Taking care of your jewellery is important if you want to get the best out of it, and for as long as possible. With a little love, your pieces should last a lifetime and more, so here are my top tips on keeping your jewellery looking great.
Cleaning
My pieces are made to be worn. This does mean though, that they’ll need a good clean from time to time...a bit of a spruce up so to speak.
Day-to-day life; perspiration, hand creams, soaps...these things can build up and take a bit of the shine away. But by following the simple steps below you can remove grime and have them sparkling again in no time!
Use a couple of drops of dish liquid (avoid anything with bleach or any abrasive agents) in some warm water and *gently* scrub your pieces of jewellery with a cloth or an old soft toothbrush. Then, rinse them off in a bowl of water (this helps to avoid accidentally washing them down the sink).
If your Natalie Salisbury Jewellery needs a deeper clean then check out this jewellery cleaning cloth from G & A Warburtons which is great to use on polished silver surfaces. Gently wipe the cloth over the surface focusing on any areas that look dull or dirty. Et voilá!
Avoid rubbing a polishing cloth over gold-plated pieces, however, as this may remove the gold layer.
Special Care for Gold-Plated Pieces
It's best to store your gold-plated items separately from any other jewellery when you aren't wearing them, this avoids them potentially bumping into those other pieces.
Put your gold-plated jewellery on after applying any creams or make-up and avoid wearing them in the sea or when taking a dip in a spa/hot tub.
Try not to wear your gold-plated items next to each other and if you expect to get sweaty or exercise then I would always advise to remove your gold-plated jewellery and store it somewhere safe.
All of these simple tips help to give your plated items more longevity. However, no matter how well you store your gold-plated items, they will at some point in the future want or need a re-plate. I offer the first re-plate for free on all items purchased direct or via my online store (excluding sale items) so do get in touch at natalie@nsj.co.nz when you want that extra golden glow on your jewels!
Black Patinas
I love love LOVE a blackened surface. Not only does it go SO well with a golden one, it also looks pretty amazing next to silver too.
However, the blackened colour of an oxidised piece is only perfectly black for a short time. With wear, the patina will be removed, leaving the black hue in the recesses of the pieces surface only. This is true most especially for rings where the black patina fades at a quicker rate than for other items due to the extra wear that they receive.
In short - the black hue does change and fade over time, but in an utterly whimsical way I believe that this is all part of the rich tapestry of the inbuilt
If you don't quite feel that same sentiment, then be reassured that the black patina can be easily replaced. Again, get in touch if you have any questions or are seeking this service.
Pearls & Gemstones
Gemstones can add such beauty and individuality (not to mention colour!) to any given piece. Here at Natalie Salisbury Jewellery I am beginning to love adding stones my work, particularly in the Future Artefacts Collection that you can find here.
However, pearls and other gemstones can really add to the fragility of a piece, so here are a couple of pointers to help you keep your gemstone set pieces staying sparkly!
Store your pearl set pieces separately from all other jewellery to avoid any scratches or knocks. Keep pearls away from high temperatures and don't wear them if you expect to get sweaty.
Try to avoid knocks and bumps for all stone set pieces as most gems are prone to scratching and chipping if not looked after. Diamonds and Sapphires are durable and least affected by everyday wear, but emeralds and pearls in particular should be worn with care.
Storage
Store your Natalie Salisbury Jewellery pieces somewhere safe when you’re not wearing them.
A jewellery box or draw is the perfect place as keeping your jewellery out of the sunlight will slow any tarnishing.
Having a safe place to put them helps to avoid pieces getting lost also!
Damage
Try to avoid damage by not wearing your jewellery when doing any heavy lifting, strenuous work, or activities like gardening.
That said, if damage does happen then don’t panic! My best advice is to not try to fix it yourself... instead, enlist the help of a professional jeweller.
Please feel free to get in contact with me at natalie@nsj.co.nz if this happens. Send photos of the damage and I’ll see how I can help. All may not be lost!
