Jewelry Care And sizing

Bronze Cleaning and Care

Bronze has the distinction of being the first alloy ever and has been used for over 3000 years. It is a durable metal that has played a key role in history. It is known for its excellent durability and has been worn for as long as the metal has been in existence.It has an attractive golden hue, subdued luster and a vintage charm. Apart from sterling silver we have been creating jewelry pieces from bronze from the very beginning as we love the weight, the color of it and the fact that it goes so well with the semi precious stones that we use. There are a few things you need to know regarding bronze and its maintenance when getting your new bronze piece.

Bronze is an alloy made of copper and tin and has a lovely warm golden color.  One thing to keep in mind, the copper content of these metals can oxidize in combination with skin oils, creating a greenish layer of copper carbonate on skin. Some people have strong reactions to bronze especially on the fingers, while others have no reaction at all; everyone’s skin is different. This more often can occur with tight rings worn in hot weather, because of the lack of air circulation between your finger and the ring. This green staining is not harmful to the skin, nor is it permanent. It can be easily washed off with soap and water. Keeping your bronze jewelry clean will also help in preventing this from occurring. You can have your bronze jewelry sealed with nail polish, car wax or a commercial sealant. This thin coating will form a barrier between your skin and the metal, preventing it from turning green. We recommend sizing up one size for thick rings, to give a little more air space. Bracelets have air circulation between your wrist and the bracelet, so should have minimal to no oxidation.

 

Bronze is durable, easy to clean, and will last for decades with proper care. To help your jewelry last a long time, take it off  when swimming or bathing, doing household chores or using abrasive cleaners. It is also recommended you remove your jewelry before you go to bed, this causes unnecessary stress on the components and will make them more likely to break. Avoid direct contact with beauty products such as perfume, hairspray or deodorant and make sure to wait for these items to dry thoroughly before wearing your jewelry. This will prevent scratching, wear and tear and oil and dirt build-up.

When not wearing your jewelry store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

You may clean your jewelry at home and restore it to its original shine, using common household ingredients, such as lemon, vinegar, salt, bicarbonate of soda and Worchestershire sauce! A few ways to clean the patina on your bronze jewelry are

  • by initially washing it with warm water to remove any dirt, and then dry the piece. Take a small bowl, and put 2-3 tablespoons of bicarbonate soda in it. Pour a little lemon juice, and mix it with the soda until you make a paste. Rub the paste onto your bronze jewelry, and keep rubbing until the item is clean; you can use a toothbrush or a soft Then leave the item with the paste on for about half an hour before rinsing the jewelry and drying it with a cloth.
  • You can also try soaking the piece in some vinegar for about an hour before scrubbing it with a toothbrush.
  • Also you can dip the piece into Worchestershire sauce sauce for a minute and then thoroughly rinse in water. The acidity of the sauce will help remove tarnish.

Avoid using commercial cleaners as they can be abrasive and scratch the surface of the bronze.

You can maintain the finish of your bronze jewelry by washing it frequently with soap and water, which removes the body oils that facilitate oxidation.

However, If you are susceptible to the reactions written above, we suggest purchasing sterling silver jewelry. After all we offer this option on all of our jewelry designs.

 

Sterling Silver Cleaning and Care

All fine sterling silver does eventually tarnish with age and exposure to various elements. The first important way to keep jewelry from tarnishing is to keep it clean. If you put it away tarnished, the tarnish will worsen during storage. We recommend that you store your jewelry in a closed box or plastic bag as silver will tarnish when exposed to air.

To make your sterling silver jewelry shine again if the pieces have become dull, gently wipe with a jewelry polishing cloth and gentle soap and water. Any jewelry with an oxidized (black) or stone element should not go into chemical jewelry cleaning solution or ultrasonic cleaner. Do not dry sterling silver with paper towels or tissues because they can scratch the silver. Always use a soft cloth.

For jewelry pieces that include texture and rough surfaces a soft toothbrush could also be handy.

