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Woven Ring Jewelry Care

Handmade Woven Ring Earrings

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General Care | Bright Aluminium | Copper | Sterling Silver | Argentium Silver | Bronze & Brass
Mixed Metal | Beaded & Decorated

General Handling, Cleaning & Storage:

• Woven Ring jewelry should be handled gently and with care. Please keep in mind that because each ring is opened and closed by hand and not soldered closed that the rings can be pulled open or bent if the piece comes under any undue pressure. Do not pull on your jewelry and give it the consideration you would to any delicate and precious piece.

• Like other valuable jewelry it should be kept away from water and harsh chemicals. It should be removed when washing your hands, showering, swimming, while using harsh or acidic cleaners, before using hand sanitizer, etc since these situations can damage your jewelry and cause quicker tarnishing.

• Cosmetics and lotions can coat your jewelry and leave it looking dull. It is best to remove your jewelry when applying a lotion and let it soak in before putting your jewelry back on.

• Ideally your jewelry should be wiped down with a soft cloth or cleaned after each time you wear it. This is especially important with more precious metals that are prone to tarnishing.

• Your jewelry will pick up dirt and oils when you wear it and certain metals will tarnish. To keep your jewelry clean soak your piece in some water with a few drops of plain dish soap (non-lotion) for a minute or two, then gently suds the piece up with your hands before rinsing. Dry your piece thoroughly with a soft cloth or with a hair dryer on the low setting. Your piece should be completely dry before being stored. Please check the instructions for cleaning metal types and beaded jewelry below for specific cleaning instructions.

• I do not recommend using commercial polishes or tarnish removers. Many of these products are made for one type of metal only react badly with others and possibly ruin beads or gems. Please check the instructions for cleaning metal types and beaded jewelry below for specific cleaning instructions.

• If simple cleaning with soap has not removed all the dirt or tarnish from your piece you can stir some baking soda in water and swish your jewelry gently around in the solution for a short time. Make sure you thoroughly rise and dry your piece. Please check the instructions for cleaning metal types and beaded jewelry below for specific cleaning instructions.

• If you have any doubts about cleaning your piece, please take it to a professional jewelry cleaner.

• When not being worn, jewelry should be stored individually in a plastic baggie, with as little air in it as possible, in a dark place such as a jewelry box or drawer. You can also store it in a soft fabric bag or pouch. Storing your jewelry this way will help prevent tarnishing and corrosion to the metals.

• “Anti-Tarnish Tabs” are also very useful in helping prevent tarnishing. Simply place one in the bag with your piece. Tabs can easily be purchased via places such as Amazon.com.
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Bright Aluminium:

• Bright aluminium is a soft, shiny metal. It will loose a small amount of shine over time, but it will not tarnish. It will pick up oil and dirt during ware, so it should be cleaned and stored following the methods under general care.

• Some people may notice a small amount of black “rub off” from their Bright Aluminium jewelry. This is caused by oxidation and reaction to the individual’s skin. The rub off is harmless and washes off with soap and water. The amount of rub off one will notice is dependent on the acidity of your skin and how tight fitting the piece is. For example, a ring is more likely to show rub off than a bracelet and someone who’s skin has caused rub off with other jewelry pieces is more likely to notice it with Bright Aluminium than someone who has never noticed rub off.
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Colored Metals (Anodized Titanium, Niobium, & Aluminium):

• To achieve the array of colors available in anodized rings, regular metal rings are submerged in electrically charged solutions, which cause the surface layer of the metal to change color. Specific colors are achieved by varying the level of voltage in the solution. Titanium and Niobium rings are prepared in this way, while Aluminium rings are first anodized and then dyed. Because only the surface layer is changed the color can eventually fade or even chip if handled improperly. With proper care anodized rings should retain their color for a long time.

• Never use any harsh or abrasive cleaners or polish, including a baking soda paste, on anodized rings since this can cause them to lose their color or fade more quickly. Abrasive cleaners can also scratch or chip the color on the rings.

