Jewelry Care
Caring For Your Hand Stamped Jewelry
A large portion of my business is taking a customers' idea or motivation and translating it into a hand-stamped piece of jewelry.As you wear these custom pieces, especially if you are active or swim or bathe while wearing them, the black on the lettering may dull or wear off.
CLICK HERE for a simple way to refresh your jewelry and make it look like new.
Aluminum Jewelry Care Instructions:
Aluminum jewelry has been gaining in popularity over the past few years, with jewelers and consumers.It is an affordable metal but looks expensive when worn. Wide 1 and 2 inch sterling silver cuffs that range from $200-500 can easily be reproduced using this less expensive metal alternative.
Aluminum is generally hypoallergenic for most wearers. It does not oxidize or turn green like other metals (e.g., copper). With prolonged wear and depending on individual factors like skin pH, exposure to lotions, water or other environmental elements, aluminum can leave a faint gray or black mark on the skin. This can be more profound when worn in the shower, tub, or pool, and water gets trapped between the cuff and the skin. This is not harmful and can be easily washed off.
Here are a few tips to minimize the chances of any discoloration:
- Keep it dry:
Avoid prolonged exposure to water, sweat, or moisture. Remove the bracelet before showering, swimming, or exercising. - Avoid Contact With Harsh Chemicals
First, keep your aluminum jewelry away from corrosive chemicals to prevent it from losing its shine. Take off your aluminum rings and bracelets while cleaning, staining wood, or doing other tasks that involve chemicals. - Gentle Cleaning Solution
Give your cuff a quick bath using a mild dish soap (my favorite is Dawn dish detergent) and warm water. Rinse thoroughly and drying with a soft towel. Most of the time this should do the trick. - Polishing Cloths
If the soapy bath doesn't do the trick, try a SUNSHINE POLISHING CLOTH: these cloths are specifically designed with advanced micro-abrasive technology and a cleaning agent to remove tarnish, dirt, and grime, revealing a lustrous shine.
These little but mighty cloths are an ideal solution for aluminum. However, if you do use this or any type of polishing cloth, I recommend giving your piece a quick soapy bath afterward to wash off any residual cleaning agent.
Copper:
Our copper jewelry is made from 100% pure copper. Copper is an essential mineral found in plant life and the human body. Wearing copper jewelry is a long-term folk remedy for arthritis. The copper bracelets can be beneficial for reducing pain and inflammation.I do not coat my jewelry with any lacquer or other chemicals. Water, ocean air, lotions, soaps, oils from your skin, and your body chemistry will all affect how quickly your piece will turn. Over time even treated brass and copper will oxidize (or turn dark).
If you bathe or swim with your bracelet, it will gradually darken over a few days.
Your bracelet can be polished back to its original shine with a jewelry polishing cloth when this happens.
PLEASE NOTE: Copper may discolor your skin After contact with skin, soaps, or lotions, copper/brass can turn green or bluish-green and stain the skin in the process. The reaction varies according to an individual's body chemistry. The discoloration is not harmful to one's health and can be washed off with soap and water. You can clean the bracelet by washing it with soap and water, wiping it with rubbing alcohol, or a jewelry polishing cloth.
A super easy and fantastic cleaner for any brass or copper piece is 'Penny Brite.' It's biodegradable and environmentally friendly. It takes a few seconds to wash away any patina and leaves the metal bright and shiny. You can purchase on Etsy, Amazon, or your local hardware store. You can also polish your copper pieces with a jewelry cloth, but the penny brite is so easy and has excellent results.
Gold Brass / Nu Gold:
Nu Gold is a metal alloy created with copper and zinc. I do not coat my jewelry with any lacquer or other chemicals. Water, ocean air, lotions, soaps, oils from your skin, and your body chemistry will all affect how quickly your piece will turn. Over time all brass (even pieces that have been treated) will oxidize (or turn dark).If you bathe or swim with your bracelet, it will gradually darken in a few days.
When this happens, your bracelet can be polished back to its original shine with a jewelry polishing cloth.
PLEASE NOTE: Brass may discolor your skin After contact with skin, soaps, or lotions, copper/brass can turn green or bluish-green and stain the skin in the process. The reaction varies according to an individual's body chemistry. The discoloration is not harmful to one's health and can be washed with soap and water. You can clean the bracelet by washing it with soap and water, wiping it with rubbing alcohol, or a jewelry polishing cloth.
