Jewellery care

Looking after your jewellery is very important.  Some pieces are very happy to be worn continuously while others may need a bit more care. How you do this can depend on how you want it to look.  Sometimes I’ll offer to clean an item for a client but the reply is ‘ Oh no thanks! I like the silver looking rather duller,’  so it is dependent on personal taste.

A gold or silver bracelet may never need cleaning as often because the constant brushing of the wrist against clothing is enough to keep it buffed.

In general, regular cleaning will help to retain shine. A soft, specially impregnated polishing cloth can be very helpful.  Sterling silver naturally tarnishes with the exposure to air and the environment. Perfumes, lotions and perspiration can also tarnish metals occasionally leaving an extremely blackened effect. Living near the sea can lead metals (even gold) to oxidise more quickly especially if left on while swimming (the salt from the sea and the salty air can tarnish them). 

To keep your jewellery bright & gleaming, I would recommend washing it in warm soapy water fairly frequently, brushing it with an old toothbrush then rinsing and tap drying with a soft cloth. If on holiday with a humid atmosphere, I’d advise you to do this at the end of each day to prevent any tarnishing from even starting.

One further tip is to make a mixture of warm water with a squirt of liquid soap, a spoonful of salt, and a spoonful of bicarbonate of soda. Leave the piece in the mixture for 15-30 minutes. After this, softly brush and then tap dry with a soft cloth.

When not worn, it helps to keep jewellery wrapped in acid-free tissue paper.


Jewellery Cleaning Service

We offer a service to clean all items of Charmian Harris Jewellery.  If the task has become too onerous, please wrap it carefully and post it back to us by Special Delivery Royal Mail . This will allow for your jewellery to be insured. Please phone us or email for the postal address (see Contact page). A charge will be made depending on the complexity of the piece as well as for the insured return postage (cost usually ranges between £20 and £50 plus £10 for insured postage).