Personalized Big Dipper Necklace in Silver

Hi! Congratulations on your new jewelry!

We believe jewelry is meant to be worn every day. Most of the jewelry we offer requires very little care because it’s hand crafted in solid 14k gold and stone set with care — just wear and enjoy. That said - it depends on your lifestyle, your aesthetic preferences, how often you lose things (taking jewelry off regularly seems to be the biggest culprit in loss!).

With that in mind, here are some helpful tips to keep your jewelry looking its very best!

Welcome to Jewelry Care 101

GOLD & DIAMONDS

Mix a small amount of mild dish detergent with warm water in a bowl. Put the jewelry into the bowl and let sit for a few minutes. Use a soft toothbrush (like a baby tooth brush) to gently scrub the jewelry. Remove item from soapy water, rinse it and dry thoroughly with a soft polishing cloth. 

You can also use a polishing kit for extra shine and to remove any tarnish. (Sometimes 14k gold can tarnish a bit - particularly on earrings and the inside of rings - depending on your skin chemistry, but it is a very easy fix.)

You can also bring your diamond rings to a reputable jeweler and ask if they can put your piece in their ultrasonic cleanser. A small at-home ultrasonic is also a great, fairly modest investment, especially if you are very keen on keeping your jewelry at its most sparkly.

SILVER

Silver tarnishes quite quickly when it comes into contact with oxygen or sulfur. Happily, the best measure to prevent this is wearing your silver jewelry often. The oils in your skin help prevent tarnish. (This varies depending on your own body chemistry.)

When storing your silver jewelry, use an airtight plastic bag (like a Ziploc) and if you can, put in a piece of chalk or a silica gel (the little packets in new shoes) - these will help prevent tarnish while you are not wearing your silver.

If your silver is tarnished the best way to clean it is with a jewelry polishing cloth. (Here is an example, but they are widely available!)

There are also many viable home remedies for cleaning silver online. Just remember that silver is very soft so use something like a very soft baby toothbrush to avoid scratching.

BRASS & BRONZE

Brass may darken with wear, depending on body chemistry. If you don't like the dark patina, try to avoid getting your brass jewelry wet. A commercial brass cleaner, like “JAX” will restore your piece to its original shine. If this is unavailable, use a soft toothbrush and toothpaste to polish, or soak the piece in coca-cola for a few minutes.

OPALS

Opals are relatively delicate stones, which require some special care to keep them happy. Opals are fairly soft (they are a 5.5 - 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, while diamonds are a 10). They are also high in water content and porous, which causes them to be very sensitive to changes in climate, temperature, and humidity. 

The best way to care for your opals is with some mindful preventative measures. Don't wear your opal jewelry in extreme temperatures (like, really extreme), during physical activities, and also, avoid contact with soap, water, and household cleaners. Set your opals down gently when you remove them. 

PEARLS

Despite being rather sensitive beauties, pearls love being worn!! They don't like being stored away and their intrinsic luster and glow will only improve when worn regularly. 

However, they do need proper care to last many many lifetimes. Pearl experts say: put them on last and take them off first. Pearls are more vulnerable to the chemicals found in cosmetics, hair spray, hair dye, and perfume. And pearls do NOT like chlorine - neither in swimming pools or even regular showers. Do all your primping before you put your pearls on. 

Pearls should ONLY be cleaned with a soft cloth moistened with water and the little bit of ivory soap. 

Note: pearls improve with wear, gaining luster from the natural oils in skin. So please, wear your pearls every day. We do! 

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