JEWELRY CARE

How Do I Care For My Revealed Jewelry?

It is recommended that you do not bathe or shower with your jewelry on and try not to coat your rings with lotions or hairsprays. Things like hairspray, perfumes, soaps, and lotions can be hard on gemstones and precious metal. Keep your jewelry away from chemicals. Certain substances, such as chlorine bleach and other household cleaners, can discolor or even pit metals.

It is also recommended you do not sleep or workout with jewelry on. In general, people's extremities can swell at night when sleeping. Your pH also reaches high levels when you are asleep. Exercise and sweating also produces increased pH levels, which can cause a reaction with metals and skin. Sweat is a jewelry assassin! When you sleep, you apply pressure to your jewelry for longer amount of time than if you were just walking around during the day. The clasps, prongs, and attachments on your jewelry that work hard to maintain it's shape are being put through more wear and tear this way. What's more, all of the oil, dirt, and chemicals that may have accumulated on your jewelry throughout the day are still being harbored in the nooks and crannies. This can affect your skin as well. Best practice is to remove your pieces before you go to sleep, and to wipe them down with a clean microfiber cloth.

Never swim with jewelry on, as the chlorine and other elements, such as algae, can have a corrosive affect on precious metals and also harm gemstones! This includes saltwater pools or the ocean. Saltwater is another corrosive substance that can cause significant damage to jewelry. Due to the harsh nature and salt content of sea water, exposure to salt water can erode the soldered joints of custom jewelry. Along with degrading the mounting joints, which can potentially cause the gemstone to be lost, the saltwater can also damage the facets and appearance of the gemstone itself.

STORING YOUR JEWELRY

For the best possible care of your jewelry, it is recommended that you place them in the box provided when you received them or in a jewelry box to prevent excessive light exposure as well as exposure to dust particles that can scratch and dull. When it comes to storing valuable jewelry, the storage requirements will be different depending on what the piece is made of:

• Diamonds - need to be stored separately in a divided container, drawer or box because they are so hard that they will scratch other pieces.

• Pearls - are soft and scratch easily. Protect them from damage in a tightly sealed fabric/velvet bag that is kept out of direct sunlight to prevent them from turning yellow.

• Precious and semi-precious gems -are often your softer stones. Wrap each piece in an individual bag. Protect the jewelry from extreme temperatures in order to ensure the long-term beauty of your gems.

• Gold and silver - are easily tarnished and scratched, requiring special care. Tarnishing can be prevented by limiting exposure to moisture and storing pieces in a bag or container that can breathe. Silica gel, white chalk or charcoal will further decrease damage from moisture. Avoid scratches by storing each piece separately.*