 

Gold Plated Pieces

We give our pieces the ”Double d’ Ór” gold plating. This creates a 1-1,5 micron of thickness layer of 18 k gold over silver which is thicker than the usual gold plating that is 0,5 micron thick . This allows it to be much more durable over time.

Kindly keep in mind, that this is a semi permanent finish and with time and wear it will slowly rub off to reveal the silver underneath.

To keep your gold plating pristine for as long as possible avoid getting perfume on the jewelry and remove before washing your hands. Do not use silver polishing cloths on gold plating as they are embedded with an abrasive chemical, use a dry soft cloth and buff very gentle if needed. We cannot estimate how long the gold plating will last on your jewelry as there are many factors that influence it.

 

RING SIZING GUIDE

 

The ring sizes in our website are USA sizes. Using the International Ring Size Chart you can convert your size and find what your USA finger size is.

To ensure your finger size is calculated in the most accurate way, it is highly recommended to measure it at any jeweler / jewelry store near by you.

Alternatively, an easy way to determine a ring size in circumference is to measure the relevant finger with a string or paper. Mark the point where the two ends meet and measure the length against a ruler to identify the correct circumference. The diameter of the finger may easily be identified if you divide the measured circumference with 3,14. Then compare to our ring size chart to find your US size.

You can also carefully measure the inside diameter of one of the rings you own, provided that the shank is a perfect circle and compare the diameter with our ring size chart.

Make sure your finger is at a normal body temperature — fingers can shrink or expand when cold or hot. If your knuckle is much larger than your finger’s base, take two separate measurements and choose a size in between. You want a ring to fit over your knuckle, but not be too loose or it will shift around.

 

You can request a customized size (from the suggested options) such as: 5.25, 5.75 etc.. Request is being made when placing your order- on the ”ORDER NOTES” section at the checkout page.

PEARL MAINTENANCE

Pearls are extremely beautiful but also delicate. They are an organic product and that means that like most other products of nature, they need the proper care in order to preserve their beauty.

A pearl’s surface can easily be scratched and damaged by chemicals. Keep any Household detergents, chlorine and various cosmetic products such as perfumes away from your pearl jewelry. Even your own perspiration when coming in contact with pearls can affect its lustre and color. Consequently, avoid wearing your pearl jewelry while taking a bath or swimming and also during activities which will cause perspiring.

Make sure that you periodically clean the surface of your pearls with a really soft dumb cloth.

It is also highly suggested that you store them separately from your other jewelry pieces to avoid scratches.

 

CUFF BRACELETS MAINTENANCE

We love them and keep creating more and more new designs of those. Cuff bracelets have a long history in jewelry design and are considered to be the traditional style in handcrafted Native American jewelry. They are comfortable to wear and easy to put on and take off.

Just a few words on how to wear them and keep them nice and in shape for year to come!Now first of all a  cuff bracelet is one that does not close on the wrist but simply rests on the wrist or higher with a gap or open area on the inside of the wrist. Hold the cuff in your opposite hand with the opening facing out. Gently roll the bracelet over the wrist from the thumb side or inside of your wrist just above the wrist bone. DO NOT hook the cuff on the outside of the wrist and pull it over the top of the wrist. This actually pulls the cuff out of shape and loosens the stones if there are any. In time, you could break the cuff due to metal fatigue. Always start at the thumb side of your wrist. Cuffs usually only need to be adjusted once and not bent each time.

How to decide on your measurements

Most of our cuff bracelet designs are a ”one size fits all” given the average wrist measurements, unless described otherwise in the item details (In those cases you will be given the option to select between one of the sizes available). Circumferences of all cuff bracelet designs are written on the item details.

The best way to get a good fit is to measure a cuff bracelet you already have that fits you well. The total circumference is the inside measurement of the bracelet from end to end plus the gap (the distance between the ends). If you don’t have a cuff bracelet to use for comparison, then measure your wrist with a string or paper where you want to wear the bracelet.

We are always here to answer any questions that you may have and make sure you are getting the best fit !