Every Kate Sandford jewellery piece is unique and with care and attention, will retain the beauty and longevity of the piece. Below is a list of guidelines we recommend for keeping your jewellery in the best possible condition.
Cleaning
Professional cleaning and checking of settings or loose stones is recommended once a year, this is dependent on how often you wear your jewellery. Silver jewellery is susceptible to tarnishing and more noticeable on matt finished pieces. If you do experience any blackening of your jewellery, we recommend cleaning with a soft jewellery polishing cloth. You should avoid contact with chemicals such as peroxide, chlorine, sulphur, salt water and detergents, as this can discolour the metal and damage your precious jewellery. Unfortunately, some people’s skin reacts against silver jewellery and may turn it black. This could be caused by diet or some medications. The methods described above will remove the tarnishing, but often the alternative is to avoid silver jewellery completely. Rhodium plating on silver is an option which will cover the silver and create a barrier to the silver and the skin.
Storing
Store your jewellery in a clean, dry place or in the boxes provided, as this will prevent them from being scratched or scratching other pieces. A jewellery box with soft fabric and compartments is ideal to separate each piece. Take care to avoid impact on abrasive or hard surfaces. Even diamonds can be chipped or break if hit with force at a particular angle.
Gemstones
To retain the sparkle in most of your gemstones, we recommend using a soapy water solution and soft toothbrush, rinsed clean with water and with a soft cloth.
Special care must be taken with pearls, opal and turquoise as these are particularly susceptible to chemicals, detergents and hard abrasive surfaces. Pearl strands need to be restrung if worn regularly, and pearl rings should not be worn every day due to the softness of the stone.