JEWELLERY CARE

Care Basics

1. Keep items separately in a ziplock bag in a box away from direct sunlight.

2. Keep your jewellery dry and avoid it contacting skin care products and perfumes while they are wet.

3. Keep gold jewellery separately from silver jewellery.

4. Polish with a polishing cloth and wash occasionally with mild soapy water.

What is difference between Fine Silver, Sterling Silver and Argentium Silver?

Fine silver is made up of 99.9% pure silver. Due to its purity it is soft and prone to miss-shape and scratch.

Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of other metals, most commonly copper. These additional metals give it its strength and durability. However, it is these metals in the alloy, particularly copper, that can cause it to tarnish over time.

Argentium silver is a fairly new alloy, invented in the 1990's by a Silversmith. It replaces some of the copper in traditional sterling silver with the element germanium, and has a higher content of silver. It is typically available in three grades 93.5%, 94% and 96% pure silver. Argentium silver has a brighter, whiter appearance than sterling silver. The addition of germanium give it durability and most importantly tarnish resistance. The composition of this silver alloy also make it more suitable for people with allergies - hypoallergenic

Will my jewellery tarnish?

Sterling silver can tarnish over time, but it is important to know that tarnishing will not damage your jewellery, and that this is a completely natural process, which can be removed and prevented.

Sterling silver is an alloy of silver and base metals such as copper; the copper reacts with sulphur-containing gases in the air to form a layer of the compound copper sulphide.

Some items have been deliberately tarnished to give the black 'antiqued' finish.

Whilst I personally believe that Sterling Silver jewellery can be worn 24/7, here are some top tips to avoid tarnishing.

When you're not wearing your jewellery, store in an air tight bag to reduce the contact with the air and moisture.
Contact with harsh chemicals such as Cleaning products, Perfume, make-up and lotions etc. can accelerate tarnishing, you may need to clean you jewellery more often.
The salt and acid content in sweat can also accelerate tarnishing.
Wearing in the Pool or in a Hot Tub can speed up the tarnishing process due to the chemicals used in the water.
Chains can snag when you're exercising or sleeping, so take care.

Argentium silver is highly tarnish-resistant and tarnishes far less than traditional sterling silver. The inclusion of germanium in its alloy provides a protective barrier that makes it up to seven times more resistant to tarnishing. It still requires some care and proper storage to maintain its shine, and it can still tarnish if exposed to harsh chemicals, such as chlorine from pool water.

How can I clean my jewellery?

I recommend that your daily staples should be cleaned around once a month to keep them at their best. This may seem a lot but products like jewellery cleaning cloths and wipes are widely available and allow you to keep your pieces looking great without having to book into the jewellers.

If your jewellery does become a little tarnished, it's easy to re-polish! Use a lint free cloth, or a jewellery polishing cloth, to remove smudges, fingerprints and day-to-day tarnishing. Polishing regularly with a soft polish cloth will help prevent tarnish taking a grip. Silver dips should be avoided as they will remove any antique finish from the jewellery.

Many of the designs are delicate so please store items separately in their individual gift boxes, ziplock bag or pouch, away from direct sunlight, to avoid items scratching, tangling or tarnishing. Chains should be kept fastened, to help prevent tangling. I recommend that you check chains, links and clasps regularly to ensure they remain sound.

Avoid spraying perfume and hair spray when wearing your jewellery and remove when cleaning, bathing, exercising or sleeping, as chemical including moisturisers and sweat may tarnish the silver.

Keep gold jewellery separately from silver jewellery.

Will the black lettering fade?

To darken any lettering, I use a safe non-toxic patina. Over time this patina may fade or discolour with wear or if it comes into contact with household chemicals such as cleaning products, but I’m always happy to add this to your jewellery again, just get in touch!

However if you’d rather not have your stamping darkened, there is the option to have it left silver.