A little attention will help your hand made jewelry last long enough to become an heirloom. Here are my jewelry care tips:
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When you’re not wearing it, keep your jewelry in a cool, dry place. If possible, put an anti-tarnish strip or “oxygen eating” package (like the ones you get in things like shoe boxes) in with your jewelry. This will help keep moisture and oxygen from tarnishing the silver. Keep it out of direct sunlight or other heat.
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If you wear lotion or sunscreen, make sure it is completely absorbed before putting on jewelry. Always put on perfume or any spray (hair spray for example) before putting on jewelry. If you do get lotions or perfumes on your jewelry, I recommend cleaning it off with a cloth as soon as possible. The chemicals can tarnish metals more quickly, and can also affect any patinas that may be on your jewelry.
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Avoid wearing your jewelry at night when sleeping, when swimming, bathing or showering, and also when you might sweat heavily – such as working out.
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When cleaning, use mild dish soap and cool-warm water. Dry immediately with a soft cloth.
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Over time, even with the best of care, your silver, copper and bronze will tarnish. To polish, use a jewelry polishing cloth. Avoid commercial silver (or other metal) polish as that will remove layers of silver every time you use it. Always wash and dry after polishing.
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Every six months or so, if you desire, you can put a thin layer of high quality carnauba wax onto the metal and buff with a soft cloth or tissue (even better is to use Renaissance wax, which is a very high quality wax used to protect museum artifacts). This will continue to protect the patina and surface of the metals.