Technical Information and Care

General

Many things we come into contact with everyday can affect your jewellery;Skin and hair products should really be applied before you put on jewellery. Swimming in the sea or swimming pools does make silver really shiney but can affect solder causing stones to come loose. If you are lucky enough to find yourself bathing in a warm ocean far to the south and haven’t taken off your jewellery please thoroughly rinse in water afterwards.

Perspiration can cause jewellery to tarnish however it is the alloys in silver that one tends to react with. Nickel can still be found in or as jewellery is very toxic and commonly turns your skin black while copper which has replaced nickel as the alloy of choice is not toxic but can turn your skin green. Solutions to this can include painting clear nail varnish onto earring posts or rhodium plating rings and necklaces.

Ensure that you rinse off any chemicals that come into contact with your jewellery straight away to avoid build up which can make cleaning difficult.

In an ideal world one would store jewellery in a dry ambient place in separate zip lock bags with acid free tissue to avoid scratches, or a sock drawer.

Sterling Silver

Pure silver is a very soft material and not really suitable for my jewellery. Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper. The small amount of copper makes the metal harder without changing its colour or really affecting its price. Instead the price is affected by the intricacy of the design and my inspiration, design, skill and labor in making the item.

Stirling silver will tarnish and below we list a few simple rules to help you keep your jewellery clean and tarnish free.

Oxidised Silver

is not tarnished but a chemical reaction between liver salts (amongst other chemicals) and copper to form a bonded carbon layer on the surface of the silver. In aesthetic terms it produces beautiful deep patina that can accentuate the beauty of the piece.

To clean silver jewellery we recommend using a soft cloth and warm water with a mild detergent (washing up liquid rinse jewellery in water after cleaning and dry with a soft cloth.)

Polish metals gently with a soft jewellery polishing cloth.

We do not recommend the use of silver dips. They will strip any patina off your jewellery leaving it chalky white. Never dip items with stones or pearls, they too will corrode.

Do not do this if your jewellery is strung on silk or cotton as these will stretch.

Gold

Carefully clean your gold jewellery with mild detergents and, where necessary, with a soft toothbrush. I do not recommend the use of gold dip. To enhance the lustre use a gold cloth.

Vermeil Gold

Vermeil gold is known to be many layers of gold coating a silver piece. I use 22 karat yellow gold or 18 karat rose gold and specify 5 layers thickness. This could be seen as excessive however I think you find a deeper lustre and will keep it longer; I also would like you to wear and enjoy your jewellery longer. I do offer a replating service, please email me at sally@sallywilcox.co.uk.

Care should be taken when cleaning and storing gold plated jewellery. Store separately to protect the layer of gold from being worn or scratched. Clean with mild detergent and use a gold cloth.

Pearls and semi-precious stones

Pearls and the stones I like to use are quite soft and can be scratched. The pearls are hand knotted with silks and the stones hand set so a little love will prolong your enjoyment of your them.

Do wear your pearls,I think it is the best way to ensure they keep at their best. Wipe them with a soft cloth after wearing and occasionally wipe clean with mild soapy water. Allow the pearls to dry before putting them away.

Clean your stone set jewellery with mild detergent and avoid any chemicals.

Do have your pearl necklace re-strung every few years; to prevent abrasion, most jewellers knot pearls on silk thread which wears in time.

Store your pearls and stone set jewellery separately to avoid scratching.

Stuff

I make the majority of my work in 925 sterling silver and plate with 22ct yellow or 18ct rose gold.
Our material suppliers are all in the UK.
Cookson gold supply a great part of my silver, part of the Heimerle + Meulle Group. Heimerle + Meulle are a German company specialising in precious metals 60% of which are recycled and the other 40% are mined in the EU.
Heimerle + Meulle are approved by LMBA, the global authority on precious metals.

As a business I am satisfied with our supply chain ethics, but continue to press for transparency wherever I can.

My Packaging

I use a wonderful small company in Germany that make boxes from recycled paper and also can make me small amounts when I need them.
The inlay of our gift-box cannot currently be recycled, however we are looking into changing that without affecting the jewellery. I am committed to having the best type of packaging with the lowest environmental impact and that turns out to be a lot more demanding than we first imagined. However, nothings won without trying.

In the meantime I hope that you love your jewellery and keep the gift-boxes for years to come.