JEWELRY CARE

With proper care, your Jenne Rayburn jewelry will last a lifetime. Here are some tips to keep your jewelry looking its best. All jewelry should be treated with care. After wearing your jewelry, wipe with a clean, soft, barely damp cloth to remove any dirt or cosmetics.

With time, your brass, copper, and sterling silver jewelry may begin to patina or tarnish. This is normal and in some cases oxidation is intended as the natural evolution of your handmade creation. Metal oxidization is a chemical reaction on the surface of the metal and oxidized jewelry is totally safe to wear and will not color your skin.

My oxidized jewelry is typically finished with a polishing wax that will keep it looking like ‘new’ and is intended to keep the patina from getting on your clothing. Do not clean oxidized jewelry with anything but soap and water, or you may expose the metal color underneath. If you do not like the aged look of the patina, it’s easy to clean your metal jewelry with a silver-cleaning cloth or an old toothbrush and some whitening or baking soda toothpaste.

To clean vintage costume jewelry use Windex® or equivalent. Just spray & rinse under the sink with water and wipe away any excess with a soft cloth until dry.

As a general rule, remove jewelry before bathing, swimming, gardening or exercising. If you wish to keep your metal pieces looking bright, please do not shower or swim wearing your jewelry. Avoid salt water and harsh chemicals such as chlorine or detergents, which can harm gold, silver and gemstones.

Store your clean and dry metal jewelry in plastic bags to keep it protected from the air. Additionally, store each piece of jewelry individually in a soft pouch or cloth to prevent scratching. Do not keep jewelry in areas of high humidity, like the bathroom because the humidity drastically speeds up tarnishing.

As a general guideline for the safe and effective cleaning of your gemstones, please keep the following in mind:

Diamonds/Sapphires/Rubies

•  Soak your diamond ring in a warm solution of mild liquid detergent and lukewarm water.
• Use a soft brush if necessary to remove dirt.
• Swish the ring around in the solution, and then rinse well with lukewarm water.
• Dry ring with a lint-free cloth (or blow-dryer if you’re in a hurry).

Pearls

• Pearls will stay cleaner if you put them on after applying makeup and perfume.
• Wipe pearls with a soft, lint-free cloth as soon as you take them off.
• Dirty pearls can be cleaned with a mild soap and water solution.
• Depending on how often you wear your pearls, hand knotted pearl necklaces may need to be re-strung every 3-5 years.
• Freshwater and saltwater cultured pearls are often bleached to achieve a more uniform, desirable hue. Many pearls, particularly from freshwaters, are dyed or otherwise treated to create more vivid and interesting hues. These treatments are all permanent.

Colored Gemstones

• Soak gemstones in lukewarm water with a touch of gentle soap. If necessary, use a soft toothbrush to scrub behind the stone.
• Rubies, sapphires and other single-crystal gems can be cleaned with a touch of ammonia in water to remove all films and to add extra sparkle.
• Opaque gemstones like opals, lapis lazuli, and turquoise, as well as emeralds, require special care. These gem materials should just be wiped clean gently with a soft moist cloth.