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JEWELRY CARE

Brass, sterling silver and gold-fill jewelry will darken over time. How long this takes depends on your own chemistry and the environment you live in. We suggest embracing the natural properties of the metals and taking some small steps to maintain the pieces. Caring for your handmade jewelry does take time, but with a little effort, your Seaworthy pieces will remain a part of your collection for a lifetime. 

Below are some detailed tips on caring for the types of metals we work with here at Seaworthy. 

BRASS & STERLING SILVER

Brass & Sterling Silver are metals that will darken over time. Exposure to water and heat will accelerate the formation of patina. This is a natural process and there is nothing wrong with the piece once it darkens, it can always be returned to the original color and shine.

Depending on your skin type, the metal can leave markings on the skin. This can vary based on hormones, humidity and temperature. Somedays your skin may darken and other days it won't. This is not a default in the piece, it is a natural process that depends on your body chemistry reacting with the metals. If skin discoloration occurs, gentle hand washing with soap and warm water will remove it. Some suggestions for slowing the process: avoid thick or oily hand creams and take off rings when applying hair products, lotions and makeup. Wash and dry hands completely before putting on rings.  Keep your rings clean and wipe them with a soft cloth periodically to remove any residue. 

If you do get something harsh on your piece or the patina gets to a point that is not appealing to you, first clean the piece with a dry soft cloth to remove any excess residue. If the piece is extra dirty, use warm water, gentle dish soap and a very soft toothbrush. Rinse the piece thoroughly and then dry completely. We suggest drying the piece gently with a blow dryer to get any hard to reach places and to ensure that it is completely dry.

Do not leave jewelry submerged in water for any length of time and always dry completely. Take extra care when cleaning and polishing around stones. 

Once dry, use an all-metal polishing cloth, like the Sunshine cloth, to restore the polish and shine. (See photo above for an example of an earring with patina and one after hand-polishing) Feel free to polish aggressively with the cloth, it is not going to hurt the brass or sterling silver.  Take extra care when cleaning and polishing around stones. Wipe the piece with a clean, soft cloth after polishing to remove any excess polishing compound. 

Freshly cleaned and polished jewelry should be stored in a sealed plastic bag to maintain the finish.  We do not recommend using any sealants on your pieces, this will make it difficult to clean and polish them. 

Sterling Silver jewelry maintains its finish longer the more you wear it, so keep it in heavy rotation! 

STONES

We work with a variety of stones, most of which fall between 4 and 6 on the Mohs hardness scale (10 being the hardest stone, Diamond, and 1 being the softest, Talc). This means that the stones could scratch or chip if put under undo stress or extremes conditions. Remove your turquoise ring before rock climbing or digging around in your garden. Or in any situation where the stone may come into contact with a surface that is harder than the stone itself. Avoid submerging your stones in water for long periods of time, especially opals. If your opal does become oversaturated and loses the color flash, place the stone in sunlight or a bright lamp light. Keep the stone there until it dries out and the flash returns (this could be up to a week). 

CLEANING & STORAGE

After wearing, wipe your piece with a gentle soft cloth before returning it to storage, to remove any oils and residue that may have collected throughout the day. Your jewelry can also be polished on a regular basis using Sunshine polishing cloth. The sunshine cloth will restore the piece to its original shine after moments of rubbing. The cloth will turn dark over time (see photo above), but it is still working. 

Jewelry that has been cleaned and thoroughly dried should be stored in an air-tight bag away from heat and steam when not being worn. Do not store your jewelry in the bathroom! 

A few tips that apply to all metals: Do not wear your jewelry in the water or in extreme temperatures. Take the pieces off before going in pools, hot tubs, saunas, showers or natural bodies of water. Exterior elements, as well as your body temperature, can affect the piece, so be thoughtful when you're about to do something strenuous or dirty and remove your jewelry ahead of time. Avoid inadvertently spraying the piece with hairspray, perfume and deodorant. Remove your jewelry before applying lotion or sunscreen and dry the piece completely after washing your hands. These steps will go a really long way towards maintaining the look and life of your piece.

We do not recommend using cleaning solutions, especially on pieces with stones, the sunshine cloth will more than suffice. If your piece gets overly dirty, you can clean it using warm water, a gentle dish soap and a very soft rag or extra soft toothbrush. Do not leave the piece submerged in water. Make sure the piece is rinsed well and dried completely. Use a blow dryer to get hard to reach places, don't overheat the piece. Take extra care around stones. 

Here's a couple Before & After photos to get you pumped about polishing your Seaworthy pieces!  We cleaned both of these styles using just the sunshine cloth. (Wow girl, wow!)

If you feel that your piece needs additional cleaning, we offer an in-house clean & polish service on all our jewelry for $6 per piece plus shipping. You can request this service by filling out this form.  We want your jewelry pieces to remain with you for a lifetime, keeping them clean is key! We are happy to help. 

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