Jewelry - Care tips
You love your jewelry and you wear it every day, so it is normal that it lives and ages at the pace of your life. It is inevitably subject to some knocks, scratches and other inconveniences regardless of its material. This is why it is important to pamper it and treat it with the greatest care. Here are some maintenance tips so that you can enjoy it for as long as possible:
- Be sure to store your jewelry individually away from light in its original packaging to avoid friction with other pieces.
- Take it off to sleep and during physical activity
- Avoid contact with water, perfume and cosmetics
- Rub your jewelry regularly with a small chamois or soft cloth
Stainless steel
What is stainless steel?
This metal is a very good alternative to silver and gold plating. Strong and durable, it does not corrode and is not very sensitive to scratches. Stainless steel is an alloy of iron, carbon, nickel and chromium necessary to ensure the formation of a self-regenerating surface layer that makes it stainless. Are you allergic to nickel? Don't panic, the nickel particles are trapped in the alloy, so the nickel is not released, which makes stainless steel an anti-allergenic metal that does not irritate the skin.
How to maintain it?
There are several tips for maintaining stainless steel. For example, you can clean your jewelry with a cloth soaked in lemon oil, mix hot water with baking soda, or clean it with dishwashing liquid and rinse it well several times.
Brass
What is brass?
It is a gold or silver colored alloy composed mainly of copper and zinc. This very malleable metal is widely used for the creation of costume jewelry.
How to maintain it?
Just like silver, this metal can oxidize on contact with the skin or simply with the oxygen in the ambient air. To avoid this phenomenon, we advise you to wipe your jewelry after wearing it with a chamois or soft cloth, to store it individually in its Jolie Demoiselle case or pouch, to avoid humid atmospheres and any contact with water, or to remove it during physical activity. You can revive its color by cleaning it with a special brass or copper product. Other tips, you can also rub it with toothpaste or clean it with soapy water.
Gilded with fine gold
Gold plated jewelry is usually made on a brass or pewter base. It is a thin layer of 24, 16 or 14kt gold that covers the metal base by a process called electrolysis or flashing.
The thickness of this layer is often between 0.5 and 1 micron but can sometimes go beyond not exceeding 3 microns otherwise the name would be gold plated and a hallmark must be deposited there.
To maintain your fine gold-plated jewelry:
-Store the jewelry in its small pouch away from light and humidity.
-Clean it with a small soft cloth.
- Do not put your jewelry in prolonged contact with aggressive products, water
-Put on your perfume well before putting on your jewelry and avoid cosmetics in general.
925 silver
What is 925 silver?
925/1000 silver, also called solid silver, is a precious metal widely used in jewelry. It is composed of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, most often copper. This alloy makes the silver harder and thus easier to work with.
How to maintain it?
Non-rhodium-plated silver is bound to tarnish and blacken over time, this is inevitable. Its oxidation is a natural phenomenon that only occurs on the surface of the material and does not alter the quality of the product in any way. The acidity of the skin of the person wearing the jewelry is one of the factors that accelerate its aging. Fortunately, it is very easy to restore its shine by cleaning it regularly with a soft cloth or chamois leather. You can also use a product suitable for silverware, available in supermarkets. Finally, avoid wearing your jewelry in the shower and putting it in contact with chemicals. If it has been in contact with water, be sure to dry it well.
Gold plated
What is gold plating?
Gold plated corresponds to a minimum thickness equivalent to 3 microns of gold deposited on a resistant metal (copper, zinc, brass, silver). Gold plated jewelry has the advantage of looking very similar to that made from pure gold with the advantage of being much less expensive.
How to maintain it?
Gold plated jewelry can tarnish and flake over time, so it requires special attention on a daily basis. Avoid wearing it when doing the dishes or other household chores, take it off before showering and remember to store it in its original packaging. When your jewelry starts to tarnish, you can soak it in warm water with Marseille soap to give it a new lease of life.
Leather
Your leather bracelet or more generally your leather jewelry does not need to be cleaned regularly.
However, there are a few simple rules to avoid damaging your leather strap:
- Do not immerse your leather jewelry in water: water dries out your leather and can alter its color
- Do not expose your leather strap to the sun for a long time: like your skin, the sun will dry out your leather and the leather will tan.
- Do not treat leather with abrasive products which will irreparably damage your leather.
- Do not use shoe polish: shoe polish will clog the pores of your leather jewelry, prevent it from breathing and eventually crack the leather of your bracelet.
While your leather jewelry does not require regular maintenance, the accumulation of dirt and grease is not desirable.
Before completely cleaning your leather bracelet or jewelry, do a test first, on a non-visible part to avoid irreparable damage.
Cleaning will remove particles stuck to the leather.
For smooth leathers, you can use a soft cloth.
If the stains persist, you can use a soft brush made from natural fibers.
For grained and tumbled leathers, you can also use this soft brush.
Avoid any aggressive rubbing: never treat your leather with a sponge, a hard brush or sandpaper.
Do not scratch to remove a stain, this would change the structure of the leather and remove its color.
If your leather is dirty, it is advisable to use a glycerin-based soap.
Wipe off dirt with a soft, damp cloth.
Repeat as many times as necessary then leave to dry at room temperature (never in the sun).
Do not rinse: glycerin nourishes and softens the leather.