Jewellery Care
If you haven’t owned a piece of jewellery before, or wanting to look after your jewellery to maintain their shine and quality, then this is the page for you. Here you will find a point by point list of things you should do and things you should not do to care for your precious items.
Always store your jewellery in a safe and secure place, and avoid telling people where it is stored.
Avoid dust, moisture and direct light to ensure your jewellery does not tarnish and discolour. When wearing, simply follow the golden rule "Last On / First Off". Put jewellery on last so that it is not sprayed with perfumes, hairspray, etc. Take it off first, before your clothing and before going to bed to avoid it being snagged or crushed.
Never sleep, bath or swim in your jewellery. Chains may kink, earring posts may bend, and contact with water, especially chlorinated or salt water is especially damaging to silver.
Sterling Silver may tarnish and oxidise. This is a natural reaction to chemicals in the atmosphere, heat and the body oils of the wearer. Discoloration can usually be removed by careful use of a good quality jewellery cleaning cloth. Contact with perfume, hairspray, chlorinated or salt water or household cleaning products should always be avoided.
Silver is a malleable (soft) metal; therefore be gentle with rings, earring posts, clasps etc. as they can bend or break under excessive force. Gemstones can also scratch, crack or chip if dropped.
Should your jewellery ever become damaged or heavily tarnished, please feel comfortable to contact Guild Jewellery Design on the appropriate action to help return it to its former beauty as best it can. Unfortunately not all damage can be repaired.
Guild Jewellery Design does have a warranty on its products for any faulty items; however wear and tear over time and negligence cannot be covered. Jewellery treated with care will give many years of pleasure and enjoyment.
Specific Jewellery Care
Some Guild Jewellery Design jewellery require greater care than others and it is important that you know how to take care of these special pieces. For example, there is a difference between jewellery that is suitable for everyday wear and other jewellery which is meant for occasional wear as well as a difference to how they should be cleaned.
Guild Jewellery Design advises against the use of commercial silver 'dip' solutions without a proper inspection of the jewellery first because they are unsuitable for cleaning hollow, oxidised, stone set, pearl or plated jewellery and can cause surface deterioration.
Resizing Your Rings
If your rings do not fit 100% to your liking, it is advised that you have them resized by a reputable jeweller. The best way to avoid needing your rings resized is to be sure of your ring size first. You can request a ring size kit through us online, or directly through most jewellery stores.
The following are some specific care guidelines as stated by all reputable jewellers.
Knowing Your Metal
Here is a guide to knowing what you’ve purchased is guaranteed. All jewellery is by law required to be stamped with a "Carat Stamp", signifying what you’ve bought is genuine material. Below is a guide showing what certain stamps mean:
Stamped “925” = Sterling Silver
Stamped “375” = 9 Carat Gold
Stamped “585” = 14 Carat Gold
Stamped “750” = 18 Carat Gold
Stamped “916” = 22 Carat Gold
Stamped “950” = Platinum
Gold
Usually suitable for everyday wear unless it is a fragile design. Can be cleaned with a cleaning cloth - more difficult tarnishing may require a professional polish. *White Gold jewellery will occasionally require a thorough polish and rhodium plating. Avoid wearing during rough activities, sporting events, using tools or equipment, gold will dent and wear faster if not properly maintained.
Sterling Silver
Usually suitable for everyday wear unless it is a fragile design. Can be cleaned with a silver cleaning cloth - more difficult tarnishing may require a professional polish. Avoid wearing during rough activities, sporting events, using tools or equipment; silver is a softer metal than gold and will dent and wear faster if not properly maintained. Enamel Suitable for occasional wear only. Treat very carefully and do not drop or knock the enamel. Direct exposure to cosmetics and cleaning agents may affect the colour and finish of enamel. Use a soft silver cleaning cloth or mild soapy water.
Rhodium Plated
Rhodium Plating on Sterling Silver is used to improve the lustre of jewellery and to resist tarnish and allergic reactions. Treat carefully as plating can be worn off over time. Any scratching or scuff marks can be polished out; however this will result in the Rhodium Plating needing to be re-applied. Best cleaned with a soft silver cleaning cloth or mild soapy water and dried well.
Enamel
Suitable for every day wear. Do not drop or knock resin jewellery. Clean with warm soapy water. A silver cloth can be used on silver parts.
Gold Plate
Suitable for occasional wear only. Gently clean with a soft cloth (do not rub vigorously, this my remove the gold plating over time) or use warm soapy water.
Stone Set Jewellery
Can be suitable for everyday wear but depends on design - pave jewellery for example, is more suited to occasional wear. Clean with warm soapy water behind stones to remove dirt and oil build up; use a polishing cloth to clean metal - more difficult tarnishing may require a professional polish.
Cufflink Care
Guild Jewellery Design cufflinks are not made of silver. Lightly polish with a cloth to clean off any grease, dirt or finger marks. Do not engrave, this will damage the cufflinks and void warranty. For any further questions regarding jewellery care please contact sales@guildjewellery.com.au