I know it’s a bit nerdy, and it may be the last thing people think about when purchasing a piece of beautifully handcrafted jewelry, but not knowing proper care instructions is like buying a new car without driver’s manual! In order to make it an heirloom piece, let’s talk about jewelry care. I have been wanting to incorporate an educational blog post for some time. I hope you will find this information useful and valuable!
I have included the materials and metals that I use in my work, but you can also apply these care tips to the jewelry you have that share the same medium. Jewelry is as diverse as the artists that create it. With so much information to share I decided to break this information up into a five-part series: enamel jewelry; gold-filled/gold vermeil/gold leaf jewelry; oxidized sterling silver jewelry; sterling silver jewelry; and gold and platinum jewelry.
Also, if you have an educational topic to suggest, please email me.
Caring for Enamel Jewelry
Enamel jewelry is created by the fusion of glass at very high temperatures with metals. Like a fine glass sculpture, enamel jewelry is beautiful and yet fragile, and can scratch easily. It needs proper care on a regular basis to maintain its beauty. Be careful handling your pieces of enamel jewelry. Place jewelry on tissue paper or soft cloth and wrap it up before and after you wear it. This will protect the glass from accidental scratches and chips. And place the jewelry in a separate storage box; this will prevent them from being bumped against other items and becoming accidentally damaged.
Next month I’ll cover gold-filled, gold vermeil, and gold leaf jewelry. Stay tuned!