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The most effective way to preserve your jewelry is by keeping it out
of harm's way! No, we can't completely shield our jewelry from
the hustle and bustle of our busy lives; however, we can keep our
jewelry beautiful just by limiting its exposure to certain
conditions! |
| Our daily hygiene is
good for us, bad for our jewelry. |
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 Lotions, Cosmetics, Perfumes, Hairsprays... |
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Daily grooming exposes our jewelry to chemicals that can leave a
residue or dull film that is very difficult, or even impossible, to
remove. To avoid this, remove your jewelry BEFORE bathing. |
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Put your jewelry on AFTER you have put on lotion, perfume, cosmetics
and hair products (mousse, gel, hairspray, etc.). |
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Think of your jewelry as the Finishing Touch. |
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 Household Chores... |
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Take your jewelry off to avoid scratches. It is possible for jewelry
to get caught on power tools and cause serious injury. Household
cleaners can scratch your jewelry and leave build-up that is almost
impossible to remove. Especially avoid chlorine bleach. |
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Remove jewelry before gardening, too. |
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Water... |
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Use water to help clean your jewelry - just be sure to thoroughly
dry your jewelry after exposing it to water. Moisture,
especially in an enclosed storage space, will tarnish
sterling silver, loosen jeweler cement (used for stone setting)
and weaken springs and clasps. |
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Remove jewelry before swimming. The water can loosen the
gemstone settings. Chlorine in pools can damage stones and
metals. |
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 Extreme Temperatures... |
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Keep your jewelry away from excessive exposure to the Sun or cold.
Extreme heat can damage the jeweler cement (can cause the loss of
stones), fade gemstones, damage pearls
and marcasite. Severe cold can cause thermal shock and
fracture some gemstones. Never leave your jewelry near a heat
vent, window sill or the dashboard of a car. |
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 Proper Storage of Your Jewelry... |
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Space...Give each piece of jewelry its own space. You can use
compartments in a jewelry box or separate containers. Metal
can scratch and scuff other metal. When gemstones and metals
come in contact with each other, luster can be destroyed.
Gemstones can scratch each other, too. If you prefer to keep
all of your jewelry together in one big jewelry box, place each
individual piece in a pouch or a sealed plastic bag. |
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Clasps...For bracelets or necklaces, hang them on hooks or fasten
the clasp when storing to prevent tangling. |
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Dry, Dry, Dry...Very important! Dry your jewelry thoroughly
before placing it in an enclosed space. This will help prevent
tarnish, clasp weakening and water damage to certain gemstones. |
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Sterling Silver |
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Read
About Sterling Silver |
| What
causes tarnish? |
| Since the
Industrial Revolution, tarnishing of sterling silver is
a natural process. This is a result of the
oxidation of the metal. Our precious metals are
under constant attack by atmospheric pollutants during
the manufacturing process, time in storage, transit, use
and display. |
| Of
particular concern for sterling silver jewelry is
hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and sulfur dioxide (SO2).
Air pollution, petroleum products, fossil fuel
combustion and natural sulfate breakdown are the
culprits of corrosion, tarnishing and discoloration of
metals. |
| To polish
sterling silver, there are many options: a polishing
cloth, commercial polish cream or spray, polishing dips.
Check out our products! |
| |
| Is there
anything to prevent future tarnish? Absolutely!
Check these products out... |
3M Tarni-Shield™ Protectors (Anti-Tarnish Strips) |
E'arrs® Anti-Tarnish Squares™ |
Hagerty®
Tarnish Intercept Jewelry Bags |
Tite-lip™
Anti-Tarnish Bags |
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Email Us
or Call Our 24-Hour Answering Service at 1-210-858-9561 |
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