Jewelry Care

General Care Tips for Your Handmade Jewelry

Please note that not all jewelry can be cared for in the same way. Some jewelers may recommend different methods of cleaning or storing their jewelry due to the nature of the materials or techniques used in their work.

How to store your jewelry

Air, light, and moisture are enemies of bright metals, and even some stones. But your skin can be your jewelry's best friend, under the right conditions. The natural oils in your skin can actually act as a protective barrier to tarnish over time, as long as it's clean. That's why that favorite necklace or pair of hoops that you wear all the time tend to stay bright and shiny. But it is best to take your jewelry off at night and before certain activities. Perfumes and lotions are bad for jewelry; you should apply them before you accessorize. I recommend you don't wear your jewelry in the shower or while swimming in pools or the ocean. Not only are these environments bad for your jewelry, but the possibility of losing or damaging your jewelry is higher. Sports and jewelry don't mix. If you're heading to the gym or out for a run, leave your jewels behind!

The best storage solution is a plastic baggie that has a tight seal. Though affective, this is often a less attractive option. Storing your jewelry in a soft pouch, each piece separated from the others, is a great way to keep them from getting scratched or tangled. 

Cleaning your jewelry

I typically clean all my jewelry the same way, with a few exceptions. Best practices for general cleaning include making a paste from baking soda and Dawn dish soap and then using a soft tooth brush and warm water to gently clean away grime and oils. This is a safe method for most stones and metals. The dish soap will cut through grease and the baking soda has a mild abrasive that aids in cleaning mild tarnish. You may use this method on silver that has a blackened patina, but go gently so as to avoid changing the finish. Some oxidized metals are protected with a thin layer of wax to preserve the deep color of the patina--you can still wash these pieces but be aware that this may remove the protective wax and cause your piece to tarnish more quickly. Travel Tip: in a pinch toothpaste is a great alternative when the other ingredients aren't available!

Softer stones like Pearls and Opals require more careful handling and should not be subjected to harsher cleaning chemicals. I will cover basic tips for these stones below.

Another easy method for cleaning your jewelry is a polishing cloth, such as Sunshine brand. Be careful of using too much pressure on oxidized pieces as that can remove the patina. These cloths are impregnated with a cleaning solution and should never be laundered. 

If your jewelry is all bright silver and the tarnish is overwhelming, you can resort to a silver dip cleaner such as Tarn-X which is available at hardware stores. Just be sure to follow the instructions on the bottle. You should not use this on jewelry with stones or with intentional oxidation. 

Caring for jewelry with soft stones

Pearls and opals are notoriously sensitive to temperature, UV light, and moisture, and need to be handled with care. 

Pearls and opals can be wiped clean after wearing with a soft, damp cloth or chamois and should be stored separately from other jewelry to avoid scratches or damage.

Opals have their own needs due to the mineral structure of the stones. Australian opals can be cared for in many of the same ways listed above. A few additional tips are to submerge your opals in a glass of distilled water for 15 minutes once every 12 months. For long term storage of your opal jewelry be sure to add a little moisture--such as a few drops of water to your cloth-wrapped jewelry--before sealing it away for an extended period of time. This will prevent your opal from drying out and cracking.

 

For other questions regarding the care of your one-of-a-kind art jewelry from Flying Crow Metalworks, you can reach out to Liette here.