Caring for your Steel – Iron Jewelry

Steel loves to be worn and you will love wearing it. Your steel artwear has been treated with a special wax to protect it from moisture. When the jewelry is worn, your natural body oils will help continue this protection.

1. Apply a thin coat of olive oil (or any household oil) by rubbing a small amount into your hands and then rubbing your hands onto the jewelry. Blot away excess with a soft cloth. Apply oil a few times a year or as needed and store in a dry place.
2. You should not let your steel get wet or wear it in the shower, bath, or the ocean. If this happens, dry it immediately. If you do notice some rust, wipe it with a polishing cloth or a microfiber cloth and apply a light coat of oil.
3. Store your steel artwear in a dry place or wrapped in a soft cloth that has been lightly rubbed with oil.  Avoid storing your pieces with nonferrous jewelry like silver, gold or glass because steel is a harder metal and may scratch them.

Patina

Patina is the intentional coloration or darkening of sterling silver. We use patina to match sterling silver earwires and chain to steel on steel jewelry pieces.  If your artwear has patina, avoid dips and liquid cleaners as well as polishing with anything abrasive or aggressively polishing in the recesses of the piece as this can remove the patina.  Gently buff the easily accessible parts- the shiny silver elements- and that’s it.  The beauty of patina is that it creates an aged effect that accentuates the highlights and lowlights of a piece and it is designed to change over time.

Caring for your Sterling Silver Jewelry

Silver is a very soft metal and can be scratched if you aren’t careful. Store in a dry place and clean with 100% cotton or special sterling silver cleaning cloth, like the “Sunshine Cloth”, to remove any fingerprints or tarnish. If your artwear has patina (intentional coloration or darkening of the metal) avoid dips and liquid cleaners as well as polishing with anything abrasive or aggressively polishing in the recesses of the piece as this can remove the patina. Gently buff the easily accessible parts- the shiny silver elements- and that’s it. The beauty of patina is that it creates an aged effect that accentuates the highlights and lowlights of a piece and it is designed to change over time.

Patina

Patina is the intentional coloration or darkening of sterling silver. We use patina to match sterling silver earwires and chain to steel on steel jewelry pieces.  If your artwear has patina, avoid dips and liquid cleaners as well as polishing with anything abrasive or aggressively polishing in the recesses of the piece as this can remove the patina.  Gently buff the easily accessible parts- the shiny silver elements- and that’s it.  The beauty of patina is that it creates an aged effect that accentuates the highlights and lowlights of a piece and it is designed to change over time.

Sterling Silver – What is it?

An alloy of silver containing 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of other metals, usually copper.

Caring for your Gold Filled Jewelry

Handling your gold-filled jewelry properly is essential to maintaining its good look and its bright finish.  When stored in a dry place, tarnishing elements act very slowly and your piece should require only light buffing with a soft cloth or polishing pad like a “Sunshine Cloth.”

14k Gold Fill – What is it?

Gold-filled material is made by heat and pressure bonding a thin layer of 14 karat gold to a brass core.

“14/20” gold-filled material is made with 14-karat gold and the gold represents 1/20th (or 5%) of the total weight of the material.