Caring for your jewellery

Jewellery is meant to be the icing on the cake when it comes to your whole outfit and how you feel about your appearance. If you wear, store and clean your jewellery with care, your Fine van Brooklin will keep looking like new for many years. Here are some instructions on how to go about keeping your favourites in tip top condition!

*The greatest advice I've heard for taking care of any jewellery is this: when getting dressed, may your jewellery be the last thing you put on, and when undressing, may it be the first thing you take off. This simple habit will be the best way to avoid getting your jewellery lost and tangled up with clothing.

*If you wear perfume or hairspray, I would strongly advise you to apply them before putting on your jewellery, or alternatively protecting your jewellery from the sprays with your hand or a tissue. Perfumes and hairsprays contain alcohol that can be surprisingly damaging to jewellery materials. Metals may easily tarnish, the luster of pearls permanently fade and crystals lose their sparkle.

*Please remove your jewellery before showering, swimming and sleeping. Or prepare for the worst, I am sorry to say!

*When you're not wearing your Fine van Brooklin, it's a good idea to store them separately, for example in their own pouches that come with the jewellery, separate jewellery stands or sectioned and cushioned jewellery boxes. If several jewellery pieces are stored in one place, they easily get tangled, bent and/or scratched. It's also important to keep the jewellery in a dry place and away from sunlight. Humidity (like on a bathroom shelf) and lengthy sun exposure (like on a window sill) can tarnish metals and damage natural materials such as pearls and turquoise.

*Sometimes it's really good to give your jewellery a gentle clean, and they will look like new in no time! You can wipe any small tarnishes from glass, crystal and gemstone beads with a soft microfibre cloth (like the one you use for cleaning your sunglasses) or even quickly wash the item with a drop of some light, foamy dishwashing detergent and running water. After using water, it's essential to immediately dry the jewellery carefully and gently with a soft paper towel, in order to avoid humidity sticking to the jewellery's surface.

*If brass or silver parts have darkened, a gentle jewellery cleaning cloth is great for wiping away the tarnish, then finish the cleaning process by a rinse with soap and water and a careful dry. Please note that pastes and liquids used for cleaning silver tablewear and cutlery is not meant for jewellery. Always make sure that the product you use is assigned to jewellery care.

*If you have any further questions on how to care for your Fine van Brooklin jewellery, don't hesitate to contact me, I'm always happy to help! You can use the Contact section on the front page here, or email at finevanbrooklin(at)gmail.com. You can also bring your jewellery to my atelier for cleaning or any other fix-up if you are unsure of how to do it. Welcome!

*For further information regarding materials used in Fine van Brooklin jewellery, check here!