A super easy and fantastic cleaner for any brass or copper piece is 'Penny Brite.' It's biodegradable and environmentally friendly. It takes a few seconds to wash away any patina and leaves the metal bright and shiny. You can purchase on Etsy, Amazon, or your local hardware store. You can also polish your copper pieces with a jewelry cloth, but the penny brite is so easy and has excellent results.
Nickel Silver / German Silver:
Nickel silver is a common material found in other metals, such as 18K white gold to increase the metal's resistance to bending and scratches.It is a combination of 60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc. It is a solid metal and not flake and will remain beautiful for years to come.
However, this metal will cause a reaction to anyone with a nickel or metal allergy. It can cause rashes or irritation of the skin.
If you have metal allergies or have ever had a reaction to jewelry in the past nickel silver is NOT recommended.
Over time your bracelet may oxidize (or dull). When this happens your piece can be polished back to its original shine with a jewelry polishing cloth.
Bronze:
Our Bronze pieces are made from commercial Bronze. It is a beautiful metal that has been around for thousands of years. For jewelry, it is an affordable metal with a warm, rich color.The color is in between our brass and copper cuffs.
This metal is a mixture of 90% copper and 10% tin. It is a solid metal made from high quality alloys. They do NOT contain nickel or zinc.
Bronze will oxidize and patina.
When this happens it can be easily cleaned using a jewelry polishing cloth. Please see our info sheet in each listing for detailed information about this process.
Sterling Silver:
Our sterling pieces are made from solid .925 sterling silver. Sterling will tarnish over time but can be easily polished back to it's original shine with a silver polishing cloth.Even solid .925 sterling silver can cause a reaction with your skin. This happens more often with wider band rings and cuffs or when you stack rings/bracelets together, which allows moister to get trapped between the piece and the skin.
Sterling Silver is 92.5% silver, but the other 7.5% is made from copper, which gives the metal its strength.
If your piece is turning your skin green, it is either tarnishing (because moisture is getting trapped between the ring/cuff and the skin. This is most likely the case) or it is happening because your skin is sensitive to copper, which is present in ALL sterling silver in very minute quantities.
The discoloration is not harmful to one's health, and is readily washed off with soap and water. It happens to me when I wear wide band rings or when I stack rings together!
14k Gold Filled Jewelry:
Our 14K gold filled jewelry has a Karat/purity of 14/20.Gold-filled is made by heat- and pressure-bonding a thin layer of karat gold to a brass core. The cost of gold-filled jewelry is greater than that of gold-plated because the gold-filled has an actual layer of karat gold, not just a microscopic film. This makes it last longer and significantly increases it's tarnish-resistance.
The "14/20" describes the purity. The "14" refers to the karat of gold and the second number is the amount of gold that is used (1/20 or 5% of the total weight of the piece).
14/20 gold-filled jewelry most resembles solid gold and it is much more affordable! 14k gold-filled jewelry can stay beautiful for many years. However, jewelry worn on the body often accumulates grease and grime from normal wear.
With proper care, gold filled jewelry should only require a light cleaning.
Here are several factors to consider:
1. Lotions, soaps, perfumes and especially sunscreen, when left on the surface of your pieces, can cause the gold to darken more quickly.
Jewelry should be pur on after products like lotion, perfume and hairspray.
2. Chlorine, sweat and body chemistry can also affect the rate a which you piece turns.
Do not wear your jewelry to swim or shower.
3.Gold-filled doesn't tarnish easily, but should be cleaned to prevent any possible blackening from chemicals.
How to Clean:
How To Refresh The Lettering On My Hand Stamped Piece:
The letters and images in my pieces are blackened using guilders paste wax. Once cured, this darkening treatment can last months if the cuff/ring is treated with care.Hand-stamped jewelry, especially when the lettering is worn against your skin, will fade over time. This will happen faster if you are active (sweating while wearing it) or swim or bathe with the bracelet on. Rings are especially susceptible to fading due to constant hand washing.
The following is a DO IT YOURSELF TECHNIQUE TO DARKEN LETTERS. It will work on any hand-stamped metal: silver, aluminum, copper, brass, or sterling. This process is especially great for hand-stamped rings, as they frequently have soap and water exposure.
You also have the option to send the piece back to me for a COMPLIMENTARY "Facelift". Where your text will be darkened and your piece will be polished and reshaped.
CLICK HERE TO REFRESH YOUR CUFF
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