Expert Jewellery Care Tips: Keep Your Favourite Pieces Looking Their Best

Handmade jewellery deserves better care than fast-fashion pieces. With the right habits, your silver can last for decades, stay bright, and age beautifully. Here are the most reliable – and genuinely useful – jewellery care tips to help your pieces stay at their best.

Why Sterling Silver Needs Care

Sterling silver naturally reacts to air, moisture, and the products we wear on our skin. This reaction (tarnish) is completely normal, harmless, and reversible – but it does make silver look duller over time.

Good care is less about avoiding tarnish entirely and more about making sure your jewellery ages gently, evenly, and predictably.

1. Avoid Water, Perfume & Lotions

Water won’t destroy silver, but it will speed up tarnish and dull the surface. Perfume, sunscreen, lotion, and hairspray leave residues that cling to metal and textures.

Best habits:
• Put jewellery on last, after skincare and makeup.
• Remove pieces before showering, swimming, or exercising.
• Wipe pieces clean after contact with chemicals or heavy moisturisers.

2. Store Jewellery Properly

Silver tarnishes fastest when exposed to air and humidity. Storing your jewellery correctly is the easiest long-term care tip.

Best habits:
• Keep pieces in individual pouches or boxes.
• Use an airtight container if you live somewhere humid.
• Add an anti-tarnish strip or silica sachet to your jewellery box.

3. Clean Your Jewellery Regularly

A quick clean every now and then helps prevent tarnish building up.

To clean textured or handmade silver:
• Use a soft polishing cloth (not abrasive dips).
• Gently rub only the raised surfaces – leave darkened textured areas as they are.
• For stubborn dirt, warm water with a tiny drop of washing-up liquid is enough.

Avoid: harsh cleaners, ultrasonic cleaners for delicate pieces, and toothpaste (it’s too abrasive).

4. Let Patina Enhance the Piece

Handmade silver often looks better with a gentle patina. Slight darkening in recesses makes textures stand out, adds depth, and marks your jewellery as something crafted – not mass-produced.

Patina is not damage; it’s character. If you prefer a brighter finish, just maintain a light polish when needed.

5. Know When to Take Pieces Off

Your jewellery is strong, but silver is still a soft metal.

Remove jewellery when:
• doing heavy lifting
• using tools
• cleaning with strong chemicals
• gardening
• sleeping (especially chain necklaces)

This helps prevent stress on the metal, bent posts, and accidental knocks.

6. Caring for Gold-Plated Silver

A few of my pieces use 24k or 23.5k gold plating over silver. Goldplate can last a long time with the right care, but it will wear over months or years depending on use.

Best habits:
• Avoid rubbing, friction, and stacking pieces.
• Store separately from other jewellery.
• Clean gently with a soft cloth – never polish aggressively.
• Get in touch with me anytime for a refresh or re-plate.

7. If in Doubt, Ask Your Maker

If you’re unsure how to care for a specific piece, just ask. Every handmade item has its own details: textures, patinas, finishes, and structural quirks. I’m always happy to advise how best to look after something you’ve bought from me

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