Timeless metal adornments for you to wear, use, or display. All are designed by hand using traditional techniques out of my home studio in Olympia, Washington.

Caring for Your Jewelry

Caring For Your Fine Metal Jewelry

I’m so glad you found a piece in my collection that speaks to you. Thank you for your purchase!

Fine metals naturally oxidize over time and require some light care to keep them looking beautiful. To choose an effective cleaning method, it may help to know some specifics about the metals I use.

Brass

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. I use jeweler’s brass, also known as red brass, Nugold, or Merlin’s gold, which is 85% copper and 15% zinc. This particular brass alloy is the closest color match to 14K gold. A high copper content makes the metal more prone to tarnishing.

Bronze

Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin. I use the “classic Bronze” alloy which is 90% copper and 10% tin. Bronze will also tarnish, because of the high copper contact.

Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is an alloy of 92.5% fine silver and 7.5% copper, which makes the metal stronger and more durable. Fine silver alone is used for specific techniques such as filigree, granulation, and fusing but is too soft to use for jewelry.

Cleaning Brass, Bronze, and Sterling Silver Jewelry

To keep your brass, bronze, and silver jewelry polished and pretty, remove tarnish using one of the following:

Dish soap and water
Baking soda and water
Lemon juice mixed with salt
A metal polish and a polishing cloth

To delay oxidation, keep your jewelry away from moisture and don’t allow the metal to have direct contact with skin and hair products. Keep away from the water; don’t wear your fine metal jewelry while you shower or swim.
Store in a dry place or, even better, in a plastic zip-top bag or other airtight container to keep them shiny longer.

14K Gold-Filled

14K gold- filled is a durable, affordable alternative to solid gold. The phrase “gold- filled” is a bit of a misnomer: gold- filled pieces are not filled with gold, they’re made of a base metal core (mine have a brass core) that’s coated with a layer of solid gold. Because the metals are mechanically bonded, the gold will not wear away or chip off over time the way that gold-plated or gold-dipped vermeil jewelry will. It’s worth noting that gold- filled also has a considerably higher gold content than these other gold options.

Cleaning 14K Gold- Filled Jewelry

When necessary, remove dirt and oils by washing with mild soap and warm water using a soft toothbrush. After washing, Be sure to dry your jewelry thoroughly and store in a dry place.

You may also use a blue Sunshine® Soft Cloth, which is embedded with a fine abrasive that’s okay to use on gold-filled pieces.