Jewelry should be kept absolutely dry. If your jewelry is not used frequently, keep it stored in the provided dust bag. Good storage boxes are lined with tarnish-proof fabric and have a separate space for each individual piece. If your climate is humid, place a small packet of desiccant crystals inside your storage area. Avoid storing the jewelry with rubber products. Always remove your jewelry when applying colognes, perfumes or other chemical products.
Chlorine, especially at elevated temperatures, can permanently damage or discolor your gold jewelry. Gently clean your gold or vermeil jewelry with a soft polishing cloth. Be sure not to over-polish jewelry, especially vermeil, because it can damage the finish.
Some notes for cleaning jewelry:
1. For extremely dirty jewelry, use a soft-bristled toothbrush (be sure not to use a stiff-bristled toothbrush or it could damage the finish) and if necessary, gentle soap to clean the vermeil jewelry under warm running water. Make sure you rinse well and wipe with a soft non-abrasive cloth to dry. Water residue can cause staining. Make sure the piece is fully dry before returning to storage.
2. Many websites recommend a baking soda and water (mix in equal parts and cake on the vermeil, leaving for about 10 minutes before rinsing clean) cleaning method, but we have found this doesn’t work very well.
3. Buff or clean the vermeil with a soft, dry cotton cloth. DO NOT over polish with silver polishing cloth on the vermeil. It will strip the finish off, leaving you with just the sterling silver underneath.