Jewellery Care

How to care for your jewellery

 

Wear & Tear

Scratches and marks are a natural part of wearing jewellery, especially on pieces with large, flat surfaces. Metals vary in hardness and contact with harder materials can cause visible scratches or dents.

While metal appears strong, silver, gold, and brass can bend, become brittle, and break under excessive force. Handle your jewellery with care to maintain its longevity.

All chains are delicate and may break under pressure. Repeated pulling can stretch and weaken links. To prevent damage, remove necklaces and bracelets before exercising and avoid excessive pulling.

 

Care Tips:

• Remove jewellery before swimming, bathing, or showering to prevent water exposure.
• Avoid direct contact with chemicals, including soap, oils, moisturizers, and perfumes, as they can cause dullness. Wipe jewellery clean after exposure.
• Do not wear jewellery while exercising to prevent damage or injury.
• Avoid cleaning while wearing jewellery, as detergents can cause tarnishing.

 

Broken Items

If your jewellery breaks due to wear and tear, a local jeweller should be able to repair it. For issues caused by a production fault, please contact info@theaglow.com with details.

Sterling Silver

 

Tanish

Sterling silver is highly durable, making it ideal for everyday wear. Our sterling silver is 92.5% pure, with a small percentage of metal alloys, such as copper, to enhance strength and shape retention.

Over time, all sterling silver and brass will naturally tarnish due to environmental exposure. Tarnishing, which appears as a dull, grey hue, occurs when metals like copper react with air and moisture. The rate of tarnishing varies based on body chemistry, environment, and care. This is a natural process and not a defect.

 

Cleaning

To restore shine to your silver jewellery, we recommend using a specialist silver cleaning solution or cloth, ensuring it is specifically designed for silver. Silver cleaning cloths should be soft and infused with anti-tarnish agents.

If a specialist cleaner is unavailable, soak your silver jewellery in warm water with a few drops of washing-up liquid for 10 minutes. Gently scrub with a soft, clean brush, then rinse with warm water and air dry.

For stubborn tarnish, mix equal parts white vinegar and water. Dip a clean toothbrush into the solution and gently brush the tarnished areas. Rinse thoroughly and air dry.

 

Storage

Keep jewellery in a safe and dry place. Do not keep silver jewellery in the bathroom as it will tarnish quickly. Storing jewellery in a sealed airtight bag is the best way to prevent silver pieces from tarnishing while storing.

 

 

Gold Vermeil & Gold-Plated

Gold vermeil (pronounced ver-may) features a thick layer of gold—at least 2.5 microns—over sterling silver, applied through electrolysis for enhanced durability. In contrast, gold-plated jewellery has a thinner gold layer (typically less than 1 micron) over a base metal like brass, making it more affordable but less durable.

 

Tarnish & Care

Both gold vermeil and gold-plated jewellery can tarnish over time, especially when exposed to perfumes, lotions, or deodorants. To minimize this, apply these products before wearing your jewellery and avoid swimming or showering with it, as chlorine and salt water can cause damage.

To maintain shine, gently polish with a microfiber cloth. For a deeper clean, use warm water, mild dish soap, and a soft-bristle toothbrush. Always rinse with lukewarm water and dry thoroughly.

 

Storage

Store your jewellery in a dark, dry place away from moisture and direct sunlight to prevent dullness and deterioration. Ideally, keep pieces individually wrapped to avoid scratching or tangling.