Care Guide
How To Make Your Jewellery Last
Please read carefully through our care guide to ensure longevity & shine of your pieces.
Metals
14k gold fill indicates a thick layer of solid gold (23-30 microns) pressure bonded over 925 sterling silver, sterling silver is 92.5% silver & 7.5% other metals (usually copper). Gold fill has more longevity than plated jewellery, however like all metals, is still fragile & requires care to maintain shine & beauty.
What Affects Your Jewellery
Daily Chemicals
- Make-up & cosmetics
- Perfume
- Oils & moisturisers
- Chlorine
- Shampoo & body wash
- Laundry detergent
- Hair sprays
The PH of your skin
One's body chemistry will affect how your jewellery wears, this is due to the fact that some people's perspiration & body oils are more acidic than others. The acidic nature of one's perspiration can cause discolouration or oxidisation to your jewellery.
Metal rubbing on metal
If you layer rings, earrings or necklaces, please note that metal rubbing against metal can affect the wear of ones piece.
Fresh & Salt water
Salt water can be very harsh on your jewellery & can cause pieces to rust, oxidise or tarnish. If pieces are worn in the shower & are not properly dried, this can also affect your pieces.
When to Remove Your Jewellery
- Swimming at the beach & in pools
- Showering
- When exercising
- If it's a hot day & you will be perspiring
- Sleeping
Storage
We recommend when not wearing your YCL pieces, to store them in the boxes & pouches provided in a cool, dark place away from sunlight, heat & moisture.
Cleaning Gold Fill Jewellery
Gold fill jewellery should be cleaned a few times a year, or whenever you feel it needs it. Body oils, dead skin cells & perspiration can cause a build up in between fine chain links, which may cause your piece to appear dull. We recommend putting the chain of your piece (not pendants) under warm water & gently rub the chain with a soft, baby tooth brush or cottton tip to get into the all fine links & clean them. Do not rub gold fill jewellery harshly with a jewellery cleaning cloth as this could damage your item.
There is Black Discolouration on My Skin
If make-up, perfume, oils or moisturisers are present on the skin or clothing, this can be a common reason for blackening or smudging around the area of your piece, or turning jewellery black. Those with especially moist skin may find that the sterling silver items can stain their skin green. This is due to the copper component of the silver alloy & the fact that cosmetics often contain chemical compounds. The copper reacts to moisture & sulfur in the air, causing this reaction, & will occur faster in areas with high humidity & air pollution. We recommend removing your jewellery when applying make-up or cleaning the areas that will come into contact with your jewellery with some water. If your piece has turned a darker colour, not to worry, refer above to how to clean your pieces.
Pieces With Crystals
Jewellery that house crystals within the design require extra care & love to ensure the crystal doesn't chip & remains strong within it's setting. We suggest that all pieces with crystals are removed when gardening, washing dishes, exercising & any other activities that could put stress on the ring band, setting or the crystal.