Looking after your jewellery

Good jewellery should last a lifetime, but it does need a bit of looking after. I've put together the advice I give to every customer, covering cleaning, storage, and the things to avoid.

Everyday Wear

The best thing you can do for your jewellery is take it off before showering, swimming, or washing up. Soap residue builds up under stones over time, and chlorine in pools can damage certain metals. I also recommend removing rings before heavy lifting or gardening. A few knocks on a trowel handle and even gold will show dents.

Perfume and hand cream are fine once they've dried, but spraying perfume directly onto a pendant will leave a residue that dulls the surface over weeks. My rule: jewellery goes on last, comes off first.

Cleaning Silver

Sterling silver tarnishes. That's normal and not a sign of poor quality. The dark patina is just a reaction between the silver and sulphur in the air. Some people like the aged look, but if you want it bright again, here's the simplest method:

1. Line a bowl with aluminium foil, shiny side up
2. Place the silver piece on the foil
3. Pour over enough boiling water to cover it
4. Add a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda
5. Wait 2-3 minutes, then rinse under cool water and dry with a soft cloth

This electrochemical reaction removes tarnish without scratching the surface. Don't use it on pieces with pearls, opals, or porous stones, as the heat can damage them.

For daily maintenance, a quick buff with a jeweller's polishing cloth works well. I include one with every order, and you can buy replacements from most jewellery supply shops for about £3.

Cleaning Gold

9ct and 18ct gold doesn't tarnish the way silver does, but it does get grimy. Body oils, soap, and hand cream collect in textured surfaces and behind stone settings.

The simplest clean: a few drops of washing-up liquid in warm water. Soak for 10 minutes, then gently scrub with a very soft toothbrush (a baby toothbrush is ideal). Rinse and pat dry. Do this once a month if you wear your pieces daily and they'll stay bright.

Avoid any cleaning product that contains bleach or ammonia. These won't damage the gold itself, but they can loosen certain stone settings and damage softer stones like opals.

Storing Your Pieces

The linen pouch your piece arrived in is the best storage option. It's soft enough to prevent scratching and breathable enough to slow tarnish. A few tips:

• Store each piece separately. Chains tangle, and harder stones can scratch softer metals.
• Keep jewellery in a cool, dry place. Humidity speeds up tarnish on silver.
• If you won't be wearing a piece for a while, drop an anti-tarnish strip into the pouch. They cost about £5 for a pack of 10 and last six months each.
• Don't store jewellery in the bathroom. The moisture from showers accelerates tarnish significantly.

When to Get Professional Help

Some things are best left to a jeweller. If a stone is loose, a clasp is bent, or a ring has been squashed out of shape, don't try to fix it yourself. You're more likely to make it worse. Post it back to me (insured, tracked) and I'll sort it out. Repairs on Bijouelle pieces are free for the first two years and very reasonable after that. A standard ring reshaping is £25, a chain repair is usually £15-20.

A Note on Raw Stones

The uncut stones in my Raw Stone collection are more delicate than faceted gems. Their irregular surfaces can catch on fabrics and hair. Be gentle when putting on and removing earrings, and avoid wearing raw stone pieces during sport or heavy physical work. If a stone does chip, send it back and I'll replace it at cost.