Sterling Silver
Over time as your sterling silver is exposed to the air it will oxidise naturally giving an antiqued look to the piece, which many people like.  If you want to restore the silver’s shine the oxidisation can be removed easily when first noticed.  It will start as a yellowish tint and gradually darken to brown then black.  The longer you leave it the harder it will be to remove.
You can prevent the oxidisation of the silver by washing your jewellery occasionally with mild dish soap and warm water, or gently polish with a cloth designed for use on sterling silver. Rinse well and dry completely with a soft cotton cloth. 
Some pieces of jewellery have been oxidised chemically as part of the design so care must be taken to retain this element by carefully cleaning round the oxidised parts of the piece.
If your jewellery is set with a stone take extra care when cleaning.  A cheap soft toothbrush can be used with warm water and washing up liquid.  Be gentle! You will be amazed how much shine you can restore to your diamonds and other gemstones using a toothbrush. If you wash your jewellery in the sink please make sure you put the plug in – sounds obvious but you will thank us!!!
If you want to wrap up your jewellery please don’t use newspaper as it contains acids that can ruin your prized possessions!  Use acid free paper and store in a dry place.
If you are on holiday and want to shine up some silver use cigarette ash – we know but it does work!!!

Amber
As amber is not a stone but fossilised resin it is particularly soft so great care must be taken.  Try and store your amber jewellery separately from your other jewellery as it will easily get scratched and then look dull.  To clean, simply wipe with a soft cloth dipped in lukewarm water, then follow up by wiping gently with a dry, soft cloth.  A tiny drop of olive oil can help to restore luster. 

Amber must not be placed near heat or in direct sunshine as the surface will begin to melt.

Opal
Opals are delicate and should be handled gently, a wipe with a damp cloth should be enough to remove any grease.  Opals react with light from the top of the stone so you don’t need to worry about getting behind the stone.

Pearls
Pearls can lose their lustre but proper care can extend their life. Extreme dryness, acids, perspiration, cosmetics, perfume and hair spray can affect them. Prevention is better than cure so always put your pearls on after using any of these products and make sure they have dried. As they can be easily scratched store them so that their surface doesn't touch metals or other gemstones. Do not store them in plastic bags. When you take off your pearls just give them a quick wipe with a soft damp cloth before putting them away so you remove any residue.

Photographs
Speaking from personal experience we would recommend taking pictures of any jewellery you have.  Then if they are lost or stolen you have a record of the piece.  When you purchase jewellery from us just ask and we will be happy to forward a photograph to you for this purpose.