Most of the jewellery I make and sell will stand up to day to day life well. However, to keep your jewellery in tip top condition (expecially for some stones or exotic materials), there are some guidelines to keep your jewellery looking it's best.
Sterling Silver: All silver will tarnish or patina over time, you can, however, slow down this process by following a few simple rules.
1/ Take off your jewellery whilst washing /showering
2/ Remove jewellery whilst on the beach / in the sea, in the pool or in the hot tub
3/ Remove your jewellery while doing housework, especially if using cleaning chemicals ( or don't do housework :-) )
4/ Remove jewellery whilst at the gym
5/ Other than the above, wear it! Silver jewellery will tarnish much more quickly if left in a drawer or jewellery box than when it's worn. If you do intend to leave your silver in the jewellery box for a while, place it in a little press to seal bag with an anti-tarnish strip.
The good news is that patina on silver wipes off well with a silver cloth or silver polish. If there is tarnish in the nooks and crannies you can't get to, it may be that it adds to the character of your jewellery ( jewellers will often use chemicals to create patina in the low points of your jewellery to create contrast with the shiny high points. If you want it removed however, your local high street jewellery shop will often offer a cleaning service where they dip your jewellery in a special solution that will remove the patina / tarnish completely
Other materials:
Gold / Gold Filled: It's unusual for gold to tarnish but an occasional wipe under running water will help to remove any of the dirt and dust that can build up in daily life.
Stainless Steel / Titanium: Stainless Steel and Titanium also won't tarnish and can be cleaned under running water if needed.
Wood: Wooden jewellery is sealed to give it some protection but is especially susceptable to damage by water / cleaning chemicals so extra care should be taken not to expose it to such chemicals. to clean wooden jewellery wipe with a damp cloth and always dry it well.
Jewellery with stones: Natural stones can behave unpredicably when exposed to chemicals so it is recommended that jewellery with stones is removed while washing / showering and when using cleaning chemicals etc.
Jewellery with Resin / Acrylic inlay: This includes our memory / memorial jewellery and sand jewellery. This jewellery should be OK when occasionally exposed to water but it is recommended to remove before swimming / showering or using cleaning chemicals etc. to keep it in good condition for the longest time. This jewellery can also be affected by long exposure to sunlight, this isn't normally a probem whilst being worn but when removed avoid leaving in direct sun ( e.g on a windowsill)
All Ben and Cocoa jewellery is made from the best possible materials and with care will last a long time, these tips will help to keep it in the best possible condition
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