Customer Login

Jewelry Care for Metal and Specific Stones

All of our pieces are made with naturally occurring elements from mother earth. Other naturally occuring elements, like water, oxygen, light, and just plain dirt can tarnish your pieces. But don’t fret, there are ways to clean them!


One way to prevent oxidization of silver is to wear it regularly. The buffing it gets from being against your skin will keep it from tarnishing.


Storing your pieces in the airtight plastic bag we send them in is one way to keep out the elements that can cause your jewelry to tarnish.


Be very careful with lotions, hair products, sunscreens perfumes, etc., for they can also discolor stones and tarnish metals, sometimes permanently. It’s always best to put your jewelry on last to avoid any of these problems–we cannot stress this enough. also, please refrain from wearing any plated jewelry in the shower, pool or ocean. 


Also, do yourself a favor and pick up a jewelry polishing cloth at your local drug store or in the jewelry department of a local department store. Polishing is the safest and most recommended way to clean sterling silver jewelry but not plated jewelry. Never polish plated jewelry.


Even mild soap and water can be used to clean jewelry with a soft brush. However, do not use this with pieces that involve lapis lazuli, turquoise, pearls, mother of pearl, amber, coral, kunzite, opal, jade, or emerald.

 

Certain stones like opals are very sensitive to even water. They’re like sponges and will absorb water and temporarily discolor by turning a yellowish color. Please allow it to dry completely and the shimmer will come back. However, if your opal has come in contact with any chemicals from hair products, sunscreen, perfume etc it may change color permanently. Please always put your opal  jewelry on last and take off before swimming or bathing.


In some cases, liquid jewelry cleaners will also help shine up your pieces. Please read the instructions on the jar before putting your jewelry into the solution. Some stones, such as turquoise, pearls, coral, opals, and other soft, porous stones and finished or plated metal pieces will become permanently damaged by the harsh solvents in the cleaners if it’s not rinsed off immediately. We find this method the best way to clean plated jewelry if dipped quickly and cleaned thoroughly.

Plated jewelry is especially delicate. Do not wear plated items in a pool or jacuzzi, do not wear them constantly, don’t expose them to corrosive elements, and don’t expose them to perfume and hair products. These things will all cause the plating to come off. 

Unfortunately, once they are damaged, we are not responsible for repairing the pieces. We will always try, but sometimes a few will be involved to replace stones or replate.


Please be gentle with your jewelry, it is delicate and should be treated with care. If you do, it will last forever!!!

Copyright © 2024 Soixante Neuf Jewels | Ecommerce Software by Shopify