JEWELRY CARE

JEWELRY CARE

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Caring for your Jewelry
(comments from customers)

"Jewelry is meant to be enjoyed and worn and it has been said that body oils will slow the tarnishing process... "

"With proper storage techniques and the constant wearing of my jewelry, all that I need is an occasional light polishing job to touch up the shine..."

General Care Tips

Jewelry should be the last thing one puts on when getting dressed (after the lotions/creams, hairspray, make-up, and perfumes are done and dried) and the first thing one takes off before undressing.

Never sleep, shower, swim, wash dishes, house clean, or play rough with jewelry on. Perspiration, chlorine, salt water, household cleaners/detergents and lotions can cause discoloration and may loosen the gemstones.

Never use paper towels, tissue paper, toilet paper to clean jewelry as these may abrade the jewelry.

Care Tips on Jewelry with Plated Beads/Findings

Correct storage techniques are very important as it will help to minimize/slow down the buildup/exposure to tarnish of plated beads and findings, especially those with silver and copper plating. The less one has to polish, the longer the life of these beads and findings.

To preserve the gleam of silver-plated findings in jewelry in between wearings, it is advisable to store them in * plastic, air-tight, zip lock bags (press to squeeze as much air out as possible) with anti-tarnish tabs inside, or in * anti-tarnish cloth jewelry bags - at least in an air-tight, low-humidity environment, away from direct sunlight. It is advisable not to leave jewelry exposed in a cardboard box or on paper as they have sulfur-producing compounds in them that may increase the rate of oxidation.
Polishing cloths can be used to restore the shine - the Selvyt cloth is good for light cleaning and very gentle rubbing. Other polishing cloths are chemically treated with micro-abrasives and should be used with caution on plated jewelry.

All plated findings used in MaDorTay's custom-designed jewelry line have an industry standard of .15 to .25 mils thickness of gold and silver plated to the surface of the base metal, based on information supplied by manufacturers. Only lead-free pewter components are used in MaDorTay's hand-crafted jewelry pieces.

However, imported accessories may have traces of lead in the pewter/metal components, and this information can only be highlighted based solely on discolsures from manufacturers.

Care Tips on Jewelry with Sterling Silver Findings

Sterling silver jewelry if left in the open air and humidity for extended periods of time can tarnish fairly rapidly. However, when stored properly, sterling silver jewelry generally requires minimal cleaning, making it fairly easy to care for and a delightful accessory to wear often.

Keep all sterling stilver jewelry in * plastic, air-tight, zip lock bags with an anti-tarnish paper inside, or in * an air-tight, protective bag made of tarnish-proof cloth - remembering to squeeze as much air out as possible. Most jewelry makers use zip lock bags made of Mylar or polyethylene with anti-tarnish strips inside. Never use polyvinyl plastic bags. Store each sterling silver jewelry separately in their enclosures in a dark, dry environment.
Do NOT store sterling silver jewelry with other items in a drawer or a jewelry box where it can rub up against other articles. Sterling silver is scratch resistant, but not scratch proof.
Do NOT store sterling silver jewelry with other metals like pennies, or even rubber as they may cause tarnish and damage.
Do NOT store sterling silver jewelry directly on wood surfaces because wood may contain acids that can mar the finish - oak is one such culprit.
When stored properly, most sterling silver jewelry can be cleaned with minimal effort - using a mild polishing cloth - like the Sunshine polishing cloth. Finish by buffing with a soft cotton cloth - an old cotton t-shirt works well. Note: Do NOT use the polishing cloth on semi-precious gemstones - especially on softer, porous gemstones like pearls, malachite, apatite, lapis, opal, turquoise etc. A gentle wipe with a soft cotton cloth should suffice.

Care Tips on Deep Cleaning

If deep cleaning of sterling silver and gemstone jewelry is necessary, I recommend Hagerty's products:

♦ On sterling silver findings and jewelry - Hagerty's Silversmith's Spray Polish and/or Hagerty's Silversmith's Wash. Spray onto soft cloth and clean the sterling silver components only. Or apply wash onto a soft cloth/sponger and use it only on the sterling silver components. Do NOT spray or apply the wash on any gemstones present in the jewelry. Any residue may cause a dulling to the polished finish of gemstones over time.

♦ On semi-precious gemstones - Hagerty's Delicate Jewel Clean (made especially for delicate and porous gemstones including pearls). This is a jewel dip cleaner only and it will not harm sterling silver or other precious metals.

MaDorTay's designer line of jewelry and accessories are always shipped in jewelry boxes with accompanying Silver Guard TM, anti-tarnish, semi-translucent enclosures. Based on manufacturer's disclosure, Silver Guard TM jewelry protection keeps plated, silver, gold, platinum and other metals at their sparkling best and provides longer protection than anti-tarnish strips/tabs for up to a period of 2 years. It also protects from moisture and dust. My advice: always remember to squeeze out the air from the Silver Guard TM bags after the jewelry is placed within. If you live in a humid climate or near the coast, it is always advisable to take the extra precaution of slipping in an anti-tarnish tab/strip from 3M or Hagerty into the Silver Guard TM enclosure to preserve/prolong the gleam of sterling silver jewelry components.

All jewelry and accessories sold online are NOT intended for children to use, play with or wear.

Any questions on unusual or hard to clean jewelry? Please email me!