Gold

REGULAR CLEANING TIPS

When worn regularly, your gold jewelry is exposed to skin oils, perspiration, dust, makeup, and more. To keep its shine, you should clean your jewelry regularly with a solution of 10-parts warm water and 2-parts dish soap. A few extra tips:

• Soaking is the key: you should soak your gold jewelry pieces for 3 hours and then scrub them gently with a very soft brush. Rinse under clean water and blot dry with a cloth.

• Bonus tip: for an extra shine, use a jewelry polishing cloth after this! Do not use a paper towel or tissue as these can scratch your jewelry.

• Clean with soap as needed: by all means, clean your jewelry at home; but, don’t overdo it! Only clean your jewelry as needed when it’s visibly dirty or gathering a patina.

• Other jeweler-approved cleaners: rubbing alcohol is great for cleaning and sanitizing, but stay away from bleach!

• Look out for damage: during your regular jewelry cleanings, be on the lookout for any damage or loose stones. Cleaning damaged pieces can only make the problem worse.
  
  

HOW TO STORE YOUR GOLD JEWELRY

After you’ve worn and cleaned your gold jewelry for the day, the next step in taking proper care of it is to store it properly. 

• Use a jewelry box: a clean, dry, fabric-lined jewelry box is the best option.

• Wrap each piece in a soft cloth: If you don’t have a jewelry box, save those free phone screen clothes and use the extras to wrap each piece of your jewelry individually.

• Store pieces separately: this prevents jewelry from tangling or scratching each other.
  

SCHEDULE A YEARLY CLEANING

All the above tips are great ways for you to take care of your fine gold jewelry on a daily basis. However, doing those things alone is not enough. We recommend having your jewelry professionally cleaned every six-months and checked for loose prongs and damage annually. 

.925 Silver

Keep silver jewelry away from harsh chemicals like household cleaning fluids as they create abrasions and reduce the lustre of the metal. Cleaning silver jewellery is best done with a professional jewellery cleaning product. Thoroughly dry your silver jewellery after exposure to water.

STORING YOUR STERLING SILVER JEWELRY

Oxygen and moisture in the air will tarnish Sterling Silver Jewelry, so it's important to properly store your jewelry to help minimize the oxidation process. Here are a few storage tips:

• Store in an area with low humidity (no bathroom storage).

• Store each piece in an airtight (Ziploc) bag.

• Place a packet of silica or piece of chalk in the storage bag.

• Keep clasps/closures unhooked to avoid moisture buildup.

  
  

WEARING YOUR STERLING SILVER JEWELRY

Interesting fact: You can avoid tarnish by wearing your jewelry often! The natural oils in your skin will actually help protect and clean the silver. However, there are certain activities that can cause your jewelry to lose its luster quickly! You should remove your Sterling Silver jewelry before doing any of the following:

• Working Out

• Swimming

• Showering

• Cleaning

• Sunbathing

• Applying Hairspray or Hair Products

• Putting on Lotion and Makeup

CLEANING YOUR STERLING SILVER JEWELRY

Even the best-cared-for jewelry will sometimes require cleaning. Polishing your sterling silver jewelry will typically be the best way to clean it. Be sure to do the following:

• Use a special non-abrasive cloth to avoid scratching.

• Move to a new section of the cloth regularly.

• Avoid areas that are intentionally oxidized as part of the design.

• Do not rub in a circular pattern -  follow the grain of the silver.

PROPER CARE IS THE KEY

With proper care, your AJ Made Jewelry pieces should give you many years of pleasure and enjoyment - and even become family heirlooms.

Simple things - like paying attention to how you store, wear, and clean your sterling silver jewelry, can prolong its life dramatically. Remember to always store your jewelry in a dry and air-tight place. Wear your jewelry often, but be sure to remove it when showering, swimming, or working with certain chemicals or foods that contain sulfur. As a general rule, it’s always best to put on your jewelry last when getting dressed. Polishing your sterling silver jewelry before it becomes too tarnished will minimize the amount of work needed, but be sure to use the right type of cloth and stroke pattern. These small and simple steps will help keep your sterling silver jewelry looking brilliant for years to come.

Pewter

HOW TO CLEAN PEWTER JEWELRY

Moisten a soft cloth with water and wring out the cloth so it is merely damp.

Apply a small dot of hand soap to the cloth and work the soap into light bubbles.

Rub the moistened cleaning cloth carefully over the pewter jewelry. Handle the pewter jewelry with extreme care because pewter is a soft metal that could easily bend or break if you exert too much pressure on it.

Rinse the cleaning cloth with water to remove the soap from the cloth.

Wipe the rinsed cleaning cloth over the pewter jewelry a second time to remove soap residue.

Dry the pewter jewelry with a dry cloth.

HOW TO POLISH PEWTER JEWELRY

Polish pewter jewelry only infrequently when you feel it looks dull. Apply a small dot of pewter polish to an old rag and apply the pewter polish to the pewter jewelry in gentle strokes along the grain of the pewter. Rub the polish in gently with the rag.

Rub the polish off the pewter jewelry with another rag to remove all remnants of the polish.

Buff the pewter jewelry with a soft cloth to finish cleaning the pewter.

GENERAL CARE OF PEWTER JEWELRY

Keep pewter jewelry away from extreme sources of heat because pewter will melt easily.

Remove your pewter jewelry and do not wear it while you engage in activities that may damage the pewter. Examples of these harmful activities include sporting activities, housework, gardening and construction.

Store pewter jewelry carefully by wrapping it in tissue paper or a soft cloth and placing it in a jewelry box where it will not be bumped or scratched.