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Jewelry Care

Part of owning jewelry means taking care of it properly to ensure it looks great for years to come! We’ve outlined suggestions and guidelines below - for more information on a specific piece you own that was purchased through our shop, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. 

QUICK TIPS:

  • Remove all jewelry when exercising, sleeping, swimming, and cleaning
  • Remove all non-fine jewelry during any water exposure (washing hands, showering, etc).
  • Store your jewelry in a cool, dry, organized place when not being worn
  • Don’t expose any jewelry to harsh chemicals such as cleaners, perfumes, aerosols or lotions.
  • Occasionally wipe all pieces with a soft cloth. For fine jewelry, pieces can be soaked in hot, soapy water and scrubbed lightly with a soft, clean toothbrush.
  • Practice extra caution with pieces that have delicate stones like pearl, tanzanite, emerald, and opal.

GENERAL CARE GUIDELINES

FINE JEWELRY

Contrary to popular belief, fine jewelry is not immune to damage! We recommend removing rings before activities like weightlifting, yoga, heavy carrying, cleaning, or gardening to avoid possible impact damage. Chemicals from swimming pools and hot tubs can also cause damage to 14k gold pieces, so it is best to remove jewelry before partaking in these activities. 

Substances that are likely to accumulate on or around rings, earrings and necklaces include shampoo, sunscreen, make-up, flour, dust, soap residue and hairspray. Be sure to remove rings before working with greasy or dirty substances, harsh chemicals, or cleaners. Common chemicals such as bleach, chlorine, furniture polish, cleaners, and more can cause major damage to any type of jewelry, especially gold. 

Necklaces and earrings should be removed every once in a while for a proper cleaning, but can otherwise be worn during most day-to-day activities. Be cautious with necklaces that have finer chains when taking on/off clothing, or around little kids who may be inclined to tug on pieces. We recommend removing necklaces and earrings when sleeping to prevent tangling and jewelry loss. 

NON-FINE JEWELRY

All non-fine jewelry (brass, goldfill, sterling silver, bronze, plated jewelry) should be removed when washing hands, showering, exercising and swimming to prevent metal from tarnishing or plating from coming off. We also advise not wearing these pieces to bed. 

Again, we recommend removing any rings before weightlifting, yoga, heavy carrying, gardening, or other heavy-impact activities. 

STORING YOUR JEWELRY

When not in use, all jewelry should be stored  in a cool, dry place, preferably in its original box or bag. We suggest storing pieces in individual plastic baggies to prevent necklaces from tangling and silver from tarnishing. A jewelry box is also a great spot. Avoid large bags with multiple pieces stored in them, as this can cause damage to more fragile pieces, tangling, and more. 

For pieces with diamonds, note that the stone can scratch other stones, especially when pieces are stored together. Keep engagement rings or other diamond pieces away from other jewelry while storing – a soft fabric pouch or a jewelry box is best.

REGULAR MAINTENANCE 

Engagement rings and other fine jewelry pieces require some regular maintenance.  Even the most secure settings may loosen over time, especially if they are worn daily. It is important to have your fine jewelry checked by a professional to make sure the setting is still secure. We recommend this annually for engagement rings, and every other year for earrings/necklaces and less-worn fine jewelry. 

Diamonds that are prong set may need to be retipped or repronged after several years of wear and tear. If your stone becomes loose in any setting, let a professional jeweler know immediately, and refrain from wearing the jewelry until the stone is secured. Shelter offers a complimentary cleaning and yearly check up at no cost. Charges may be incurred if any piece of jewelry needs to be extensively repaired. Please contact us to schedule an appointment for this service, as we are not able to accommodate walk-ins.

CLEANING

FINE JEWELRY

For basic cleaning of most fine jewelry, soak for a few minutes in hot, soapy water, then scrub with an old soft toothbrush and a bit of gentle dish soap. When using a toothbrush to clean rings, focus on places where dirt can accumulate such as in between prongs, underneath the setting, and in the back opening behind the stone. Rinse well, pat dry, and air dry. We do NOT recommend this method for soft stones like opal, turquoise, tanzanite, and pearls as this can discolor the piece and damage the stone. 

For metal polishing, you can use a Sunshine Cloth or other polishing cloth to lightly buff metals back to a shine. We recommend doing this sparingly, as excessive cleaning can wear down settings over time. 

NON-FINE JEWELRY

For goldfill, silver and brass jewelry, polishing cloths can be used to lightly buff metals back and get rid of tarnishing. We do not recommend using these on plated jewelry, as this can remove the plating. Do not submerge any non-fine jewelry in water, or use chemical cleaners, as these can further tarnish or discolor metal.