Caring for your jewelry 

How to Tell a Swarovski from an imitation:
Swarovski (Swore-off-ski) crystal components are regarded as the highest quality machine polished crystal beads in the world. The demand for luxury products unfortunately can create a host of imitators. The Swarovski® company creates its glass with a special compound that imitators cannot duplicate. This special compound creates the incredible brilliance of their product. The delicate color palette is another quality that sets Swarovski® crystal components apart from others.

With so many crystal beads and components out there, how can you tell if the crystal you are purchasing is actually a Swarovski® crystal component....or an imitation?

Here are some tips that can help you determine which crystals are genuine: 

 1.  Swarovski® crystals are perfectly uniform. Since they are machine cut, each crystal is the same. This means that the height, width and slope are consistent. A hand polished imitator bead will not have as uniform a cut. You may also notice different dimensions from bead to bead.

 2.  Swarovski® uses machinery that precisely cuts each crystal. According to Swarovski®, "cutting hard materials such as crystal and gems, in such a way that they have a hundred identical facets in several directions, is a very complicated task; each direction of the reflected light must first be calculated by computer, then this has to be simulated in 3D, optimized and finally converted into control programs for complex machinery." This is just part of the technology that gives Swarovski® crystals their unbelievable flash

 5.  When you look inside the crystal, you will see no bubbles. If you see any bubbles, you know immediately that it is a fake.

 6.  Because of its special glass compounds, Swarovski® crystal will out-sparkle a bead of lesser quality when placed in a side-by-side comparison.

Caring for Sterling Silver Jewlery:
Sterling Silver tarnishes from the interaction of silver and sulfides in the air.   First the tarnish will take on a golden hue, and eventually, it will turn the piece black.  This is a natural process. Higher sulfide levels are associated with humidity and/or air pollution. Remember, the more humid the climate, the faster sterling will tarnish.

Sterling silver will polish up by rubbing or buffing it with a soft cotton cloth. A chemically treated cloth makes the job a lot easier and faster.

Sterling silver dips are fast and easy. However, be careful! First, many dips will take the color and polish off many gemstones. Second, when using a dip, if you leave the piece in too long, or don't rinse it well enough with fresh water, white residues will be left on the piece when it dries. The residue is difficult to rub or pick off.

When using a silver dip, dip the piece quickly in and out of the dip. Then immediately rinse it in clean water. When the piece dries, buff it with a soft cotton cloth. The buffing brings out more of the shine and helps take off any residue left on the piece.

When using a dip, it is better to do an in-and-out dip, then rinse and dry, then another quick in-and-out-dip, then rinse and dry, than to leave the piece in the solution for a long time.

Any dip, however is a last resort.  The piece would have to be very difficult to buff up with a soft cloth.

Lacquer Shields will keep the piece of jewelry shiny until the tarnish wears off.  CAUTION:  

Pieces that have been lacquered don't age well, until all the lacquer has worn off. In spots where the lacquer has loosened from the sterling, but not worn off, the silver will tarnish, but you won't be able to buff it.

If you use a dip to clean a piece that has a tarnish shield, often the dip will get under parts of the lacquer, leaving a residue, wherever the lacquer is beginning to wear off.

If the piece is a chain, or a filigree, the lacquer will form a film within the openings and cracks.  This obviously makes the piece ugly.

Cleaning Liquid Silver Jewelry
Liquid silver jewelry is very difficult to clean. You can use a soft cotton cloth or a chemical cloth. Avoid dips. They leave residue deposits between each bead, and make the necklace stiff.

A good alternative is to take dry baking soda (or baking powder), and rub it on the liquid silver beads.

Then pat and brush the dry powder off.  

Gemstone Jewelry
When cleaning gemstone beads or cabochons, immerse them in warm, soapy water, and scrub gently with a soft brush. Then rinse them and lay them on a soft towel to dry.

Ultrasonic cleaners only work with hard crystalline stones, like amethyst; for most gemstones, however, we'd suggest avoiding ultrasonic cleaners.

The big trick is cleaning sterling silver jewelry that includes gemstones within the piece.

Silver dips should be avoided, however, except with crystalline stones like amethyst. Stones like black onyx, malachite, lapis and the like do not survive long when cleaned with dips. A lot of their shine comes from an oily polish which is dissolved by the dips.

[NOTE: Sometimes you can restore that oily polished look on gemstones by rubbing them with black shoe wax.] 

 Caring for Copper:
Copper jewelry is some of the most stunning and beautiful jewlery one can add to their jewelry box. One of the first metals used to create ornamentation for the body, it has has been used for centuries to create unique pieces. However, many today bypass it due to the belief that once it has darkened with age it cannot be restored. Another reason is that copper will often turn the skin green as the chemicals of the body interact with the properties of the metal. Here you will find tips for cleaning your copper jewelry as well as dealing with that greenish tint.

Cleaning:  The simplest and easiest way to clean copper does not require any fancy or expensive cleaner. In fact, chances are you have the necessary ingredients in your own kitchen!

Method #1: Ketchup

Due to the acidic nature of the ingredients, ketchup is the perfect cleaner for copper pieces.  A bit messy, but it does restore the natural shine to your piece. Simply squeeze a bit of ketchup into your hand and gently work the ketchup into the piece.  If necessary, a gentle soft toothbrush can be used to reach the spaces between interlocking rings.   Once scrubbed, be sure to rinse well with cool running water and buff dry to restore the shine.

Method #2:  White Vinegar/Salt or Lemon Juice/Salt

Dissolve a tablespoon of salt in a cup of lemon juice or vinegar and keep the mixture in a jar with a lid. Drop the jewelry in the jar, swish it around for a moment, then remove, rinse, rub it all over with baking soda to neutralize it, then rinse it again.  When using this method, be sure to rub the piece with baking soda afterwards to neutralize the acids of the vinegar or juice and salt

Discoloration:

Discoloration on the skin and jewelry occurs for several different reasons, however, humidity and body chemistry are the two most common factors.  There are several ways to avoid discoloration from copper (and other jewelry metals) available on the market today. PLEASE NOTE: We do NOT treat any of our pieces with any kind of sealant. We do this for a variety of reasons, the first being possible allergies of our clients and secondly because many do not wish for their pieces to be treated.  If you desire your piece to be sealed, you can purchase any one of a variety of sealants available such as clear fingernail polish, Krylong acrylic spray paint, sealants availabe at music stores for use on brass instruments, or Renaissance wax. All are designed to help avoid the discoloration of metals and skin. However, Dungeon Designs DOES NOT make any recommendation or promote the use of such sealants. Any application of sealant to a piece is at your own risk!