Jewelry Care Guide

Basic Jewelry Care

Your fine jewelry is made to last and to be cherished for a lifetime. Jewelry is precious and delicate, so treat your piece with love and care! We want you to be able to enjoy your jewelry for as long as possible. Here are some recommendations to care for your jewelry and safeguard your investment:

Keeping your jewelry safe and free of scratches during storage is easily accomplished by either utilizing a lined pouch for each piece, or a compartmentalized jewelry box.

We recommend storing “like materials” together (eg. store gold with gold, silver with silver, pearls with pearls etc.) in order to avoid scratching your more delicate pieces.

Proper storage also helps safeguard against elements such as moisture in the air, which naturally causes tarnishing (oxidization) in metals such as sterling silver.

All metal jewelry benefits from periodic polishing. This can be accomplished through carefully (and gently) rubbing your jewelry with a polishing cloth. We will always include a cloth designed for the care of your piece in your order. Additional polishing cloths may be purchased here, or from your local jeweller.

Most diamond and gemstone jewelry can be safely cleaned with a solution of warm water and mild dish soap, using a soft brush. We recommend setting up a bowl with warm, soapy water and using a dedicated soft bristle brush set aside just for this purpose.

Be sure to rinse the soap off (in a bowl) before drying. After rinsing, dry your piece on a lint-free soft cloth (microfiber is an excellent option).

Softer gems such as opals and pearls require delicate cleaning and care as they can be scratched more easily. To prevent silk cord (and other common pearl-stringing materials) from stretching, it’s best to lay out your pearl jewelry and let it dry completely before storing or wearing the piece again.

*We do not recommend cleaning your jewelry in the sink, as it could easily be dropped and lost.

Ultrasonic Cleaners – ultrasonic cleaning is an excellent option for cleaning metals, diamonds and certain gemstones. We do however recommend only using this method in professional settings, such as at your trusted local jeweller. Certain gemstones are not well suited for ultrasonic cleaning and this should be assessed by your jeweller on a case by case basis.

Avoid applying lotions, perfumes and other products while wearing your jewelry. We recommend applying these products before putting on jewelry. These products are not designed to be used on your jewelry and can dull or even damage your pieces.

We don’t recommend wearing your jewelry while cleaning, showering, or swimming as these activities can damage your piece over time. The effects may not be obvious until repeated exposure over years discolors the metal or dulls your gems due to the corrosive nature of certain chemicals. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation on this subject. We would rather you know how to properly protect your jewelry and err on the side of caution than hide this fact. Even common everyday household chemicals can damage metals and gemstones alike, therefore it’s better to avoid exposing your jewelry to these.

Special Care

For best practices caring for pieces with specific needs, continue reading below:

Sterling silver is a fantastic option for people who wish to wear their pieces regularly!
Sterling silver does oxidize over time and requires a little bit of upkeep to maintain its beautiful shine. To care for your piece, use the polishing cloth provided until the cloth is ready to be thrown away. Additional polishing cloths may be purchased here, or from your local jeweller.

To minimize tarnishing, store your sterling silver jewelry in an airtight tarnish-free bag or box.

Gold is perfect for everyday wear and is easy to care for. To keep your gold jewelry looking like new, it’s best to regularly clean any buildup that may have accumulated on the surface of your piece. For regular cleaning, warm water, mild dish soap and a soft bristle brush are best. If your gold jewelry begins to look a little dull, gently polish it with the cloth provided with your purchase. Additional polishing cloths may be purchased here, or from your local jeweller.

Like pearls, Opals also vulnerable to scratching. Most opal jewelry can be cleaned using mild soap, warm water and a soft brush (not a toothbrush), but try to minimize exposure as much as possible.

Some opals (such as Ethiopian opals may temporarily change color when wet. The color will return once the opal has dried out. Allow this to occur naturally, do not try to speed up the process manually!

Opals are extremely sensitive to sudden changes in temperature. Be careful about taking your opal jewelry from one temperature extreme to another (such as from a climate controlled room directly into frigid winter night or scorching summer day).

Store your opal jewelry separately from other pieces to avoid accidental scratches.

The way to keep pearls looking their best is to wear them regularly. Pearls prefer oils from the skin and moisture from the air to keep them looking shiny and lustrous. However, please note that pearls are vulnerable to acids (including perspiration) and ammonia.

Pearls are also vulnerable to scratching, so take care in the wear, storage and cleaning of your pearl jewelry. Only use warm water, mild soap and a soft brush (not a toothbrush) for cleaning. For more details and step-by-step cleaning instructions, visit this page.

Best stored in a soft lined pouch; store your pearl jewelry separately from other pieces to avoid accidental scratches.

The stones on your beaded jewelry can be safely cleaned by gently wiping with a damp cloth. Any sterling silver and gold components on your jewelry may be carefully polished using an anti-tarnish polishing cloth. You should be careful to avoid using any polishing cloth impregnated with polishing agent directly on any stones.

Remember that all stones are subject to change over time through exposure to different chemicals and environmental elements, and through regular wear.

There has never been a wider variety of treated gemstones on the market than today! These beautiful gemstones may require special care. As such, it is of paramount importance for all treatments to be disclosed at the time of purchase. Treated stones may be negatively impacted when cleaning through methods using heat, ultrasonic, steam or certain solvents created for other types of jewelry.

Treatments can include (but are not limited to) methods such as:
- fracture-fill (with oil, resin or glass, commonly used for treating emeralds)
- coating (eg. Mystic Fire Topaz, Angel Aura Quartz)
- sugar or smoke treatment (used to create treated black opal)
- heat treatments

While many of us love the summer sun, prolonged exposure can even leave damaging impact on some of your jewelry over time. We recommend storing your jewelry out of the sun to avoid fading or darkening as certain gemstones are more susceptible to the sun’s rays (eg. amethyst, topaz, pearl and opal).

Avoid wearing your jewelry while engaging in activities during which your piece may snag or catch. We do not recommend wearing jewelry during exercise or while operating certain machinery. This is both to protect the wearer and the piece of jewelry in question.

Jewelry may be a choking hazard for children under 5.

We strongly advise considering suitability when purchasing jewelry for children. While it may be tempting to gift a beautiful piece of jewelry to a young or active child, safety should always come first.