HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR HANDMADE SILVER AND GOLD JEWELLERY

The short answer is simpler than you think.

Handmade sterling silver and gold jewellery is more resilient than most people give it credit for. It was made to be worn. Not saved. Not wrapped in tissue and kept for best. The pieces in the Porini collection are designed for a Tuesday morning as much as a Saturday night and with a little straightforward care they'll look as good in twenty years as they do today.

Here's what actually matters.

Wear it

The best thing you can do for sterling silver is wear it regularly. Silver that sits unworn tarnishes faster than silver that's in daily contact with your skin. The natural oils in your skin keep it clean and bright. This is not an excuse to never take it off. It's permission to stop saving it for special occasions.

Take it off for these things

Swimming. Chlorine in pools and chemicals in the sea accelerate tarnishing and can affect the finish over time. Hot tubs are particularly harsh.

Cleaning products. Bleach, ammonia and most household cleaners are hard on silver. Take your rings off before you reach for the spray bottle.

Heavy physical work. Sterling silver is hardwearing but it will scratch if it's knocked against hard surfaces repeatedly. If you're gardening, building something or doing anything that involves impact, take your bangles and rings off first.

Sleeping in fine chain necklaces. Not harmful but fine chains can tangle and kink overnight. Worth the thirty seconds to unclasp them.

When it tarnishes

It will. That's not a flaw. It's silver being silver. Tarnish is a natural chemical reaction between silver and sulphur compounds in the air. It doesn't mean the piece is damaged or low quality. It means it's real.

A soft polishing cloth is all you need for most tarnish. The kind that comes with the piece or any jewellery polishing cloth from a pharmacy or jeweller. A gentle circular motion and the tarnish lifts.

For more stubborn tarnish a small amount of mild dish soap in warm water, a soft toothbrush and a gentle scrub works well. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely before storing.

Avoid silver dips and ultrasonic cleaners for pieces with pearls or gemstones. The chemicals and vibrations can damage the stones and loosen settings. For pearl jewellery a soft damp cloth is always enough.

For your pearls specifically

Pearls are organic. They're made by a living creature and they respond to their environment. A few simple rules keep them beautiful for a lifetime.

Put them on last. Perfume, hairspray and cosmetics are the enemies of pearl lustre. Get dressed first, add your pearls last.

Wipe them gently after wearing with a soft damp cloth. The natural acids in skin perspiration can affect the surface of a pearl over time. Thirty seconds with a cloth after you take them off makes a real difference.

Store them flat if possible rather than hanging. Pearl strands can stretch if stored hanging for long periods.

Never leave pearls in direct sunlight for extended periods. They can dry out and lose their lustre.

Storing your collection

The enemy of silver is air and moisture. A jewellery box with separate compartments keeps pieces from scratching each other and slows tarnishing. Anti-tarnish strips placed in your jewellery box absorb the sulphur compounds that cause tarnish and are worth the small investment.

Store pearl pieces separately from silver where possible. And separately from gemstone pieces which can scratch softer surfaces.

For pieces with gemstones

Most gemstones are hardwearing and unfussy. Amethyst, citrine, peridot, rhodolite and tanzanite are all stable stones that respond well to the mild soap and warm water method described above.

Moissanite is exceptionally tough, second only to diamond in hardness, and requires very little special care. A soft cloth and warm water keeps it brilliant.

The honest summary

Wear your jewellery. Take it off for swimming and heavy work. Wipe your pearls after wearing. Polish silver when it tarnishes. Store pieces so they're not scratching each other.

That's genuinely all there is to it.

Every piece of sterling silver jewellery from Porini Design is shipped with an anti-tarnish strip and polishing cloth included. It's a small thing but it matters. Tuck it into your jewellery box alongside your pieces and it will quietly do its job absorbing the sulphur compounds that cause tarnish before they reach your silver.

If you ever have a piece that needs professional attention, a clasp that needs resoldering, a setting that feels loose, a pearl that needs restringing, get in touch. Porini pieces are made to last and worth looking after properly.

Sue Dunmore, Porini Design Studio, Tararua District, New Zealand.