Jewelry Care Tips

Please take a moment to read through these tips to help extend the life of your jewelry.

How quickly jewelry tarnishes depends on the way you care for your pieces, how the jewelry is stored, humidity, your environment, your skin composition, and other factors. Even 14K gold filled and sterling silver will show some tarnish over time, but can easily be cleaned.

We recommend taking off your jewelry when showering, doing dishes, working out, swimming (salt water, bleach, and chlorine may damage your piece) and participating in any other activities that could cause damage and oxidation. Avoid contact with household cleaning products, perfumes, hair products, and other personal care products. It’s best to store your jewelry in a clean, dry place, separate from other metals. Ideally, you should remove your pieces before applying hand sanitizer. When the alcohol has evaporated, it can leave behind a residual layer that can dull your jewelry.

All our pieces are handmade with solid craftsmanship, but the daintier the jewelry, the more likely it could get caught in your hair or snagged on your clothes, so handle with care!

Brass

Some of our brass pieces have been treated with an anti-tarnish protective solution to help slow down the oxidation process, but expect brass to darken with wear and when exposed to air. This is unavoidable, and also depends on your body chemistry. Try to avoid getting your brass jewelry wet if you don’t like the tarnished/darkened patina look. We suggest using a soft toothbrush and toothpaste to polish your piece, but avoid scrubbing any stones or glass buttons on your brass jewelry. Jewelry polish pads with built-in polishing compound are widely available and an excellent way to remove tarnish and bring back the shine, but again, do not use these to polish buttons or stones. Also, you can wash your brass jewelry in warm water and a mild liquid dish soap. Use a soft cloth to gently rub away any dirt. Jax, or other commercial brass cleaners will quickly shine up your piece. Even plain white (non-gel) toothpaste will clean your brass jewelry!

Gold Filled

Do not use a chemical jewelry cleaner or polish pads/treated cloths when cleaning your 14k gold-filled jewelry. This will damage your piece and could remove the top layer of gold. Avoid any harsh scrubbing or abrasive cloths. Soak your gold-filled jewelry in mild liquid dish soap and water to remove oil build up, then dry it thoroughly with a clean soft cloth. Try to avoid exposure to moisture and chemicals which can expedite tarnishing or decay of your gold-filled pieces.

Sterling Silver

The good news about sterling silver: (this will vary depending on your particular body chemistry) the oils in your skin can prevent tarnish! Store your silver in a moisture-free bag or wrapped in a soft cloth, felt or tissue paper. You can use a jewelry polishing pad or if you don't have one, use a microfiber or non-abrasive cloth. Do not clean silver with paper towels—this can scratch your jewelry. Clean in a back and forth motion that goes with the the silver’s grain.

Vintage Czech Glass Buttons

Many of the vintage buttons are hand-painted and average 60-100 years old. These are very delicate and made of glass so handle with care. The majority are NOS (new old stock) and have never been taken off the button card until now. The paint may chip off or show signs of wear if not properly cared for, therefore we advise that you remove before bedtime and do not wear these while bathing or swimming. Chlorine may damage/remove the hand painting on the buttons. Avoid all contact with chemicals and personal care products and remember to remove when swimming, showering. or participating in other activities that could scratch the piece. As part of our production process, some of the painted buttons have been treated with multiple layers of varnish to preserve the paint. Avoid cleaning the buttons if possible, but if you must, use a soft dry cloth and gently dab off any dirt. Like any glass, treat these delicately!

Gemstones

The best way to keep your gemstones clean is to soak them in a mixture of mild liquid dish soap and water to loosen up any dirt or film that’s collected on the stone. Avoid any harsh cleaners, abrasive cloths and excessive scrubbing. Some stones are softer than others and should be handled with care. Use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub away any dirt that has collected on the stone. Gently pat dry with a soft, non abrasive cloth.