Care of your purchases
CARE OF YOUR PURCHASES
You took time to choose your piece of jewellery and a little care and attention will see it giving you years of pleasure.
As a rule of thumb remove your jewellery before bathing or swimming, rings with stones are best removed when doing activities such as gardening, building, etc and prior to immersing your hands in water i.e. washing hands or dishes
When not being worn it is best to store your jewellery in an airtight bag as sterling and copper items tarnish in air.
999 fine silver is pure silver and does not tarnish but will love an occasional buff with a soft cloth.
925 sterling silver contains copper to increase its strength. It is 92.5% fine silver and 7.5% copper and it’s this copper that tarnishes.
Silver can be cleaned using a soft cloth impregnated with cleaning solution available from jewellery stores. Never immerse a piece that has any kind of artwork, stone, pearl or bead into a cleaning solution as it may be damaged.
Copper oxidises in contact with air producing a beautiful green patina over time, great on a garden ornament but not that desirable on jewellery. It can also react with your skin leaving harmless green marks that can be removed easily with soap and water or will be absorbed by your skin overnight.
You can apply clear nail varnish to your piece and this will protect the copper from the air. It will need to be reapplied periodically as it will wear off over time.
You can restore the gleam of copper using mild acid solutions like lemon juice, vinegar or ketchup. Use a cotton bud to apply it and after a few minutes give it a good wipe with a damp, soft cloth and dry thoroughly. Use an old, nearly dry soft toothbrush to get into any nooks and crannies. Be sure to protect any stones from the solution you use.