Caring for metals

Silver Care

Genuine sterling or fine silver jewelry is both affordable and high in quality.  Your silver jewelry is an investment and will last as an heirloom jewelry piece with the proper care.  Care for your silver jewelry with a simple routine.  Remember to remove before swimming or using harsh chemicals to protect the metal.  Wipe with a soft polish cloth in between wearing.  

Make putting on your jewelry the last thing you do in the morning when getting dressed and the first thing you remove at night when getting undressed.  Don't hesitate to contact me for more help in caring for your jewelry.

Caring for Stones

Gemstone Care

Different precious and semi-precious gemstones will have slightly different care requirement based on the inherent hardness and durability of the stone and the types of settings the stones are placed in.

Diamonds are a benchmark stone, the hardest on the Moh's hardness scale at a 10; this gives them outstanding durability among gemstones.  Meanwhile, opals are between 5-6.5 on the Moh's hardness scale, making them much softer and more vulnerable to damage.  Pearls are even softer at a 2.5 on the scale! Labradorite, garnets, agates, emeralds, spinel and many other stones used in jewelry will fall somewhere in between.  

The hardness of the stone will determine how easily scratched it is.  The porosity of a stone will determine how easily a stone absorbs water and other liquids.  Inclusions within individual stones can sometime predict potential for fractures or cracks within the stones.

Before placing your gemstone jewelry in a chemical bath, ultrasonic cleaner or trying abrasive cleaning methods please contact me for best advice on cleaning and caring for your particular stone and setting.  The easiest and simplest way to clean is using dish soap and water, then drying the jewelry carefully with a soft cloth.