hardware shops and supermarkets.

Contact with chemicals, such as skin and hair products can react with silver and cause it to tarnish quicker or discolour, therefore we recommend you apply any cosmetic or perfumes and leave to dry before putting on your jewellery. 

Please take off your jewellery if you swim, whether in a pool or the sea, or if you enjoy relaxing in a hot tub. The chemicals involved will react with the metals and cause discolouration.  I’ve seen many silver rings turned black after a girly weekend in a hot tub!

I would also urge you take your jewellery off before doing any strenuous physical activity such as gardening or exercise, this will help avoid scratches or damage. 

Gold Jewellery

I love gold! One of its lovely properties is that it won’t tarnish like silver, but it can become dirty if it’s well-loved and worn on a regular basis.  Again, cleaning your gold jewellery is easy.  I would recommend warm water and a mild detergent, use a soft toothbrush if necessary to get into all the nooks and crannies. Rinse and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth then buff up again with a gold polishing cloth. 

I recommend that you keep a gold polishing cloth nearby when you take off your jewellery, so it can easily become a habit to pick it up and give a quick polish before wearing the jewellery.

Storing your Jewellery

The best place to keep your jewellery when you’re not wearing them is in the original box.  This will prevent them from becoming tangled or scratched against each other.

Keep your jewellery away from windowsills or bathrooms as damp and hot conditions can cause jewellery to tarnish quickly.

Some of my pendants come on a Snake Chain.  Care should be taken when storing this type of chain as they can be prone to kinking which can lead to breakages.  Usually, this type of chain cannot be repaired easily, and you may have to buy a new chain.  I would recommend you store these hanging or curled up carefully in a coil (hence the name!). Never attempt to bend or fold them into the box.

Professional Jewellery Maintenance

If you feel your jewellery maintenance needs a professional touch, such as a deep clean in a trade ultrasonic cleaner, or Rhodium Plating for your White Gold jewellery, get in touch to discuss.

If you’re unsure of any of the advice listed above, please get in touch with me and I’ll be able to advice and instruct you on the correct steps to take.