Question 1

How to care for your Jewellery

Accepted Answer

My Jewellery is made to be worn every day and on adventures, the information below just helps you prolong the life of your jewellery but does not stop you from wearing it every day. Just like you need to clean and re-spray your hiking boots and re-waterproof your jackets from time to time, Jewellery also needs that extra love and care.

It is advised to remove your Jewellery when showering and swimming, especially chlorine water can tarnish metals quicker. All my jewellery is waterproof but excessive exposure to water, soaps, shampoos, shower gels and chlorinated water will tarnish metals quicker. 
When not wearing your Jewellery it is advised to keep your pieces in a Jewellery box or pouch away from sunlight and airtight if you can to prevent tarnishing.
It is advised to put your Jewellery on last when getting ready, this is to help avoid contact with creams and perfumes, again prolonging the shine and lustre of your pieces.
Sterling Silver, Gold Fill and Gold Vermeil pieces are easily cleaned and polished up with a Jewellery cloth, for gold vermeil pieces please use the softest jewellery cloth you can find.
You need to be extra careful with Gold Vermeil pieces to prevent tarnishing to the silver base metal - see more on this information in the Gold Vermeil Section
Please remove rings and bracelets especially if climbing or scrambling (indoor and outdoor activities) this is to prevent scratches and damage to the metal or even the pieces breaking. 
It is advised to remove earrings when sleeping, again to prolong the life of your jewellery items as some of my items, especially the wire wrapped stud earrings are delicate.

Question 2

What is Sterling Silver and How to Care for it

Accepted Answer

Sterling Silver is an alloy made up of 92.5% pure Silver and 7.5% Copper. This alloy is used for jewellery making as it is far more durable than pure silver alone. You can easily identify Sterling Silver as all pieces are stamped with “925” (Gold Vermeil also has this stamp as it is Sterling Silver coated with a thick gold plate).

The nature of Sterling Silver is that it can oxidise when it comes into contact with air and so Gold Vermeil and Silver jewellery can both be prone to tarnishing. This is not a fault and can be easily remedied. We recommend gently rubbing your jewellery with a specialised jewellery cleaning cloth to restore its shine and keep it looking at its best.
You can very easily get hold of Sterling Silver Polishing Cloths.

Sterling Silver is Hypoallergenic.

Sterling Silver is Waterproof but excessive exposure to water, soaps, shampoos, sea salt, chlorine etc will tarnish the metal, this is easily cleaned with a sterling silver polishing cloth or having your pieces professionally cleaned from time to time.

Top tips for caring for your Sterling Silver:

1: As it’s a soft metal, silver can be susceptible to bumps, scratches, and dents. Be mindful whilst wearing and always remove when playing sport, especially when climbing or scrambling or even the potential of a scramble on a Hike you have planned, it is always best to remove brings and bracelets.

2: Take your jewellery off before getting in a swimming pool or spa as exposure to chlorine will cause the silver to tarnish. The higher the temperature of the water, the faster and more severe the tarnishing process will be, and a silver piece of jewellery can become completely tarnished extremely quickly under these circumstances.

3: Household cleaners with acids or abrasives, will damage your jewellery’s finish and will likely cause the silver to tarnish. We recommend using rubber gloves or removing your jewellery whilst cleaning.

4: Put your jewellery on last when getting ready as makeup, perfume, hairspray, and lotions can damage the appearance of the silver causing it to lose its shine.

5: It is advised to remove rings when washing and sanitising your hands and advised not to wear your jewellery in the bath or shower as a build-up of products will leave a soapy film on the silver and reduce its shine

All the above will help keep your jewellery items looking shiny and new for longer.

Question 3

What is Gold Filled Jewellery and How to Care for it

Accepted Answer

Gold filled Jewellery is hypoallergenic, which is ideal for those of you who have sensitive skin. Made of 5% solid gold, the gold is bonded onto a base layer, which is typically sterling silver but it can also be brass. Gold-filled jewellery is safe to wear underwater , therefore Waterproof (unless the water is chlorinated or is salt water) and is easy to clean.

Gold Filled Jewellery is of a higher quality than gold plated and gold vermeil Jewellery, it is a great affordable substitute to real gold. It can last a lifetime if looked after properly and also tarnish free under normal conditions.

Here are some tips on how to care for your gold filled jewellery:

Use a Soft Jewellery Polishing cloth to restore shine, please make sure the polishing cloth you use is suitable for gold filled jewellery, it is advised to NOT use a sterling silver polishing cloth for gold filled jewellery. 
It is advised to avoid contact with perfumes, detergents and other skin and hair care products. Avoid Chlorinated water, so remove jewellery when in swimming pools and hot tubs (wood fired hot tubs are fine as this water usually has no chemicals in) 
Rinse your Jewellery with warm water after swimming in the sea/ocean/tidal pools
Remove Jewellery during sports, especially rings and bracelets when climbing or scrambling, or even gardening (unless wearing gardening gloves)
When you are not wearing your jewellery please keep items in a jewellery box or soft pouch, or even wrapped in tissue paper to prevent scratches. 
Mild soapy water and a very soft toothbrush will help remove residue and fingerprints from the metal and restore some of its shine

Gold Filled Jewellery Items, out of all the Metal, is the most waterproof, but please avoid chlorinated water and rinse after exposure to salt water.

