Jewellery Care

About Your Jewellery

All of our pieces have had a fresh clean and polish or a freshly applied patina. They will take on a natural patina from you and your environment as you wear them. I personally love this natural oxidation process and believe it adds personalised character to each piece. If you are the same, the information below will help you care for your items. If you would prefer to slow or clean this oxidation off, you can also find some cleaning tips below.

To Clean and Care for your Jewellery

Copper or Sterling Silver - With Patina

These pieces come with a pre applied patina and they look great as they age! You don't want to clean them too thoroughly or you may remove the original patina. Think care rather than clean!

• Limit handling with unclean hands
• Remove before showering, swimming or entering steam rooms
• Do not touch with oily hands or hands with sunscreen or makeup on them
• Put them on last when getting ready so you don't spray any perfume, hairspray etc on them
• Clean them GENTLY with a soft toothbrush and some dish soap only if needed (IMPORTANT - This may wash off any pre-applied patina)

Sterling Silver - No Patina

Sterling Silver will oxidise the least, but still needs to be cared for and may need a little polish here and there.

• Limit handling
• Remove before showering, swimming or entering steam rooms
• Do not touch with oily hands or hands with sunscreen or makeup on them
• Put them on last when getting ready so you don't spray any perfume, hairspray etc on them
• Clean them with a soft toothbrush and some dish soap if needed

Brass and Copper - No Patina

These pieces will darken over time, if you prefer them with their original colour or lustre you'll need to clean them now and again. Care for them just as you would the Sterling Silver above, but follow the instructions below to remove the natural oxidation when necessary.

To clean:

• 1/2 cup of white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of table salt
• Soft toothbrush (if necessary)
• Soft cloth to dry your jewellery
• Polishing cloth (optional)

Combine the vinegar and salt into a container. Stir the mixture for a couple of minutes until the salt has completely dissolved and the liquid is clear again. Once the salt has dissolved, dip your copper or brass jewellery into the mixture for 20-30 seconds. If necessary gently scrub the jewellery with the soft toothbrush. Once clean, run the jewellery under running water for two minutes to neutralise the acid from the vinegar. Make sure you dry it well and polish with a polishing cloth if you like.

Jewellery Cleaning and Repairs

In the case that you need help cleaning or repairing your jewellery, please reach out to me via email at info@aikojewellery.com. I will discuss what cleaning and repair options we have for you and provide a quote if needed.