JEWELRY CARE

caring for jewelry

Gold-filled jewelry, made from hypoallergenic metals (stainless steal or copper) and then coated with a thick layer of 14, 18 or 24k gold.

To be considered “gold-filled,” it needs to contain at least 5% gold; whereas gold-plated is .05% or less. This coating is 100x more gold than gold-plated jewelry and can withstand normal amounts of sweat and water. However, it is not solid gold and that is kind of the point! Drip is an affordable alternative and definitely a great bang for your buck. Unfortunately, overtime, these pieces WILL begin to tarnish but here is how you can delay that from happening:

Do not apply lotion or perfume while wearing your jewelry

Remove your jewelry before swimming in chlorine or salt water. If you decide to keep it on, at least rinse it with plain water and pat it dry when you’re done!

Remove your jewelry before showering or at least rinse it with plain water and pat it dry when you’re done!

Store your jewelry in an airtight container, away from moisture and light

Regularly clean your jewelry

 

cleaning:

If you are someone who will keep up with daily maintenance; you should wipe the piece down with a soft cloth after each use. If you know that it has been exposed to a bit more that day than normal (sweat, lotions, humidity, etc.) You could rinse it off with some warm water and pat it dry with a soft cloth.

When you know that it realllly needs a good cleaning, you can :

1. Get a bowl of warm water and add just a small amount of a mild, clear/ mild dish soap

2. Soak the jewelry for 2 minutes

3. Gently brush your jewelry with a SOFT toothbrush or washcloth 

4. Rinse thoroughly, in plain water, making sure all the soap is off

5. Make sure it is completely dry before storing it away

If you are NOT that person, just wear the shit out of your jewelry and buy another/different one when it has tarnished. I know that’s a little harsh but that is the reality and the fun with affordable jewelry. This isn’t going to tarnish after 4 days, like gold-plated does, but it is great jewelry you don’t need to worry much about! You can wear it out and then a few months later; get something new, rather than spend $1000 on a piece of fine jewelry that you eventually get bored of…. but that’s just my opinion.

 

storing: 

You should store your jewelry in an airtight container, away from light and moisture. Put your jewelry in a plastic baggie and then put that in your DRIP bag, and you’re set! That is the way to go!

I know most of us are not going to take off our jewelry to store it every day, BUT if you really want to maximize the lifetime of your jewelry, its a great step to take.

 

These tips can be used for taking care of any type of jewelry!