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PROPER CARE AND STORAGE OF HANDMADE BEADED JEWELRY
Handmade jewelry is unique in design and materials and is, like all jewelry, very delicate. While I make JLOVEJEWELRY pieces with high quality materials and individually check them for defects in materials and construction, the care you give these jewelry pieces is important to ensure you will enjoy them for a long, long time.
Handle your jewelry carefully
When turning a necklace to center it on your neck, always grasp it from the back. This prevents you from exerting excessive force on the clasp or connections between the clasp to the beading wire or thread. Store necklaces and bracelets in a space that will not overly crowd the piece and cause it to be bent for long periods of time, thus weakening the wire.
Prevent tarnish and discoloration
The best way to keep your precious metal jewelry pieces shiny is to wear them often. Oils from your skin and handling the jewelry piece helps to keep tarnish away. Keep your jewelry dry. To help decrease the occurrence of tarnish on your jewelry pieces, store your jewelry in airtight plastic bags or closed jewelry boxes to prevent excessive exposure to the air. Impurities in the air, such as sulfur, increase the rate of oxygenation, and result in tarnish.
Use of an anti-tarnish tab placed in the bag or in your jewelry box will pull impurities from the air and help prevent your jewelry from tarnishing. The anti-tarnish tab is good for three months and then needs to be replaced. Each piece of jlovejewelry with precious metal components will arrive in a plastic bag with an anti-tarnish tab in it. You can put this anti-tarnish tab in your jewelry box or keep it in the bag with your jewelry piece(s).
Special chemically treated polishing cloths are available to clean and remove tarnish. Or, use a soft, 100% cotton cloth without nubs to polish your jewelry pieces. Whichever you use, do not rub in a circular direction as this can scratch precious metal surfaces. There are many jewelry cleaners and precious metal polishing products available in liquid or paste. Be careful to read the product caution information and look for products that will not harm semiprecious beads and pearls if using it on jewelry made with these materials. Semiprecious stones such as turquoise should never come in contact with chemicals. To remove tarnish from the silver or other semiprecious metal next to the beads, dip a Q-tip in the cleaner and only use it on the metal portions of your jewelry pieces. You can rinse the entire piece in warm water afterwards but remember to dry it immediately.
Enjoy your jewelry!
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