Care Guide

General Care

• Place your jewellery on after you get dressed to avoid having it get caught in your hair or on your clothes.

• Remove your jewellery before exercising or playing sports to avoid moisture from excess sweat, or risk having it fall off or get damaged.

• Avoid wearing your jewellery when using bleach or other harsh household chemicals or cleaning products.

• Spray perfume and/or hairsprays, and apply makeup and/or sunscreen before you put on your jewellery to ensure that minimal contact is made with the sterling silver. By washing your hands after applying these substances will also further ensure that these oils do not rub off onto the surface of your jewellery and cause tarnishing.

• Be mindful when wearing chains and silk cord neckpieces by not letting them get caught or pulled. When not worn, keep chains and silk cord neckpieces safe and dry inside their original packaging by laying them flat so they don’t get tangled or damaged. I would highly recommend removing chains and silk cord neckpieces before bed, to ensure that they are not pulled, misshaped, or damaged during the night.

• Keep your jewellery dry by making sure it’s removed before showering or swimming in chlorinated water, especially if it’s wrapped with cotton thread. If your sterling silver jewellery is wrapped with cotton thread, remove the piece carefully and place it inside its original packaging to keep it safe and dry. By immersing cotton thread pieces in chlorinated or salt water may impact the quality and longevity of the thread.

• Be sure to handle wrapped jewellery with care and consideration when being worn and removed from the body to prolong the life span and quality of the cotton thread. Always handle wrapped jewellery with clean hands as dirt can transfer onto the surface and affect the texture and colour of the cotton thread over time. When not worn, keep wrapped jewellery in a safe, dry place such as its original packaging to avoid contact with dust or moisture, and of course, avoid contact with fragrances and hairsprays.

Storage

• Avoid storing sterling silver jewellery in the bathroom, as increased humidity can lead to tarnishing. Tarnishing is when a thin layer of corrosion occurs on the surface of sterling silver when it interacts with sulfur in the air or moisture. Instead, store your jewellery out of direct sunlight and at room temperature in a location which maintains a consistently low humidity to help prevent premature tarnishing and discoloration, like inside a wardrobe, or set of drawers.

• Store your pieces in a safe, dry place, separate from other jewellery pieces and preferably inside its own original packaging. A fabric-lined jewellery box, soft bag, or pouch could also do the trick. The material inside a box lined with felt can also help to absorb excess moisture and prevent sterling silver jewellery from discoloration. Storing your jewellery loosely wrapped inside a cotton jewellery bag or pouch can also limit air exposure for an extra layer of protection.

Cleaning Sterling Silver

• If your sterling silver becomes tarnished, gently rub over the surface of your piece in a circular motion with a soft jewellery cleaning cloth to remove any chemicals, dirt or oils. Soft jewellery cleaning cloths are gentle, non-abrasive and affordable, which makes them the perfect tool to regularly use from home. You can purchase a soft jewellery cleaning cloth from most retail jewellery outlets or online.

• Another simple method to clean your sterling silver jewellery from home is to line a glass bowl with aluminum foil (shiny side up) and place your jewellery inside. Sprinkle one tablespoon of bi-carb soda over the top and pour boiling water into the bowl until the jewellery is immersed. Push the aluminum foil gently over the top of the jewellery and leave for about five minutes. Carefully remove the piece/s and rinse under cold running water. You could also use a soft bristle toothbrush to clean any delicate areas. Dry the piece/s thoroughly with a soft tea towel and wipe over with a soft jewellery cleaning cloth before returning them safely to their original packaging. Just remember that only my plain sterling silver jewellery pieces can be gently cleaned in this way, not my wrapped or oxidized pieces.

• Another successful way to keep your sterling silver shiny is to gently wash your piece under warm water with mild liquid soap, preferably one that has a neutral pH and is phosphate free. After a gentle wash with soap, rinse the silver with clean running water before drying it thoroughly with a clean cotton towel, and finally wiping it over with a soft jewellery cleaning cloth. Be mindful to not accidentally bend or damage delicate hooks or stud posts out of shape whilst cleaning your jewellery in this way.

Cleaning Oxidized Sterling Silver

• Oxidized pieces should always be treated with care and consideration when worn and stored at home. The black oxidized finish that I have achieved involves darkening the surface of the sterling silver using a chemical process that essentially speeds up the natural tarnishing process. At some point in its lifetime, that oxidized layer may naturally wear away, or slowly strip back to its original condition in a particular area of your jewellery piece, revealing its shiny surface underneath.

• To take care of these oxidized pieces, avoid harsh abrasives, soaps or cloths and regularly wipe over gently with a soft jewellery cleaning cloth. Also, make sure your oxidized pieces don’t come in contact with perfume or cosmetic products. Let your perfume dry before wearing your oxidized jewellery pieces.

• You could also gently rinse your oxidized pieces under warm water to remove any dirt/oils/dust and dry them with a soft jewellery cleaning cloth or tea towel. Otherwise, always keep them safe and dry inside their original packaging when not being worn. Never immerse your oxidized wrapped pieces in water or silver dip solutions, as this will affect the longevity and quality of the cotton thread.

Cleaning Wrapped Oxidized Sterling Silver

• The cotton thread and silk cord neckpieces used in my jewellery are natural, fibrous materials that (understandably) do not endure the same wearability and longevity as metal. To take care of these finer, more delicate materials, its important to be careful and considerate when wearing, and removing these wrapped oxidized pieces from the body. 

• You can also avoid having them come into contact with perfumes, sunscreens, hairsprays and/or cosmetic products, as these substances can discolour the cotton thread and/or silk cord and compromise the longevity of the material. By washing your hands before touching your wrapped oxidized jewellery pieces can also be valuable, as dirt can easily transfer onto the surface and affect the colour and/or texture of the cotton thread over a period of time. 

• Never wear your wrapped oxidized jewellery pieces in the shower, or immerse them in chlorinated or salt water. Before showering or swimming, please carefully remove these handmade pieces and place them inside their original packaging to keep them safe and dry. When not being worn, always place your wrapped oxidized jewellery pieces inside their original packing to further ensure that they do not come into contact with dust and/or moisture.

• To clean your wrapped oxidized jewellery pieces never hold them under running water, or place them inside a silver dip solution, as this will affect the longevity and quality of the cotton thread. To clean your wrapped oxidized jewellery pieces, simply use a soft jewellery cleaning cloth to gently wipe over the surface of the oxidized layer of your piece. Use circular motions over the oxidized area of your piece to delicately remove any dirt and/or oils, being mindful of earring hooks and stud posts when you are cleaning. There is no need to clean the surface of the cotton thread itself, but by being mindful of it's delicate nature, and keeping it consistently clean and dry will be vital in prolonging its quality and longevity.

Aftercare Service

• I do offer a Re-oxidizing Service for my customers, but at a small charge due to the process involved in stripping back the metal to its original condition and essentially starting the oxidization procedure again. If you ever have any questions about the oxidization of your jewellery piece, please don’t hesitate to get in touch, or click here for more information Aftercare Service.

• If you would like me to revive a piece of jewellery I would be more than happy to offer my customers a Cleaning Service at a small charge. If you would like to have your piece cleaned in the future and brought back to life, please don't hesitate to get in touch, or click here for more information Aftercare Service.

• For any general care or maintenance enquiries about any of my pieces, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I would be more than happy to discuss how I can help you care for your Melissa Gillespie Jewellery pieces. Thank you so much for your support and happy wearing!