Jewellery Care
All jewellery is handmade in Brighton from high quality fair trade or recycled silver and where necessary it is hallmarked by the London Assay Office in accordance with the Hallmarking Act 1973.
Silver is a hardy precious metal, but to keep your silver jewellery looking its best you may want to follow these simple steps:
If left exposed in the open on a dresser or side table, silver can tarnish quite quickly. It's best to keep it in a proper jewellery storage box (not a presentation gift box), or in a something airtight like a plastic zip lock bag.
Chemicals can discolour and damaged precious metals, so jewellery doesn't mix well with chlorine, sun lotions, make-up, perfume, hairspray, body lotions and other everyday body products. Make sure you apply all lotions first, and then let them dry thoroughly before putting your jewellery on. Remove all jewellery before swimming or bathing.
Humidity, body oils and secreted acids can also discolour jewellery, so wearing it whilst exercising is not advisable.
If you do need to clean your silver jewellery, try cleaning it with warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush. If the item is heavily tarnished we recommend using a silver polishing foam or dip to restore it to its natural bright finish, making sure you clean the item in warm soapy water before and after. Alternatively, please get in touch about getting your jewellery professionally cleaned and refurbished in the workshop and we'll be happy to help.
Oxidised silver has been treated to give the surface a black finish, effectively speeding up the 'tarnishing' process. Should you need to remove any dirt or residue, wipe it gently with a soft cloth. Silver dips and foam will strip the finish, so are best avoided.
Gold vermeil (pronounced ver-mey) is of a higher quality than standard gold plating. To start, the item must have a silver base (not copper, brass, or other base metals) to which an extra thick layer of high carat gold is applied. I use 2.5 microns of 23ct yellow gold for this layer (5 times thicker than standard plating), which gives a very warm, buttery glow to my pieces. All of the same storage and usage tips above still apply, and these items should be cleaned carefully with a soft cloth to gently wipe away any dirt or residue. Silver dips, cleaning foam, polishing agents and compounds will deplete the finish, so are best avoided.
