How to Care for Your Jewelry?

Dea Dia offers handmade jewelry made from delicate materials, including vintage components and natural stones. As such, it is important to handle the jewelry with care to maintain its beauty and longevity. Here are some jewelry care tips to help you care for your jewelry.

Avoid Exposure to Water

It is recommended to avoid showering, bathing, or swimming while wearing your jewelry. Opals, in particular, are very porous and can change colors when exposed to water. If your jewelry comes in contact with water, make sure to completely dry it off immediately.

Store Jewelry Properly

Jewelry should be stored in a dry environment or in a plastic bag to prevent oxidation and tarnish. Raw brass, bronze, and silver may develop a patina over time, which adds to the unique character of the jewelry. However, if you wish to remove the patina, you can clean it with a jewelry polishing cloth. Sunshine Cloths are recommended for this purpose.

Cleaning and Polishing

For ultra-brightening on brass or bronze, drop it in white vinegar for 30 seconds to remove oxidation, rinse with fresh water, and then dry and polish it with a Sunshine cloth. Be careful to avoid stones or gold plated items when using this method. Dea Dia provides a small sample of the yellow Sunshine Polishing cloth with each order of brass and silver rings and pendants. Find more tips on how to clean brass jewelry.

Minimize Discoloration

Dea Dia's brass is a mixture of 75% copper and 25% zinc, free of lead and nickel. Some people may experience green discoloration on their skin from brass due to the copper mixing with their oils and ph levels. This reaction is harmless and will wash off. To minimize the discoloration, you can periodically paint the inside of your brass ring with clear nail polish or lacquer, avoid mixing with moisture and sweat and take it off before going to bed or applying moisturizer. Learn more about why brass can turn your skin green. 

Gold Plated Jewelry

Gold plated jewelry should not be polished with a jewelry polishing cloth or a compound as this may diminish the plating. Instead, you can wipe it clean with a soft damp cloth followed by a dry cloth. Treat gold plated jewelry as costume jewelry and avoid moisture and products while wearing.

Repairs and Cleaning

Dea Dia offers free repairs on jewelry purchased within 6 months. After that, a small fee may be charged. You can also send back any jewelry for cleaning and/or polishing for a $15 charge. Please note that herringbone chains cannot be repaired if they become kinked. Only the clasps can be replaced.

Proper care and maintenance of your jewelry can help it last for many years. By following these jewelry care instructions from Dea Dia, you can keep your jewelry looking its best and maintain its unique character.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email [email protected] to discuss.