Care & Maintenance

At Brancier Jewellers, we pride ourselves on the workmanship that goes into every piece of jewellery. Our high standards are upheld through a very thorough quality control process during which several specific aspects are checked.

Despite the high quality of our jewellery and our thorough quality control, your jewellery is not indestructible and needs to be treated with care. Even though metals and gemstones are relatively hard, they can be damaged. Gemstones are susceptible to chipping and abrasions and in rare cases even diamonds can chip or break if they are knocked.

To help you look after your jewellery we have summarised the most important care instructions below. By following these simple steps, you will prolong the lifespan of your jewellery and minimise the risk of damage.

Protecting your Jewellery

One of the easiest ways to protect your jewellery is by removing it when engaging in sport, housework, gardening, cleaning, gym activities, swimming, or showering. These activities often involve repetitive impact with hard surfaces such as steel, which will abrade and distort the metal. As well as affecting the appearance, this will also shorten the life of your piece of jewellery. Use the box and protective pouch to store your jewellery in to protect it from being scratched or damaged by other jewellery.

Harsh chemicals such as chlorine, bleach and other household cleaning products can damage your fine jewellery by causing the finish and polish to deteriorate and will leave your precious stones lacklustre and dull. This can be avoided with regular cleaning. Other things to avoid are hairspray, nail polish remover and even excessive perspiration.

To care for pearls, wipe thoroughly with a soft cloth after each wear to remove skin oils, perfume residue etc.

Diamonds and gemstones can become loose over time due to wear and tear. If you notice any movement, please place the item in a bag or box and bring it in to us as soon as is convenient.

Cleaning your Jewellery at Home

All gemstones will eventually require cleaning as a build-up of dust, creams and oils will adhere to them, making them appear dull. In most cases, this can easily be removed by using warm soapy water and a soft bristled brush (soft toothbrushes are ideal). Use the brush to scrub in and around the gemstones to remove this residue, then rinse in warm water and dry with a tissue. Give the metal a polish with a soft cloth to remove any watermarks and your jewellery will be sparkly clean!

Maintenance

Just like any other product, over the years your jewellery is likely to require some maintenance due to wear and tear. This may include a polish to remove scratches, rhodium plating of any white gold jewellery, or fixing claws that have been knocked or have worn thin. We can quote on any required maintenance or repairs if you bring your jewellery into our store.