How to care for your jewellery

 General Info

Birdsmith jewellery is made to last, but occasionally things may break or you may accidentally drop a piece and stones can crack!!!

Firstly don't panic! -  it can probably be mended, or worst case scenario, it can be remade.

You should check your jewellery on a regular basis (especially if worn everyday) for any wear, prong or stone movement, chipped stones - if any of these occur please get in touch for advice - 

to minimise the risk of this happening try to avoid the following:

yanking chains/ ear backs/ pin ends

dropping pieces/ even on softer surfaces - this can cause damage 

smacking hands against hard surfaces or door handles (it also hurts) 

bending or flexing elements against their will, bangles/ earrings etc - they will snap

and please always take your jewellery off (especially rings!) if using gym equipment or heavy machinery - I cannot be held responsible for the carnage!

... I always say to treat your piece of jewellery like a flower or an egg, if you don't treat them gently we know what happens, if you look after them they should last a lifetime and beyond ...

... having said that, I don't always practice what I preach, and quite a lot of my chunkier pieces can take a fair amount of wear and tear - created with my clumsy tendencies in mind,  so, as long as you don't chuck them into the waste disposal etc they should survive - but if in doubt, send me a message and ask, especially with regard to stones and what will stand up to everyday use  (see info on my metals and stones page for a general overview)

Most jewellery should be kept away from perfumes, hairsprays and suncreams, apply those first and wait 5-10 minutes before putting on your jewellery

 

Silver

if not wearing, keep in original box or an airtight bag/box to help minimise tarnishing

light tarnish can be removed with a dedicated silver cloth, foam or cream or try a gentle wash with soap and water

for more heavily tarnished pieces, either a good quality silver dip or a more eco friendly diy dip

 

instructions for a silver dip - DO NOT PUT JEWELLERY WITH STONES INTO THIS MIXTURE - use cooler water (diamonds & sapphires should be ok, but at your own risk)

  • take a sheet of tin foil (shiny side up) crunch it up slightly so there is more surface area place it in a heat proof dish/plate.
  • add 2-3 of teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda, then your dirty silver and then pour over boiling water to cover the pieces.
  • leave for 5-10 minutes until the dirt has lifted and rinse under the tap and pat dry, buff with a soft cloth if required.
  • If the jewellery is still dirty repeat the process, with new tin foil.

 

Gold

Very little maintenance needed, if any, as gold doesn't tend to tarnish, especially the higher the Karat - if necessary, wash with soapy water and dry or buff with a soft cloth or even a silver polishing cloth - I'm not overly precious about what cleans what.

 

Bronze or Brass

Bronze is the most hardwearing of all the metals I use and if you wear it a lot, the oils from your skin will keep it lovely and shiny - it will however react to chemicals and substances though, so I advise not wearing in the shower/swimming pool/sea etc and keep perfumes and potions away from it.

If it does tarnish its goes a lovely dull gold colour, which some people love? if you don't, give it a good clean up with some brass or metal polish -  its sturdy stuff, it can more than cope with a gentle abrasive cream! I would recommend a rinse and dry immediately after, to get rid of any residue.

Brass can be cleaned with a brass/metal polish as above

 

If any of these options really hasn't worked for you and you feel it needs a professional clean, do get in touch and as I offer a reasonably priced re-polishing service.

* I do not offer a repair/cleaning service for any jewellery other than Birdsmith*