Jewelry Care
Metal Jewelry & Components
95% of the metals we use are recycled metal, including sterling silver, brass, gold, and sometimes copper. None of which contain lead or nickel.
Brass & Silver will naturally oxidize over time and when exposed to moisture. Depending on many factors including environment and acidity of the skin, this effect will vary.
Best course of action to combat this natural process is to wear it!
Yup, your oils and the rubbing when wearing will help keep it looking its best!
Follow these best practices:
- Always remove before entering pools and hot tubs. The chlorine may effect the finish and accelerate tarnishing.
- When putting your jewelry and hair accessories on make sure to apply lotions, hair sprays, sunscreens and other perfumes beforehand.
- Wipe away oils after every use.
- If it gets wet, don't fret! Just dry thoroughly.
- Store in an airtight container.
- If you notice your piece is beginning to look a little dull or tarnished and you would like to bring it back to a polished finish, simply remove build up with one of our polishing cloths. Both options we carry, the white pad or yellow cloth, each have built in mirco-abrasives to restore its luster. Rub on metal until you reach your desired finish. Use until it is black. Do not wash.
- Brass: try ketchup! Yup, you read that right, ketchup! The acidity in it eats away at the tarnish build up. Cover the brass in ketchup for a couple minutes and watch it melt away! Make sure to clear and dry thoroughly afterwards.
- Alternatively you can use a warm water and baking soda mixture to clean and scrub away build up, making sure to rinse and dry thoroughly.
Gold-filled is a bonded layer of 14k gold to a brass base core. It should not tarnish or discolor your skin. In the odd case it may, it could be due to the acidity of the skin or if exposed to harsh chemicals like chlorine in pools. This layer of gold does not wear like that of plated jewelry. It has a content of 5% gold. With care it can last decades!
POLISHING CLOTHSRub on metal until your desired finish is achieved. Can be used until it’s literally in tatters and fully black. Never wash as they have the compounds built right into them.
Each colour cloth has different mirco-abrasives and should be used accordingly:
WHITE - Brass & Sterling Silver
This is great to use if you have heavy build up of tarnish and it needs a deep clean. Follow with the yellow polishing cloth until you reach your desired finish.
YELLOW - Brass & Sterling Silver
This cloth has mirco-abrasives built in to help keep your pieces looking great. A perfect option for maintaining your desired finish.
BLUE - Gold & Gold-filled
The micro-abrasives that are built into this cloth are powerful enough to clean and polish your gold items without being too harsh. Wipe your gold down with this cloth to maintain its finish.
Wood Jewelry
All of our wood jewelry goes through a tedious sanding process. After which it is finished with bamboo oil to bring out its natural luster and polished with beeswax to help resist moisture, scratches and scuffs. Some of our exotic wood pieces are finished with a waterproof topcoat which is ecological and safe, which is specify in item descriptions.
95% of the wood we use is reclaimed from local artists, woodworkers & fallen trees. Every piece is thoroughly inspected for any ailments or toxins.
For best care of your wood jewelry, wear under these conditions:
- Keep out of direct sunlight and extreme temperatures
- The finish on your wood jewelry is water resistant but not waterproof. Try not to immerse in water. If it does get wet, don't fret, just blot dry!
- When first putting your jewelry on, make sure to apply lotion, hair spray, sunscreen, bug spray, perfume .. you get the point, before hand! Even though this will not destroy your jewelry, it may cause slight discolouration.
- Direct contact with unfinished wood or exposure to wood dust has the possibility to cause allergic reaction in some individuals. Finished wood and sealed wood pose no toxic risk. If you notice irritation, remove jewelry immediately. If problems persist, contact your physician.
- If you notice your piece is beginning to look a little dull, simply use a cotton cloth to buff in the direction of the wood grain. By adding a tiny drop of olive oil (avocado oil, coconut oil etc., whatever you use in your kitchen) in the buffing process, it will bring back the luster!