• The best way to clean anodized rings is to follow the directions under general care.
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Copper:

• Copper quickly tarnishes to a deep chocolate color which many people prefer to the bright, shiny, polished look. If you prefer the shiny look, regular cleaning using the methods under general care should keep your copper jewelry clean, however if a more thorough polish is desired you can swish your piece around in lemon juice with a pinch of salt for 5 seconds, then thoroughly rinse the piece under water to remove all traces of acid. Repeat if necessary, but never let the piece soak in the lemon juice. Make sure to rinse and dry completely before storing.

• Some people may notice a small amount of black or green “rub off” from their Copper jewelry. This is caused by oxidation and reaction to the individual’s skin. The rub off is harmless and washes off with soap and water. The amount of rub off one will notice is dependent on the acidity of your skin and how tight fitting the piece is. For example, a ring is more likely to show rub off than a bracelet and someone who’s skin has caused rub off with other jewelry pieces is more likely to notice it with Copper than someone who has never noticed rub off.
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Sterling Silver:

• The tarnish on sterling silver comes from the small amount of Copper mixed with the silver. To clean Sterling Silver simply follow the care instructions under the general care section.

• If your piece has a high amount of tarnish and the methods under general care have not removed all of the build up you can make a paste with baking soda and water and gently spread it on your piece with your fingers or a very soft toothbrush and leave it sit for a while, or overnight, before washing it off. Make sure that you are very gentle during this process so as not to scratch your jewelry.

• You should avoid resting your Sterling jewelry on wood surfaces, since the finish on them can contain acids that may pit or damage your piece.
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Argentium Silver:

• Argentium Silver is a highly tarnish resistant Silver that replaces the Copper present in Sterling with Germanium. It still contains 92.5% Silver, the same as Sterling, but it will not tarnish in the same manner. All that should be needed to keep your Argentium piece bright and shiny is to follow the methods under general care.

• If your Argentium Silver piece ever does develop some tarnish you can follow the directions under the sterling silver section
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Bronze & Brass:

• Keep your bronze and brass jewelry away from water as much as possible as it can retain water spots.

• If following the cleaning instructions under general care do not clean your piece as much as desired you may swish the piece in a solution of 25% lemon juice and 75% water with a pinch of salt for a short amount of time. Make sure to rinse all traces of lemon juice away and dry your piece completely before storing.
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Mixed Metal Pieces:

• The methods under general care should always be tried first with mixed metal pieces before attempting any other cleaning.

• If your mixed metal piece is still tarnished after cleaning with soap and water and a swish in a dissolved baking soda solution, try a short swish in a diluted lemon juice solution (25% lemon juice and 75% water). Make sure you thoroughly rinse the piece and dry it completely before storing.

• If parts of your mixed metal piece still remain tarnished, you may use a q-tip to clean Copper areas with a stronger lemon juice solution (gradually increase the strength until you find what works. Only use full strength after trying diluted). If you have highly tarnished Silver areas, you can use a q-tip to clean them with baking soda paste, but please be aware that baking soda will scratch softer and anodized metals.

• If you have any doubts about cleaning your piece, please take it to a professional jewelry cleaner.
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Beaded & Decorated Pieces:

• It is best not to soak any piece that has beads, gems, or other decorations in any solution, including soapy water. These pieces should be gently wiped down with a soft, damp cloth and if dirt or tarnish still remains they can be sudsed up by hand and rinsed, avoiding the beads if at all possible.

• If you have highly tarnished metals in a decorated piece, follow the instructions for that metal, but use a q-tip to apply the solution rather than soaking it.

• Feathered pieces should be given extra care to prevent the feathers from getting wet. If feathers do become wet, gently smooth them back into shape and dry them completely. Feathered pieces should ideally be hung in a dark area or stored flat in a gift box to prevent damage to the feathers.

• If you have any doubts about cleaning your piece, please take it to a professional jewelry cleaner.
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