Question 4

What is Gold Vermeil Jewellery and How to Care for it

Accepted Answer

Gold Vermeil is Sterling Silver which has been coated with 2.5 microns of 14k gold plate which means its super thick and longer lasting, but not as long lasting as Gold Filled Jewellery and requires a lot more care
 So if you are looking for something longer lasting, harder wearing and more waterproof, I would go for Gold Filled Jewellery over Gold Vermeil.

Gold Vermeil is Hypoallergenic.

My Gold Vermeil pieces are a cheaper alternative to Gold Filled and if looked after well, they will last a very long time.

Tips on caring for your Gold Vermeil:

1: Remove jewellery when washing your hands, showering, or swimming because water and chemicals (especially chlorine) can affect the longevity of the gold plating.

2: Put your jewellery on last when getting ready as makeup, perfume, hairspray, and lotions can affect the beauty and shine of your Gold Vermeil.

3: To clean your jewellery and restore its shine we recommend that you use a jewellery cleaning cloth to gently rub the surface.
Do not use a polishing agent, silver polishing cloth or abrasive liquids as these will wear away the layers of gold.

4. When you are not wearing your Jewellery, please store in a Jewellery box or pouch, ideally air tight and away from sunlight to prevent tarnishing.

5. Remove your jewellery when doing sports.

Question 5

How to Care for your Gemstone Pieces

Accepted Answer

All my Gemstones/semi- precious gemstones are Ethically Sourced.

All my semi-precious gemstones are completely natural meaning that each stone is unique to you! There can be variations in colour and pattern within the stones, however I feel that this just adds to their natural beauty. Because each stone is completely natural, stones may vary in appearance and will not always completely match the stone pictured.

Top tips for caring for your Gemstones:

1: Do not keep jewellery in direct sunlight and remove it whilst sunbathing. Extreme temperatures and strong UV rays can cause gemstones to fade in colour and shine.

2: Remove jewellery when washing and sanitising your hands, showering, or swimming because water and chemicals (especially chlorine) can dull and irreversibly damage gemstones.

3: Be mindful of any knocks or bumps when wearing semi-precious gemstones and always remove jewellery when exercising.

Question 6

How to care for Pearls

Accepted Answer

Put your pearl jewellery on last to prevent contact with cosmetics, hairspray, perfumes, and lotions, which may damage pearls.

Pearls are prone to scratches from other materials so we recommend storing your pearls away from other jewellery.

Pearls are sensitive to chemicals like chlorine, so never wear your pearl jewellery in swimming pools, hot tubs or even in the shower.

Clean pearls with a  damp soft cloth. Never clean your pearls in an ultrasonic cleaner or with a jewellery polishing cloth.

Pearls benefit from being worn, the natural oils from your skin adding to their lustre - so wear your pearl jewellery often

Question 7

How to care for Opals

Accepted Answer

Opals should not come into contact with water so please remove opal jewellery when washing and sanitising your hands, showering, exercising or swimming/wild swimming. 
Opals naturally contain water and the amount of water in an opal can fluctuate, based on factors such as humidity, heat, sweat, and contact with water. Exposure to any of these can cause the opal to become dull and lose their play of colour.

Do not store opal jewellery in the bathroom. The humidity created from the shower can cause opal to lose it's colour.

Do not clean opal jewellery in an ultrasonic cleaner. The water, high temperature and vibrations will irreversibly damage the stone

Question 8

Is your Jewellery Waterproof?

Accepted Answer

Yes my jewellery is Waterproof as I do not use silver or gold plated jewellery at all and I am moving away from Gold vermeil.

925 Sterling Silver and Gold Filled Jewellery is absolutely fine to be worn when showering/in the bath and swimming wild in freshwater or in the sea and even swimming pools.
However, sea salt and chlorine can tarnish i.e.. dull the shine to silver and gold fill, so it is recommended to remove jewellery if you are planning on sea swimming or in a chlorinated swimming pool, this is purely to sustain the shine and lustre of your jewellery for longer. 
It is recommended to rinse in clean freshwater, after exposure to sea salt and chlorine. If your pieces are tarnished from excessive water/chemical exposure, they are super easy to clean with a jewellery polishing cloth and warm soapy water (polishing cloth to be used on dry metal, do not get this wet)

Please DO NOT wear opal jewellery when swimming and also do try to remove when showering/washing the pots etc as this gemstone is porous - please see the section on how to care for Opal jewellery.

Gold vermeil  jewellery, yes it is waterproof and the thickness of the gold plate over the silver is much thicker than gold plated, however excessive exposure to water will mean the gold will wear off and the silver will be seen underneath. Not many of my pieces are Gold Vermeil but some are, so extra care is needed with this metal.

If you never want to take your jewellery off, definitely opt for 925 Sterling Silver and Gold Filled Pieces.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions