Looking after your jewellery will allow you to enjoy wearing it for years to come. Here are some tips of mine for looking after your jewellery, to help prevent tarnish and damage:
- Avoid spraying perfume or applying creams directly onto your jewellery, ideally your jewellery should be the last thing you put on when getting ready.
- Remove your jewellery when you shower or bathe, particularly on the beach, in the sea, and in chlorinated water. Chlorinated water in particular can accelerate tarnishing of silver.
- Avoid wearing your jewellery when using bleach and other harsh household cleaners.
- Remove your jewellery item when playing sports, gardening or anything else that could cause the jewellery to get knocked or damaged.
- Store your jewellery with care. I send all the jewellery I make in gift boxes, which means you can store it safely where it is not in contact with direct light, extreme temperatures and moisture, all of which are conditions which contribute to tarnish building up.
- When storing jewellery or taking jewellery with you on holiday, try not to bunch your jewellery together as this will scratch and wear the metal.
- Add some anti-tarnish silver storage strips to your jewellery box to absorb atmospheric pollutants and help prevent tarnish on silver jewellery.
- Another tip is to keep some of those little silica gel pouches that you often get with new items, and put them into your jewellery box to absorb extra moisture to inhibit tarnish forming.
When tarnish does build up, I recommend these excellent jewellery cleaning methods.
Brushed finishes
Brushed finishes on jewellery will gradually become more polished with wear. The good news is that you can easily restore the brushed finish, by gently rubbing the surface with a dry scotch brite pad. I usually follow this with a gentle clean using silver foam.
Aftercare Service
If you would like me to revive a piece of jewellery which you have bought from me and worn and loved for some time, please get in touch. I will re-finish and clean your jewellery so that it looks like new again with pleasure, and in most cases will be able to do this free of charge if you cover the cost of postage.
Please contact me if you need any help or advice with caring for your jewellery.