Jewelry Care
Although our jewelry is designed and sculpted for everyday wear, one of the most frequent and common questions we receive is how to properly care for your jewelry. Below is a short recommendation from our experience and knowledge of materials we use.
We highly recommend taking off any jewelry while doing activities like swimming, gardening, contact sports, and moving heavy objects. If you are questioning whether a certain activity will jeopardize your piece of jewelry, it is easier and safest to remove it and keep in a safe place. If you are away from home when you take it off, it is always easiest to put it in a small pouch or pocket with a zipper! Another trick I learned and highly recommend, if the activity involves using your hands only take any rings off and if you happen to be wearing a necklace, slide the ring through the chain. Doing this allows you to know where your ring is at all times and will prevent any damages.
Our designs consist of a variety of materials ranging from sterling silver, gold, diamonds to colored stones. The best way to safely clean your jewelry at home is mix a small amount of mild soap with warm water in a bowl. First let the piece soak in the mixture for a few minutes. After it has soaked take a soft bristle toothbrush (we recommend a baby tooth brush) and gently scrub the desired area of cleaning. Remember when scrubbing that semi-precious stones like sapphires or rubies only have a hardness factor of 9 and can scratch easily if scrubbed too hard! Remove the piece from the bowl and rinse it with warm clean water and dry it thoroughly with a polishing cloth. If you do not own a polishing cloth let the piece air dry before wearing it. Do not try and dry it with the usual towel or clothing. Even though you may think your favorite towel is super soft, it can still create minute scratches on certain metals. If you are not confident cleaning your jewelry by yourself the best option is to bring it in to your local jeweler.
If you have a piece of jewelry you think needs repair, it is always best to stop wearing it and bring it in to your jeweler. Most of the times they will check the piece under a microscope free of charge. If you have a ring that you feel keeps getting snagged on clothing or you feel your center stone is lose, always bring it in. It is always better to be safe than sorry in the end. If you have a piece of jewelry that you inherited or you have just worn for the last 20-30 years, don't be afraid to bring it in for a check and a quick steam cleaning.
When a piece of jewelry is constantly having issues; a stone is lose, a stone fell out, a prong broke, etc. always ask you jeweler what he recommends. Never be afraid to ask what the best option to do is. A bench jeweler has tons of pieces go through his/her hands daily. They see this stuff every single day. Sometimes they might recommend a simple prong re-tipping, while certain situations they might suggest re-making the piece. When they propose re-designing the piece usually it means a simple fix now will work but there will still always be issues later. Sure, sometimes a simple repair can work and fix the issue for the time being, but it doesn't guarantee it won't be an reoccurring issue in the future.
We understand how precious and sentimental a piece of jewelry can be. These are all recommendations from experience and our knowledge in the trade. If something is unclear, don't ever be afraid to ask us or your local jeweler. When it comes to jewelry it is always better to be safe than sorry!
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If there something you want to learn about or get more information about contact us directly at sarahmichikodesigns@gmail.com
"I've never thought of my jewellery as trophies. I'm here to take care of it and love it, for we are only temporary custodians of beauty." - Elizabeth Taylor