JEWELRY CARE GUIDE & FAQ
Although fine jewelry is crafted with quality materials, it still requires a bit of care to last a lifetime!
This guide is meant to provide you with information, but ultimately your jewelry is your own and is yours to wear as you please. This guide is not meant to scare you away from enjoying your jewelry, but an exercise in caution and care. Accidents happen, life goes on, and jewelry can (almost) always be repaired. If you really want to throw caution to the wind, I suggest protecting your purchase with jewelry insurance.
Below you’ll find some friendly advice, commonly asked questions, and all the professional knowledge my brain has collected over 15 years of designing jewelry. Shall we?
Can I shower/swim/sleep/exercise/etcetera with my jewelry on?
Ideally jewelry should be removed to avoid contact with chemicals during handwashing, dish washing, showering, swimming in chlorine, household chores, etcetera. (Dishwashing gloves and ring dishes are your new best friends). Chemicals can react with your skin chemistry and with metal, causing tarnish, discoloration, damage and more. I love to think of jewelry as the ‘final touch’ when dressing to protect it.
Jewelry should also be removed when entering any body of water. Cold water can shrink fingers causing rings to float away, waves can drag you across rough surfaces underwater, chlorine can eat away at the metal, and minerals in hot springs can tarnish the surface of your jewelry black.
I also recommend removing jewelry when it may come into contact with hard surfaces during activities including sports, time at the gym (especially with hand weights and machines), gardening, household chores, and more. This will protect your gemstones from being scratched or cracked, and protects your metal from picking up nicks and scratches or being bent.
And finally I suggest removing your rings when they may come into contact with loose fabric, like when you are doing laundry or sleeping. Loose threads can catch on small prongs in your jewelry and inadvertently pull them out of place, risking losing your gemstones. Chains can tangle or break while you’re tossing in bed, and you risk crushing delicate pieces under the weight of your dreaming body.
How can I best clean my jewelry?
Prevention is the best policy! By removing rings when cooking, applying cosmetics, washing hands and the like, you avoid grimy buildup on your jewelry that can dull the shine of your favorite jewels.
Most jewelry is best cleaned by using a solution of warm water and a couple of drops of a natural soap in a dish, a soft bristled toothbrush, and a soft polishing cloth.
Gently use the toothbrush to scrub the soapy solution into small areas around and behind gem settings, in crevices, and along the surfaces. Once you’ve dislodged all of the debris and oil, rinse your jewelry with clean water and dry immediately with a cloth. Use a polishing cloth to polish the surface of the metal, and voila!
I do not recommend using an ultrasonic cleaner at home on any jewelry that has softer gems like moonstone, labradorite, quartz, etcetera. The sonic vibrations can damage these soft stones. Frequent use of an ultrasonic cleaner can also loosen small stones, particularly pavé set gems.
What’s the best gemstone for an engagement ring?
The one you love, of course! However, all gems are graded on a system called the Mohs hardness scale, and this scale can help you determine risk and wearability of your engagement ring over time.
In terms of durability, diamonds can’t be beat with a 10, the highest rating on the Mohs scale. This is one of the reasons diamonds have always been so popular as an engagement ring stone.
Moissanite, sapphires and ruby are short runners up with a rating of 9. Sapphires come in a rainbow of colors and are an excellent choice for a colored gem in an everyday or engagement ring, and moissanite is an inexpensive colorless option.
Topaz and quartz gems come next, with 8 and 7 ratings respectively. Gems with a hardness of 7 or higher are generally considered safe for everyday wear, and are scratch resistant.
Gemstones like moonstone and labradorite are relatively soft gems, about a 6 on the Mohs scale. When set in a ring, these gems may come into contact with hard surfaces much more frequently than a pendant or earrings, and over time the surface of the gem can collect small scratches and knicks that may dull your stone.
What you choose is up to you! Keep in mind that colored gemstones on the softer side of the scale are typically inexpensive to replace should you need to during the lifespan of your jewelry.
Is sterling silver a good choice for an engagement ring?
I generally do not recommend sterling silver as an everyday or engagement ring with a few exceptions.
I don’t recommend sterling silver engagement rings that feature prong set gemstones, or have thin bands. Sterling silver is a soft metal compared to gold and platinum, and it is more prone to damage. It can easily be bent out of shape, which can cause irregularities and lost gemstones.
Wide bands and bezel gemstone settings are the best options for daily silver rings. They will collect scratches and nicks over time, developing some character to the finish.
How can I prevent tarnish on my sterling silver jewelry?
The best way to prevent tarnish is to wear your silver jewelry regularly! As it’s touched by hands and fabric and other surfaces, the surface of the metal will get a soft polish.
Sterling silver’s enemies when stored are oxygen, moisture and direct light. The best way to store sterling silver jewelry long term to avoid tarnishing is to keep it sealed in a small poly bag and inside of a drawer or other jewelry storage system. The sealed plastic bag will act as a barrier against oxygen and moisture, and the drawer will keep it out of the light.
How should I clean my sterling silver jewelry if it does tarnish?
Follow the same instructions previously in this guide for cleaning jewelry, and finish it with a silver jewelry cleaning cloth which has anti tarnish chemicals in the fabric to remove and prevent further tarnish.
How should I store my jewelry when it’s not being worn?
For daily items I recommend keeping ring dishes around the house in strategic spots so your treasured pieces always have a home. I keep one beside each of my sinks for handwashing and one beside the bed for sleeping.
When you’re traveling, take a small jewelry case or pouch to act as your mobile ring dish.
For lesser worn jewels I recommend a velvet lined box, kept out of direct sunlight and away from areas with moisture like the bathroom.
Do you offer professional cleanings or polishing?
Yes! I offer both for a small fee to cover shipping. If you need a cleaning or polish please send me photos of your jewel for consultation.
