Jewelry care

Like everything else, our jewelry, regardless of its value, needs care to withstand the test of time.
There are many factors that can affect their color and shine. The dust & air pollution, the sea, the pool chlorine, the alcohol & the essential oils that the perfumes contain, the chemicals that the cosmetics have but also the cleansing products, the antiseptics, even the acidic pH of the skin…
We can protect them with good use, careful cleaning, and proper storage.

Good use:

* We do not wear our jewelry when we sleep, when we take a shower, clean the house, when we go to the sea to the pool, the spa, or the gym.

* We avoid bumps, abrasions & pulls, which can cause irreparable damage to our jewelry.

* We put creams, cosmetics & perfumes, long before we wear our jewelry.

* We always remember that our jewelry is the last thing we have to wear before we go out, and the first thing we have to take off when we get home.

Careful cleaning:

* Every time we take off our jewelry, we wipe it with a clean, soft cloth to remove any oils and sweat.

* Silver darkens over time. It is a natural process due to the contact of the metal with the atmosphere, and fortunately, it is reversible. We refresh our silver jewelry (be careful, not the plated ones), depending on whether they have a glossy or matte finish.

The simplest & purest way to clean our shiny silver jewelry is to wash it in lukewarm soap with dish detergent, leave it in for a few minutes, & scrub it if necessary with a very soft toothbrush. Another natural way is to leave them for a long time in a container with water and baking soda, which we have covered internally with foil. Finally, let them dry well on a towel, and store them after wiping them well with a clean soft cloth.

For our matte silver jewelry, we can use the green wild scotch sponge (scotch brite). We use it dry, always rubbing our jewelry in the same direction. When finished, wipe with a clean soft cloth and store.
Caution! We do not use any of these cleaning methods on plated silver!

* The plated materials, whether they are silver or brass, are simply cleaned with a clean soft cloth. If they need more cleaning, we pass them before with a cotton swab dipped in a solution that we make with 3 spoons of vinegar in 1/2 liter of water, and we let them dry.
The color of the plating wears out over time, something we can not avoid, but only slow down. In order to maintain the color of the jewelry as much as possible, we must faithfully follow the instructions of “good use”.

* The brass or alpaca, used for our jewelry, is coated with a special varnish,
so by faithfully following the instructions of “good use” our jewelry will be preserved for many, many years. If necessary, we can clean them with toothpaste and after drying them well, apply them with transparent nail polish.

Proper storage:

* We do not store our jewelry in the bathroom, & generally in places that have humidity, as well as in places with high temperatures.
* Store them away from sunlight, in a dark, closed place (drawer, jewelry box, box), each separately in a pouch or box, so as not to risk being scratched or entangled with each other.* Before storing them, wipe them with a clean soft cloth to make sure they are dry and clean.
* When traveling, we place our jewelry in their pouch or box, in a separate case, taking care not to hit each other during the trip.

Helpful tips:

* The rings in which the size fluctuates, it would be good to adjust them at the beginning, and then to wear them like a closed ring, and not to open and close them every time we want to wear them, because otherwise, they risk breaking. Of course, we can rearrange them from time to time if necessary, e.g. when the season changes and our fingers are swollen or swollen, when we gain or lose weight, etc.

* The steel wire which has a lot of jewelry instead of a chain or cord, we never “push” it, we always wrap it in a circle without crumpling it. The crease in the steel wire is irreversible.

* If your chains get tangled, untangle them carefully, using a little powder.