So you have bought a beautiful & completely unique piece of jewellery from Harlow Fine Jewelelry, now its time to learn how to make your precious piece last forever. Read our Jewellery Care guide below for hints and tips on how to care for your jewellery
CARE OF STERLING SILVER
Sterling Silver naturally oxidizes when not worn for long periods to maintain the new condition of your jewellery store in a box or pouch
Polish your silver jewellery with a soft cloth.
Like gold, silver is susceptible to damage by chlorine and you should avoid wearing silver jewellery when using chlorine or bleach.
As with all fine things in life, you should take care to protect your jewellery and always store in a jewellery box, taking care not to drop, or scratch.
The best jewellery care we recommend is removing all jewellery before going to bed, or participating in any physical activity or manual labor.
Indeed, exposure to harsh chemicals or environments may compromise the integrity of your jewelry, these include: perfume, cosmetics, chlorine, bleach, salt water, and silver or furniture polish. Put jewellery on after applying makeup, perfume, and hair products in order to avoid any accidental contamination.
CARE OF GOLD VERMEIL
Gold vermeil is a layer of gold over sterling silver, and requires a little care and attention. Always remove your gold vermeil jewellery when applying scent, lotions and potions, or even better, always put your jewellery on last when getting dressed.
Never wear your gold vermeil jewellery in the shower or when swimming. Chlorine, especially at high temperatures, can permanently damage or discolour your gold vermeil jewellery.
Gently clean your gold vermeil jewellery with a soft polishing cloth.
CARE OF GEMSTONES
Gemstone hardness is based on a standard called the Mohs scale, where the higher the Mohs scale number, the harder the stone; conversely, the lower the Mohs scale number, the more susceptible the stone is to scratching, chipping, and breaking. It is important to consider this when cleaning, wearing and storing your gemstone jewellery.
The build-up of hand cream, finger prints and general dirt is common amongst your most loved jewellery, and can easily be cleaned. As a rule of thumb, gemstones at 7 and above on the Mohs scale can be cleaned with warm water, a touch of mild detergent and a soft brush. For gemstones less than 7, swap the soft brush for a soft cloth.
Many gemstones are also susceptible to damage by chemicals, water and even sunlight, where prolonged exposure to the latter may cause them to become paler. Examples include amethyst, ametrine, aquamarine, aventurine, beryl, citrine, kunzite, rose and smoky quartz.
Some gemstones such as opal, pearl and turquoise are fairly porous and should not be immersed in water for too long.
If you have any questions relating to jewellery care please feel free to drop us a line, we`d love to hear from you