Care instructions Jewellery
Every piece of Solitude the Label is made with care from precious metals. Follow our instructions on how to make your jewellery last a long time. Our jewellery is designed to last for many years to come but all precious jewellery will naturally tarnish over time. Always protect your jewellery from knocks, scratches, chemicals, sunlight and heat/cold to minimize these effects.
SILVER
Keep silver jewellery away from chemicals like parfumes, lotions or household cleaning fluids as they create abrasions and reduce the lustre of the metal. Thoroughly dry your silver jewellery after exposure to water. Acidic skin can speed up the natural tarnishing process of silver and give it a black looking layer and even maybe stiffen the links. Find our tips below on how to clean your silver jewellery. Silver is quite a soft metal, so if you are looking for a piece of jewellery that is less fragile we can almost make all our designs also from white gold.
14K GOLD
To make sure your Golden jewellery will last a life long (or even longer), make sure to clean your rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings every now and then. Scroll down to see how.
GOLD PLATED
Update: We stopped creating gold plated jewellery. To us, gold plated jewellery doesn't reach our sustainability standards. Sooner or lated the layer of gold will wear off, and the piece of jewellery will end up in the back of your closet. That's why we proudly made the step to solid 14k gold. Are you joining us?
If you still own a piece of gold plated jewellery from Solitude the Label, you can still contact us to have your jewellery replated for free.
How to clean your gold & diamonds?
The surface of a diamond is a magnet for oil and grim from your fingers. Hand lotions, hair sprays, or makeup will create a thin layer on your diamonds, making it look dull. Luckily it's very easy to bring back the sparkle, you can even do it at home.
Step 1: make a solution with warm water and mild dishwashing soap. Soak your ring for about 20 to 40 minutes.
Step 2: gently brush the stone with a very soft toothbrush. Make sure you brush the lower part of the diamond as a lot of dirt can build up around the base of the ring.
Step 3: rinse under warm running water*
If needed, repeat.
Step 4: Safely dry your jewelry, you can use a cotton or linen cloth.
*always make sure to place a towel in the sink while rinsing your gemstones to prevent the piece literary from going down the drain.
Note: take care when placing your jewellery in extremely hot or warm water especially if you have pieces with mixed gemstones. Some gemstones with natural inclusions or weak spots can shatter when experiencing a sudden temperature spike.
I you don’t feel comfortable cleaning your Solitude jewellery yourself you are welcome at the atelier and we will do it for you while you wait over a cup of coffee. Just book your appointment here.
How to clean your silver jewellery?
You can create an inexpensive silver dip solution. The silver dip works by creating a chemical reaction which removes tarnish. It is effective for cleaning silver chains which are difficult to clean by hand.
To create the solution
Line a bowl or large cup with aluminium foil. Place your jewellery inside the lined cup or bowl. Cover the jewellery with a small amount of baking soda, just enough so you can barely see the jewellery. Pour hot water over the jewellery and wait for the bubbling to stop.
After the solution has stopped bubbling, rinse and buff the silver jewellery dry with your cloth. You may need to repeat the process multiple times for badly tarnished pieces. Please also be careful to keep yourself away from any fumes and ensure the room is well ventilated before starting.
Note: not every gemstone can handle this solution so make sure to check this before using this solution.
Gemstones
For decades gemstones and pearls are used to make jewellery. It doesn't need much explanation to understand that jewellery with gemstones are more vulnerable than jewellery without gemstones but if you take good care of your gems you will be able to enjoy them for many years to come. So make sure to follow the following jewelly care guidelines.
One most important note to start off with; make sure to get the setting checked once a year! You can just book your annual check up here or if you don’t live close to our atelier visit you local jeweller.
Choose your favorite gemstones from the menu below and find out how to take care of them.
Diamonds
Diamonds are known to be among the hardest substances on earth, yet they can chip or fracture from hard impact or if proper care isn’t taken when wearing or cleaning them.
How to make sure you won't lose your diamonds?
Normal wear and tear can cause prongs (setting) to get loose overtime. To make sure that the prongs are doing their job of securing the diamond well, you should get your ring checked by a jeweler once a year. You are always welcome at our atelier for you annual check or if you are not around make sure to annually visit your local jeweler.
Colour stones
When taking care of your coloured stones, it’s important to be aware of which gemstones you have. Gemstones can vary widely and what is recommended for one stone may not be recommended for another. In fact, some care methods can even cause damage if used for the wrong stone.
General care: Clean coloured stone jewellery gently with a soft toothbrush, along with a solution of warm (mild) soapy water. After, rinse under warm water. Note: always make sure to place a towel in the sink while rinsing your gemstones to prevent the piece literary from going down the drain.
Emerald
To properly care for emeralds, it’s important to keep them away from heat and chemicals that can cause damage. Due to the fractures that are naturally present in emeralds, avoid ultrasonic cleaning at all times.
Sapphire
Sapphire is known as a highly durable gemstone for use in jewelry, but some substances such as boric acid powder and even lemon juice can cause damage. It’s therefore important to avoid contact with acidic substances, especially if the stone has fractures or cavities.
Note: take care when placing your jewellery in extremely hot or warm water. Some gemstones with natural inclusions or weak spots can shatter when experiencing a sudden temperature spike.
I you don’t feel comfortable cleaning your Solitude jewellery yourself you are welcome at the atelier and we will do it for you while you wait over a cup of coffee. Just book your appointment here.
Pearls
Despite being rather sensitive beauties, pearls love being worn! Their intrinsic luster and glow will improve when worn regularly.
However, they do need proper care to last many many lifetimes. Pearls are vulnerable to the chemicals found in cosmetics, hair spray, hair dye, and perfume. And pearls do NOT like chlorine.
Pearls should ONLY be cleaned with a soft cloth moistened with water and a little bit of green soap.
Note: pearls improve with wear, gaining luster from the natural oils in skin. So please, wear your pearls every day.
Opals
Opals require some special care, they are delicate stones. They are fairly soft (they are a 5.5 - 6 on the Mohs hardness scale, while diamonds are a 10), which causes them to be very sensitive to changes in climate, temperature, and humidity.
Make sure to take good care of your opal so don't wear your opal jewelry in extreme temperatures, during physical activities and make sure to avoid contact with soap, water, and household cleaners. When you remove your opal jewellery make sure to put them down gently.