Sterling Silver

Pure silver or fine silver is a relatively soft metal and generally too soft to make long lasting and strong jewellery, so to give pure silver extra strength, it is mixed with a little bit of other metal or metals, usually copper. The standard is 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metal and it is this combination which we know as sterling silver.

Tarnish and how to prevent it

The copper in the sterling silver will cause sterling silver to tarnish or darken over time. This is a natural process as it is exposed to hydrogen sulphide which is present both in the air, on our body or in certain materials such as rubber, cotton, wool and some paper products. To reduce tarnishing there are a few steps you can take apart from regular cleaning.

1. Before storing, clean your sterling silver jewellery with a cleaning cloth especially made for sterling silver.
2. Store your sterling silver jewellery in a cool, dry place (if you live in a humid area, store it with a little bag of silica to absorb the moisture).  I also enclose an anti-tarnish tab with your order which will help.
3. Avoid contact with chemicals, such as perfume, hairsprays, chlorine, salt water and household cleaning products.
4. Everyday wear of your sterling silver jewellery also helps preventing tarnish as it ‘polishes’ away the tarnish, so enjoy your sterling silver jewellery and wear it as much as possible.

Leather Care

Keep good care of your leather jewellery and you can keep wearing it for years to come. Like any high quality material, it is durable but does require care. Here are a few tips for keeping your leather jewellery in great condition:

1. Use a soft and dry cloth for cleaning your leather jewellery. A small amount of leather conditioner can be applied occasionly and will serve to protect the leather from spills or stains, and helps keep it soft and supple by restoring essential oils.
2. Stains should be removed immediately before the substance has a chance to soak in or dry onto the leather.
3. Keep your leather jewellery away from water, cleaning chemicals and lotion. These can damage the leather, causing it to stretch, stain or crack.
4. As a natural material, never store leather in plastic because it encourages the growth of mildew and bacteria. Always store leather in a cool, dry place away from heat.

Silk Ribbon

If the silk ribbon on your wrist wrap gets dirty, carefully slide the beads off and handwash in a mild washing detergent such as Softly.  Once dry, it can be ironed.