A beautiful piece of jewellery should stay beautiful for years, not just for the first few wears. Sterling silver and 14K gold vermeil are both wonderfully wearable metals, but they're not quite as low-maintenance as stainless steel or solid gold — a little know-how goes a long way. Here's everything you need to keep your Lumière & Co pieces looking as good as the day they arrived.
Why Sterling Silver & Gold Vermeil Need a Little Extra Love
Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver, which makes it soft, warm-toned and easy to wear — but it can tarnish over time when it reacts with air and moisture. Gold vermeil is a thick layer of real 14K gold plated over sterling silver, so while it has real gold's rich colour, that plating is still a surface layer that can wear thin if it's treated roughly. Neither is fragile, exactly — they just reward a bit of everyday care.
Everyday Habits That Make the Biggest Difference
Last on, first off
Put your jewellery on after applying perfume, moisturiser, hairspray and makeup, and take it off before you shower, swim, exercise or sleep. Chemicals, chlorine and salt water are the biggest culprits behind tarnish and plating wear, and sweat and friction from sleeping in your jewellery can dull it faster than almost anything else.
Keep it dry
Moisture speeds up tarnish, so towel-dry your hands and wrists before putting pieces back on, and avoid wearing jewellery in the bath, hot tub or while doing the washing up.
Store it separately
Keep each piece in its own soft pouch or a lined jewellery box, away from direct sunlight and humidity. Storing pieces tangled together in a drawer is one of the most common causes of scratches and stretched chains — a couple of minutes sorting them properly is worth it.
Cleaning Your Jewellery at Home
For sterling silver, a gentle polish with a soft, lint-free cloth is usually all you need to bring back the shine. For light tarnish, warm water with a drop of mild, phosphate-free soap and a soft-bristled brush (an old, clean toothbrush is perfect) works well — rinse thoroughly and pat dry straight away.
Gold vermeil needs a gentler touch, because the gold layer sits on top of the silver underneath. Stick to a soft cloth and the same mild soap-and-water method, and avoid silver dips, polishing creams or anything abrasive — these can wear away the gold plating over time and shorten the life of the piece. If in doubt, less is more.
What to Avoid
A few simple no-gos will protect your jewellery far more than any cleaning routine: chlorine and salt water, perfume and hairspray applied directly onto the piece, abrasive cloths or toothpaste (a popular myth, but too harsh for both silver and vermeil), and leaving jewellery piled in a bag or coat pocket where it can scratch against keys or coins.
A Quick Care Checklist
On, then perfume — always the other way round. Off before water, sweat or sleep. Stored separately, somewhere dry. Cleaned gently, with soap and a soft cloth, not chemicals. Follow those four habits and most of our customers find their pieces need very little else.
Jewellery That's Made to Be Loved
Part of what makes personalised jewellery special is that it's meant to be worn often — a name necklace or a birthstone piece isn't something you save for best. With a little care, your necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings will stay just as meaningful years from now as the day you first put them on — which is exactly what makes them such a lovely gift, for someone else or for yourself.