Caring for your jewellery

As with all things precious to you, your Selina Murray jewellery also has to be looked after. The following advice is a guide to help you keep your jewellery looking beautiful for many years to come.

Wearing

Avoid your jewellery coming into contact with harsh chemicals found in household and cosmetics products such as including but not limited to soaps, detergents, sanitisers, perfumes, hairsprays, make-up, and chlorine. The chemicals present in these products can affect your jewellery causing a discolouration in the metal. Shampoos, body washes and lotions can also cause a build-up around settings and in the links in chains, tarnishing the shine of your piece over time.

When wearing your jewellery, we recommend putting it on last when getting ready and removing your jewellery before it comes into contact with any of the above. 

We advise taking your jewellery off when doing any form of exercise, playing sports, doing housework, gardening or any activity that involves exposing it to repeated knocks or scratches as this can cause unreasonable wear and tear. 

Do not expose your jewellery to extreme temperatures.

Gold and platinum are hardwearing but can dent or bend out of shape with a hard knock or if placed under excessive pressure. 

All gemstones can chip, if hit with hard enough force, even diamonds. Diamonds and sapphires are some of the hardest gemstones and are very durable, but they are not indestructible. Be particularly careful to protect jewellery with stones from being knocked and scratched. Emeralds are particularly delicate and can be easily damaged.

Storing

The best way to care for your jewellery when you’re not wearing it is to store each piece individually in an airtight bag, in the protective pouch and box they arrived in or in dedicated sections of your jewellery box. Store in a dry place with low humidity. 

Storing pieces individually (including earrings) will avoid metal and stones from scratching against each other and the chains on your necklaces tangling.

Cleaning

We would advise having your jewellery professionally cleaned to maintain or restore its radiance. In the interim periods, occasionally wipe your jewellery with your polishing cloth to restore its shine. Your polishing cloth is reusable as long as it is not washed

To clean your diamond and sapphire pieces, we recommend soaking in warm water with a gentle soap. Use a soft toothbrush to gently brush away any build up. Gently Pat dry and wipe with your polishing cloth for a sparkling finish.

We do not recommend cleaning with an ultrasonic machine or cleaners with harsh chemicals. 

Jewellery with softer gemstones, such as emeralds, gently clean with a jewellery cloth. Do not soak these pieces in water or place in an ultrasonic.

When sterling silver jewellery is exposed to skin oils and the air, a natural discolouration and tarnishing will occur over time. This is only surface discolouration and can be removed with a micro abrasive polishing cloth. 

We offer a range of in-house services including cleaning, polishing and repair. If you require more information on any of these services, please email hello@selinamurray.com