Jewelry Care Tips: How to Keep Your Pieces Looking Stunning

To maintain the beauty and longevity of your luxury jewelry from Tessories, it's important to take proper care of your pieces. Follow these essential jewelry care tips to keep your gold, silver, and sterling silver jewelry shining for years to come.

1. Showering with Jewelry
   While it's not recommended to shower with your jewelry on, an occasional shower won’t cause significant damage. Just make sure to dry your jewelry thoroughly afterward to avoid moisture buildup, which can tarnish some materials over time.

2. Swimming
   Before you take a dip, remove your gold and silver jewelry. Chlorine in swimming pools is a harsh chemical that can weaken the prongs of rings and damage the metal. If you forget and accidentally swim with your jewelry, rinse and clean it immediately to prevent any long-term damage.

3. Hot Tubs
   Hot tubs contain higher concentrations of chlorine and the heat can accelerate chemical reactions, causing faster tarnishing and damage to your jewelry. Avoid wearing your jewelry in hot tubs to maintain its pristine condition.

4. Hot Springs
   The sulfur in natural hot springs can be particularly damaging to silver jewelry, causing discoloration and oxidation. Unless you’re aiming for a dark oxidized look, it’s best to avoid wearing silver jewelry in hot springs.

5. Bonus Tip – Protect Against Chemicals
   Chemicals in lotions, perfumes, and sprays can tarnish your jewelry over time. To protect your silver and gold jewelry, apply these products first, let them dry completely, and then put on your jewelry. This simple step will help maintain your jewelry’s luster and prevent discoloration.

6. Proper Storage for Jewelry
   To keep your sterling silver and other precious jewelry safe, store it in a dry place, such as a jewelry box or a silver pouch. For added protection, store pieces in air-tight, anti-tarnish bags. These bags block out air exposure, preserving the shine and brilliance of your jewelry.

7. Travel Tip: Protect Your Jewelry on the Go
   When traveling with your favorite Tessories jewelry, use a special jewelry case to keep your pieces safe and secure. Be sure to bring along a polishing cloth to touch up and clean your jewelry while on the go, ensuring it always looks its best.

• Plating silver with rhodium, also known as rhodium plating, is a process that coats jewelry with a fine layer of rhodium over silver, this will increase durability and brilliance, your silver will look like white gold. The main problem with silver is that it tarnishes and scratches. Rhodium plating provides protection and prevents tarnishing.
• “Oxidized” is another term used to describe silver. For some works silversmiths intentionally allow parts of the jewelry to darken and oxidize, typically small details, to make them stand out more. This detailing can be lost, though, with excessive cleaning and polishing. So be sure to identify any purposefully oxidized jewelry you have and set them aside for separate cleaning.

 

How to clean your Jewelry 

1. Soap and water: Warm water and a mild, ammonia- and phosphate-free dishwashing soap should be your first line of defense if the polishing cloth fails to remove tarnish. Soap and water should also be used to clean your pieces before using any of the methods listed below.
2. Olive oil and lemon juice: Mix 1/2 cup lemon juice with 1 tsp. olive oil in a bowl large enough to hold the cleaning solution and a small microfiber cloth. Dip the cloth in the solution and wring it out so that it doesn’t drip, then polish the silver, rinse, and dry.
3. Combination: If your pieces have very stubborn tarnish, you can use these treatments in succession to get them looking shiny again.
4. Home Remedy: Aluminum Foil, baking soda and salt: Place a sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of a pan, add 2-3 inches of water, 1 tsp baking soda &  1 tsp salt, bring to a boil. Add your silver pieces, boil 1-2 minutes making sure water covers the silver. Remove silver, rinse, dry and buff with a soft polishing cloth. It works! (Do NOT put silver with stones in it).

 

NOTE: Never use any chemicals on your rhodium plated items. Never use toothpaste and never brush with a hard toothbrush

Fill a small bowl with lukewarm water and add some mild dish soap to prepare a simple cleaning solution.

• Soak your gold rings in the solution and leave them in it for about 20-30 minutes.
• With a soft small toothbrush, you can brush the rings and necklace to get in the little crevasses.
• Rinse the soap residue off your gold rings with warm water.
• Dry your jewelry with a clean towel.

