How to care for Keepsake Jewellery with Resin Composite Stones?
Now you got your precious keepsake jewellery but are not sure how to care for it or are scared to break or damage it. Or you are thinking of having a gorgeous keepsake made but not sure how to care for it in the future.
All our jewellery comes with care instructions, but just in case, we have bundled up our knowledge on jewellery care here. This article is written primarily for resin jewellery and resin memorial jewellery.
Care Instructions for Resin Keepsake Jewellery:
Some of our keepsake jewellery will contain a particular type of resin. Some stones contain only a drop while others require more resin due to the design, such as hair keepsake or breastmilk jewellery.
Resin is a form of plastic. While our resin contains a UV stabiliser and the company promises a ‘no yellow’ effect – let me be honest, ALL resin will slightly yellow in time.
It is just a matter of time and the care and time you invest. In our tests, we found that even the UV stabilised resins will yellow one shade or two when exposed to ongoing harsh sunlight.
We aim to create family heirlooms that can be handed down for generations to come. We are committed to using less resin in each keepsake creation and have introduced other designs such as memorial Diamonds, Gemstones and our Immerstones.
Bear in mind that most yellowing will show up in white (ish) or clear coloured keepsakes and won’t be much of an issue for darker pieces like keepsakes made with remains.
(We introduced our gemstone memorial range in 2018 not only because of our love for crystals and gems but because we were looking for solutions that require less resin)
So, what now! You desperately would love a keepsake that brings you joy for many years to come, but now you are worried about yellowing.
Well, we know resin can yellow over time, so we need to make sure we look after our keepsakes as best as possible.
Doesn’t matter if it is your precious diamond ring or a piece of keepsake jewellery, all jewellery should be taken off first and put on last.
Please always remove your jewellery when:
• Applying lotion, perfume, hairspray or other beauty products
• Showering or swimming due to soaps and chemicals
• Washing hands, using alcohol wipes (if wearing a keepsake ring)
• While cleaning due to contact with chemicals, cleaning wipes included
• Sunbaking, Gardening
• Prolonged exposure to fluorescent light
• While cooking as the heat from the stove can damage your stone
• Preparing food, remember we use vinegar in the studio to clean resin spills
Some clients enjoy maintaining their keepsake as it can bring a sense of comfort and bring back memories.
Our polishing cloth sets are suitable for your keepsake stone as well as the metal. Check out our maintenance kit here: The kit contains a special formulated wax and polishing cloth.
What about the metal used for my jewellery?
Before I ventured into the metalsmithing world, I always assumed that jewellery made from any kind of metal is hard and untouchable. Oh, how wrong! Silver and gold are considered soft metals, and therefore, we need to look after them. Please don’t wear your jewellery during any activity that could scratch the metal.
What if my jewellery is looking dull?
You noticed it’s becoming a little dull and losing shine. Chances are you are wearing sterling silver, copper or brass jewellery. While those metals are very popular, they need to be maintained regularly.
Same care instructions apply as above (no lotion, perfume, chemicals, and so on).
We do recommend using a polishing cloth at least once a month to give some love to your creation. This will bring the metal back to shine and remove any tarnishing that occurs naturally for these metals.
Sterling silver (925) contains copper, and some people react to this gorgeous metal.
If you are prone to green marks on your skin while wearing sterling – perhaps look at other metal options if you don’t like the effect. There is the option of white gold if you prefer the silver colour. Other metals are available as well, like gold and palladium.
Always store your jewellery in an airtight container should you wish to store it for longer times. My own collection is kept in sealed zip-lock bags. We are in sunny North Queensland, and humidity isn’t in my favour when it comes to tarnishing.
Don’t feel like maintaining the jewellery yourself?
You can always take your piece to your trusted jeweller for some extra TLC if need be. We offer this service free of charge if you return the jewellery to us.
I hope that you found this information useful. Please let us know of any care questions you may have, and we will find the answer for you.
Love,
Anja
