Taking Care of Handcrafted Jewelry

You have purchased a special piece of one-of-a-kind handcrafted jewelry and you are madly in love with it! How do you keep it looking just as shiny and new as it was on the first day that you received it?

Follow these few simple steps when caring for your handcrafted jewelry from DCIdesigns and it can last you a lifetime.

-Avoid spraying perfume on your jewelry. The chemicals in the perfume react with the metal which will cause it to tarnish. Strong body lotions can have the same effect. To avoid the tarnishing of your piece, put your jewelry on as a final touch after applying body lotion, perfume, or make-up.

- Please do not shower, sleep or swim in your jewelry.

- Avoid using household chemicals while wearing bracelets or rings. 

-After each wearing, wipe your jewelry with a soft cloth before putting it away.  Beadwoven jewelry should not need any more cleaning than this.  What could be easier?  However, if you feel that it does need further cleaning, give it a quick swish in a mild soap and water mixture, rinse, then let it air dry thoroughly. Do not store your jewelry while it is still damp.

-Metal jewelry may be wiped with a Sunshine jewelry cloth to bring back its shine. I send a Sunshine cloth with every purchase, or you can buy one at most bead and jewelry stores. Important note: Do not use this cloth on plated metals as it may remove the finish, and do not use it on the beadwoven parts of your jewelry.

- When storing your jewelry it is best to keep it either in a zip-lock bag or in a drawer/jewelry box. If it has metal parts, store it with an anti-tarnish strip. This will lessen the chance of your piece oxidizing. I also send these with each order. (Replacement strips, if needed, may be purchased at any bead shop or at Amazon.com)

-Special cautions for beaded jewelry:

-Always keep beaded jewelry, or any items with small parts, away from pets and children.  Beads and other small components may cause a choking hazard.

-Jewelry should never be worn when working near machines or equipment with moving parts.

**If you should somehow damage or break your jewelry, I will be glad to repair it for a small fee. I can be contacted through my Etsy shop, DCIdesigns.  Unfortunately, I am unable to repair jewelry made by other artisans.  Thank you for your understanding.    

Cat