Caring for handcrafted jewellery and pearls
I would like you
to enjoy wearing the jewellery I create for years to come, therefore I put together
some information on taking care of it so that it would remain in best possible
condition for you to enjoy.
If you have any questions about or would like to add anything to this section, please contact me.
Gem & Semi-precious Stones
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Semi-precious
stones add much beauty to hand-made jewellery: through their colour, character,
cut and the natural imperfections that tend to distinguish
them as a natural product.
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Do
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Don’t
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-wipe
your stones with a clean, soft cotton cloth
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-clean
notoriously delicate stones with a harsh cleaner (silver dip, ultrasonic
cleaners, hot solutions or any abrasives) as it will destroy them. Such stones are: Amber, Coral, Emerald, Malachite,
Mother of Pearl, Opal, Pearls, Peridot, unstabilized Turquoise
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Sterling, Fine and Karen Hill Tribe Silver
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Over
time, silver pieces will take on their own character, and tarnish in tiny
places where you wouldn't be able to clean. This is
nothing to worry about. Moreover, it will give your piece of
jewellery an antiqued, individual look.
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Do
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Don’t
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-wipe your silver with a silver polishing cloth
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-scrub
with any rough, sharp, metal containing material. Silver is soft and scratches will be
apparent.
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Freshwater & Saltwater Pearls
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Pearls
will naturally have imperfections, only the most expensive pearls will come
anywhere near to not having imperfections. These give pearls their character and uniqueness.
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Do
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Don’t
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-re-string your pearls every few years
if they are knotted on silk thread. Silk tend to deteriorate with time.
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-spray
perfume or body lotions on pearls. Pearls
are highly porous, their lustre is affected by sweat, perfume and any body
creams or lotions
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-wipe
your pearls with a damp cloth after wearing them, otherwise their lustre will
become dull
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-clean
with a harsh cleaner (silver dip, ultrasonic cleaners, hot solutions or any
abrasives) as it will destroy them
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-scratch
them, rub with rough materials
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-try
to get rid of imperfections that are natural to pearls
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General Handcrafted Jewellery Care
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Do
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Don’t
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-use
only very gentle soap solution with your fingers or a very soft brush to
clean your jewellery
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-have
a bath or shower, or go swimming with your jewellery on, or store your
jewellery in the bathroom
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-very
dirty pieces should be cleaned by a professional jeweller
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-spray
perfume or body lotions on your pieces of jewellery
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-restring
most often worn jewellery by a professional
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-dye
your hair or use any colour solutions whilst wearing your jewellery
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-store
individual pieces of jewellery separately and protected with soft cloth or
tissue or in their individual box with padding
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-sports
activities are best avoided while wearing your jewellery
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-store
your jewellery unprotected and jumbled up together
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-hang
your jewellery on a hook, as it will put an unnecessary pressure and will
lead to breakages
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-wear
your jewellery overnight or put it under your pillow
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-pull
it down or apart, or let anyone else do it. Many hand made pieces use open jump rings and hooks to keep things
together and under unnecessary pressure they can
become undone/broken.
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