How to care for jewellery You've made yourself happy, bought something nice, maybe you have a small collection at home, but do you know how to take care of your jewellery? Most of our jewellery is made of sterling silver, i.e. silver of Ag 925/1000 purity. Silver is a metal whose natural property is gradual oxidation. Oxidation, or blackening of silver jewellery, even if gold plated, is not a manufacturing defect. It is a natural chemical reaction caused by the presence of various chemical compounds, especially sulphur in the air, the action of compounds contained in medicines, cosmetics, detergents, and cleaning products, as well as dusty environments. In most cases, oxidation will manifest itself by blackening the surface of the jewellery. While silver is more stable in clean, dry air, a humid environment accelerates oxidation. The rate of oxidation can be affected by several factors, including the type of skin and the substances with which the silver comes into contact. Importantly, oxidation is not an irreversible process. Silver can be easily and quickly cleaned using a cleaning cloth designed for this purpose, which can be purchased in our shop, but is usually available in any jewellers. For cleaning silver, it is also possible to use solutions designed for cleaning silver jewellery, but we do not recommend using them for jewellery that has pearls, corals, in short, any stones and minerals, or leather or textile parts embedded in it. Silver jewellery that is gold plated can also oxidise. How to protect jewellery from oxidation? It's okay to make yourself happy but remember that jewellery should mainly be worn. By wearing your jewellery often, you can prevent it from oxidising as it constantly rubs against your skin or clothing. If you put a piece of silver jewellery in a jewellery box or jewellery box and return to it after some time, it is very likely that the jewellery will be oxidised. If you store your jewellery in a jewellery box, it is advisable to wipe it with a dry, soft cloth to remove dirt, sweat and grease. Jewellery boxes are not suitable for storing jewellery that you do not wear. Unworn jewellery should be protected from air and moisture. Paper jewellery boxes are not leaking proof and usually have foam inside which can bind moisture from the air and then the jewellery stored in the box will oxidise more quickly. Personally, I recommend storing jewellery that you don't wear cleaned one at a time in small plastic resealable bags. Silver jewellery that is not plated should not mind contact with clean cold water, but if it meets soaps, oils, shampoos, cosmetics in general, a chemical reaction may occur, which could cause the jewellery to change colour. This does not happen often, but it can happen. If you notice a change in the colour of the metal, think about what product you used and what may have caused it, so that you can avoid similar accidents in the future. Jewellery should only be worn after you have applied cosmetic products and after you have styled your hair. Sprays, polishes, dry shampoos, perfumes everything we use to make ourselves beautiful and fragrant before we leave the house adheres to the surface of the jewellery. Silver is one of the precious metals, but it is quite soft, and you need to be careful with your jewellery. Generally, our jewellery is very delicate so please be careful how you handle and store it. Never carry jewellery around in pockets or purses where it can easily become tangled and damaged. Do not expose jewellery to mechanical pressure. We often use pearls, corals and natural stones/minerals in our jewellery. These natural materials, although they appear to be strong, are delicate and fragile, so please treat them gently and protect them from impact and strong mechanical influences. In other words, it is advisable to take the jewellery off for sports, gardening, washing dishes, cleaning … In the case of jewellery with stamping, the layer of gold plating is damaged during stamping and the jewellery is therefore even more susceptible to external influences such as moisture or exposure to chemicals. Before placing the jewellery in a dry and leak-proof place, wipe it with a dry cloth first. If you are buying a piece of jewellery "for later" as a gift, please, also in this case, think about how you store the jewellery and before giving it as a gift, first check it and clean any oxidation with a cloth designed for this purpose, so that the gifted person is dazzled by its brilliance. Please, if you are having jewellery sent to a collection point, collect it immediately and do not keep it waiting for long. This is jewellery. Conditions at drop-off locations may not always be ideal, sometimes packages can get wet or soggy on the way to you and the sooner you pick up your jewellery, take it out of the box, clean it and cuddle it, the better.