 

How to Clean your Gold Filled Jewelry

Cleaning gold-filled jewelry is simple and requires gentle care to maintain its luster. Here’s a straightforward guide:

1. Prepare a Mild Cleaning Solution: Mix a few drops of mild dish soap or baby shampoo with warm water in a small bowl.

2. Soak the Jewelry: Place your gold-filled jewelry in the solution for a few minutes to loosen any dirt or grime.

3. Gently Clean: Use a soft-bristled toothbrush or a cotton swab to gently scrub the jewelry, focusing on any crevices. Avoid using abrasive materials that could damage the gold layer.

4. Rinse Thoroughly: Rinse the jewelry under lukewarm water to remove any soap residue. Be careful not to let the pieces fall down the drain; using a strainer can help.

5. Dry and Polish: Pat the jewelry dry with a soft, lint-free cloth. For extra shine, you can use a jewelry polishing cloth specifically designed for gold-filled pieces.

6. Store Properly: Keep your gold-filled jewelry in a cool, dry place, preferably in a jewelry box or pouch, to prevent tarnishing and scratches.

Regular cleaning and proper storage will help keep your gold-filled jewelry looking beautiful for years to come.

Gold filled products consist of an actual layer of gold that is pressure bonded to another metal. Gold filling is one of the most valuable and tarnish resistant processes for creating gold jewelry and other items. Gold-filled is much more expensive than gold plated material and will last longer; however, it does have a life span of about 10 to 30 years, unlike pure gold pieces which will last forever.

Gold-filled material has 5% of gold in it and is much more valuable than Gold Plating. Gold Filled jewelry is durable and will not tarnish or chip. It is also safe for those with metal allergies. Gold filled jewelry is actually an economical alternative to solid gold.

This process uses a permanent bonding method that incorporates extremely high temperatures and pressure. The result is a much thicker layer of precious gold when compared to gold plating. Because this process is much more intense and requires more gold, the price tag of course will be higher than with other processes. Gold filled jewelry is actually an economical alternative to solid gold.

 

How to Clean your Vermeil Jewelry

Cleaning gold vermeil jewelry requires a bit of care to preserve its gold coating and prevent damage. Here's how you can clean it effectively:

1. Prepare a Cleaning Solution: Mix a few drops of mild dish soap or baby shampoo with lukewarm water in a bowl. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners.

2. Soak the Jewelry: Place your gold vermeil jewelry in the solution for a few minutes to loosen any dirt or oils.

3. Gently Clean: Use a soft-bristled toothbrush or a soft, lint-free cloth to gently scrub the jewelry. Focus on areas where dirt may accumulate, but be careful not to scrub too hard to avoid damaging the gold layer.

4. Rinse Thoroughly: Rinse the jewelry under lukewarm water to remove all soap residue. Be sure to do this over a sink strainer or a bowl to catch the jewelry and avoid losing it.

5. Dry Carefully: Pat the jewelry dry with a soft, clean cloth. Avoid using paper towels or tissues as they can be abrasive.

6. Polish Gently: If needed, you can use a jewelry polishing cloth designed for gold vermeil to add a little extra shine. Be gentle to avoid removing the gold layer.

7. Store Properly: Store your gold vermeil jewelry in a cool, dry place, preferably in a jewelry box or pouch. Keeping it away from moisture and air helps prevent tarnishing.

Regular, gentle cleaning and proper storage will help maintain the beauty and longevity of your gold vermeil jewelry.

Gold Vermeil is very popular, this process consists of thick gold plating over sterling silver as the base metal. Vermeil jewelry has a thicker layer of gold than "gold plating" which makes hypoallergenic for individuals who have reactions.  Vermeil should not be expose to chemicals such as perfume or chlorine. In order to keep your Gold Vermeil lasting longer, remove it when you are going to be around water.

Gold Vermeil is  a thick layer of gold, amounting to 2.5 microns to be precise, crafted over “nickel-free” sterling silver.  2.5 microns is the required thickness of gold for it to be termed and approved as “Gold Vermeil”