Product maintenance

Take care of your jewelry

All our jewellery is handmade in our workshop in Rotterdam. Durable precious metals such as silver, 14 carat gold, gemstones and freshwater pearls are processed into the most beautiful jewellery. Nevertheless, jewellery is vulnerable and you will enjoy it the longest if you wear it with care.

Here are a few tips to keep your jewellery beautiful for as long as possible:

  • Take off your jewellery when you go to sleep.
  • Do not spray perfume on your jewellery (it contains alcohol) or on the place where you wear your jewellery.
  • Avoid contact with cleaning agents and other chemicals.
  • Do not wear your jewellery when exercising, swimming or during other strenuous physical activities.

Cleaning and sanitising of jewellery 

Silver tends to discolour when it comes into contact with sulphur or oxygen. This is called oxidation and the silver will turn darker. This is a natural process and can be cleaned up with a cleaning cloth or silver polish.

When you are not wearing your jewellery, it is best to store it in a plastic bag with a ziploc closure to keep it oxygen-free. 

Gilding

The basis of every gold-plated piece of jewellery is always 925 sterling silver. All our silver jewellery is gold plated with a 3 micron gold layer, in the gold colour 18k. This finish may fade with time. The duration of the gilding depends very much on how you treat your jewellery. Here are some tips to enjoy your gilded jewellery as long as possible:

  • Take off your jewellery when you go to sleep.
  • Take off your jewellery when you wash your hands. Never use scrub soap.
  • Take off your jewellery on the beach to prevent the sand from rubbing off the gold.
  • Take off your jewellery when doing heavy physical work.
  • And, of course, also when you are doing sports or swimming.

Has your gilding faded? We can re-gild your jewellery at cost price. We only offer this service for jewellery from our own workshop. Use the return form or bring your jewellery in to the shop for a refresh. 

Pearls

Pearls are beautiful, but need the right care. We recommend that you put them on last and take them off first. Pearls are fragile, avoid contact with chemicals in make-up, hairspray, hair paint and perfume. Exposure of pearls to hot and cold changes can cause pearls to loosen. Remove them as much as possible when swimming, washing hands and taking a shower. Avoid contact with vinegar and other acids. Pearls will shine extra when they are in contact with your skin. Do you want to clean them? Then use a soft, slightly damp cloth.

Gold and gemstones

Gold jewelry that incorporates stones can hold dirt in the setting. Usually this is easily removed with soapy water and a very soft brush, such as an old children's toothbrush. The soapy water then dissolves the grease and you easily brush away the dirt residue. A polishing cloth will also make your gold jewelry shine again! Scratches that occur after several years of wear can be polished away by us. You can bring your gold jewelry by for a service. Besides polishing, we also clean the jewelry and check the settings. This service is only available for 14- or 18 carat gold jewelry from our workshop. A service costs €15 per piece. 

Do you have questions about your jewellery? Mail us info@charlottewooning.com