How to Care for Your Jewellery

Cleaning, Storage & Everyday Tips

Good jewellery deserves to be worn. Often. A little care will help keep your favourite pieces looking their best, so here's how to clean, store, and look after your jewellery without making it a full-time job.

Our jewellery is made using recycled sterling silver, 14k gold-fill, and gold vermeil over sterling silver. These are durable, quality materials designed for everyday wear, but a few simple habits will help keep them in good condition for longer.

Hand holding a necklace above another hand against a white background

Everyday Jewellery Care

You don't need an elaborate routine or a cupboard full of cleaning products. Just keep a few things in mind.

Put jewellery on last. Apply perfume, moisturiser, hairspray, and other cosmetics first, then add your jewellery once everything has dried.

Know when to take it off. Our jewellery is water-resistant, but prolonged exposure to moisture and chemicals can affect its finish over time. Remove it before swimming, using a hot tub, exercising heavily, or cleaning with household products.

Give it a quick wipe. After wearing, use a clean, soft cloth to remove oils, fingerprints, and everyday residue.

Treat it with care. Take jewellery off before sleeping, sports, or activities where it could catch, bend, or get knocked.

Keep it away from chemicals. Chlorine, salt water, perfume, hairspray, and cleaning products can all take their toll. Your jewellery doesn't need to join you for every adventure.

How to Store Jewellery

A little thought about storage goes a long way, particularly if you want to avoid tangled chains and scratched surfaces.

Keep pieces separate. Store necklaces, rings, and earrings in individual soft pouches or separate compartments to prevent scratches and tangles.

Choose somewhere cool and dry. Bathrooms and other humid spots aren't ideal. A jewellery box, drawer, or cupboard is a better home.

Close necklace clasps before storing. This helps keep chains from knotting themselves into something you'll need a magnifying glass and an afternoon to undo.

Keep gold finishes out of prolonged direct sunlight. Store gold-fill and vermeil pieces away from excessive heat and light.

How to Clean Jewellery

For most pieces, a clean, soft cloth is all you need for regular upkeep. If your jewellery needs more attention, use lukewarm water and a little mild soap, then rinse carefully and dry thoroughly.

Avoid abrasive cloths, stiff brushes, harsh chemicals, and household cleaning products. Don't use silver dips or chemical cleaners on gold-fill or gold vermeil, as they can damage the gold finish.

A note on polishing: Different metals need different care. A silver polishing cloth is suitable for plain sterling silver, but avoid using one on gold-fill or gold vermeil. The polishing compounds can wear down the gold surface.

How to Care for Gold-Fill Jewellery

Gold-fill features a thick layer of 14k gold bonded to sterling silver. It's a durable alternative to solid gold, made for regular wear without the solid-gold price tag.

To keep your gold-fill jewellery looking its best:

Wipe it gently with a soft, dry cloth after wearing.
If needed, clean with mild soap and lukewarm water, then rinse and dry thoroughly.
Avoid vigorous polishing, abrasive products, and chemical jewellery dips.
Store it separately in a cool, dry place when you're not wearing it.

Gold-fill is made to last, but its surface still benefits from gentle treatment. Excessive rubbing and harsh chemicals are best avoided.

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How to Care for Gold Vermeil Jewellery

Gold vermeil is a layer of gold over sterling silver. It's a lovely way to enjoy a gold finish, but the surface needs a little more care than solid sterling silver.

Wipe gently with a soft, dry cloth after wearing.
For a more thorough clean, use mild soap and lukewarm water, then rinse and dry completely.
Avoid silver polishing cloths, abrasive cleaners, chemical dips, and vigorous rubbing.
Remove vermeil jewellery before swimming, showering, exercising heavily, or using cleaning products.
Store it somewhere dry, away from humidity and direct heat.

The gold layer can wear gradually with friction and regular use. Rings and pieces that rub against other jewellery may show wear sooner, so handle them gently and avoid unnecessary polishing.

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How to Care for Sterling Silver Jewellery

Sterling silver is durable, versatile, and easy to look after. It can tarnish over time when exposed to air, moisture, and certain chemicals. This is a natural property of silver, not a sign that your jewellery is faulty.

Here's how to keep it in good shape:

Wipe it with a soft cloth after wearing to remove oils and residue.
For a deeper clean, use mild soap and lukewarm water, then rinse and dry thoroughly.
If tarnish appears, gently polish plain sterling silver with a silver polishing cloth.
Store it in a soft pouch or an airtight bag to limit exposure to air and humidity.
Avoid chlorine, harsh cleaning products, and abrasive tools.

Silver looking a little dull? Don't panic. Tarnish is normal and can usually be removed with gentle cleaning. Keep polishing light, particularly around delicate details.

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Jewellery Care FAQs

Our jewellery is water-resistant, but removing it before showering is a good habit, particularly for gold vermeil.

Soap, shampoo, and other products can leave residue, while repeated exposure to moisture and chemicals may affect the finish over time.

If a piece gets wet, dry it thoroughly before storing it.

It's best to remove jewellery before swimming.

Chlorine in pools and salt in seawater can affect metals and finishes, particularly gold vermeil.

Rinse and dry jewellery carefully if it comes into contact with water.

Absolutely. Our jewellery is designed for everyday wear.

A little care will help keep it looking its best, so remove pieces for activities that involve heavy impact, excessive sweat, or exposure to chemicals.

Sterling silver naturally reacts with substances in the air and its surroundings, which can cause discolouration over time.

Humidity, cosmetics, and certain chemicals can speed up the process. Gentle polishing with a silver polishing cloth will usually restore the shine.

Not on gold-fill or gold vermeil. Silver polishing cloths may contain compounds that are too abrasive for gold finishes and can wear down the surface. Use a clean, soft cloth instead.

Fasten the clasps before putting necklaces away and store each chain separately. If a knot does sneak in, follow our guide to untangling a necklace—because nobody needs that kind of drama.

If you wear layered necklaces regularly, keeping them organised between wears will save you from an unnecessary knot-related drama.

If you wear layered necklaces regularly, a multi-clasp necklace detangler makes layering less fiddly and helps keep chains in place to reduce tangling.

That depends on the material, how often you wear it, and how you care for it.

Sterling silver can be polished when it tarnishes, while gold-fill and gold vermeil benefit from gentle cleaning and less friction.

Looking after your pieces helps preserve their finish, but no jewellery is completely immune to wear over time.

A little care goes a long way

Jewellery is meant to be worn, not kept in a box. Look after your favourite pieces, give them a clean when they need one, and get back to wearing them.

Still have a question about caring for your jewellery? Get in touch, and we'll help you work it out.