Fine jewelry rewards a little care. These are the practices that keep a piece looking as it did the day it arrived — our motto is crafted to be treasured, and treasuring something means looking after it.
Everyday Habits
- Last on, first off. Put jewelry on after cosmetics, perfume, and hairspray, and take it off before anything else. Alcohol and oils in cosmetics are the single most common cause of dulled finish.
- Remove before water. Take pieces off before showering, swimming, or washing up. Chlorine attacks alloys in gold and can cause permanent structural damage.
- Remove before physical work. Exercise, gardening, and cleaning are where knocks, scratches, and bent settings happen.
- Keep away from household chemicals. Bleach and ammonia-based cleaners permanently discolour gold alloys and pit sterling silver.
Cleaning by Material
Gold (14K and 18K)
Soak for 15 minutes in warm water with a few drops of mild dish soap, brush gently with a soft toothbrush, rinse thoroughly, and dry with a lint-free cloth. Never use toothpaste or baking soda — both are abrasive enough to scratch gold permanently.
Sterling Silver
Silver tarnishes through normal reaction with air; this is expected and reversible. Polish with a dedicated silver cloth using straight strokes rather than circles. For heavier tarnish use a silver-specific cleaner. Do not use a silver dip on pieces set with stones — it can damage porous gemstones and loosen settings.
Diamonds
Diamonds attract grease, which is what makes them look dull. Warm soapy water and a soft brush restores brilliance. Clean behind the stone as well as in front — light enters from below, so a dirty pavilion dulls a diamond more than a dirty table.
Coloured Gemstones
Treat as delicate unless you know otherwise. Emeralds, opals, pearls, and turquoise are porous or fracture-filled and must never be exposed to ultrasonic cleaners, steam, or solvents. Wipe with a soft damp cloth and dry immediately. Pearls should be wiped after every wear, as skin acids etch nacre over time.
Storage
Store pieces separately — in the pouch or box your order arrived in, or a lined box with individual compartments. Jewelry stored loose together scratches itself; a diamond will scratch every other material, including other diamonds. Keep silver in a closed, dry place, ideally with an anti-tarnish strip, and keep all jewelry out of direct sunlight, which fades some gemstones.
Professional Care
Have frequently worn pieces — particularly engagement rings — inspected annually by a jeweler. Prongs wear down with daily contact, and a stone is almost always lost because a worn prong was not caught in time. This is inexpensive and it is the single most effective thing you can do to protect a valuable piece.
A Note on Wear
Gold is a soft metal and will develop fine surface marks with wear. This is normal, is not a defect, and can be polished out by a jeweler. Please note that items showing wear cannot be returned — see our Return & Refund Policy.
