It’s always a great feeling to add to your ever growing jewellery collection, but to make sure you get the most out of your pieces, here is a guide on how to look after gold-plated, brass and silver.

Silver

Sterling silver, like other precious metal alloys, can oxidise with time. You only have to do a few simple things to avoid this:

• Store in a cool, dry place, preferably in a tarnish-preventive bag or wrapped in a soft piece of felt or cloth.
• Store pieces individually so that they don’t knock together and scratch.
• Do not rub silver with anything other than a polishing cloth. Paper towels can cause scratches because of the fibres in these products.
• Make sure your silver is not exposed to air and light during storage – this can cause silver to tarnish.
• Don’t wear sterling silver in chlorinated water.

Brass

• Brass reacts differently depending on the wearers ph / body so keeping it away from moisture can prevent any kind of markings.
• Clean with a damp clean cloth; and wipe the dirt and oil residues, following the natural grain of the metal. Dry it immediately as water can leave marks on the metal.
• You can also use a solution of warm water and a small dose of mild dishwashing liquid soap and rub it using your fingers or a soft-bristled toothbrush. Afterwards, you can rinse carefully with tap water and thoroughly pat dry with a cloth, so no marks are left.
• These techniques can also be used from bronze pieces too.

Gold-plated Jewellery

• Remove all gold plated jewellery when doing activities around heat and moisture (bathing, swimming, exercise etc).
• Apply all lotions and perfumes before putting on your gold plated items - different chemicals can cause tarnishing.
• Like with most jewellery, do not to mix them with other pieces, as rubbing up against other metals can wear away the layer of gold.
• Do not sleep with your jewellery on.
• Do not use any abrasives to clean your gold plated jewellery.