GEM STONE CARE 2018-07-16T05:30:00+00:00

GEM STONE CARE

Antoinette’s Boutique gems are made with various crystals, stones and other delicate materials. Treat them with the utmost love and care. If a crystal, stone or another fragile item of your piece is dropped or banged on a hard as well as a semi-hard surface, the item may crack or break.

Personal Care Products

Every day we are exposed to a number of chemicals which may not harm us but could be to the detriment of our jewellery. Hair products, body lotions, make-up and perfume are a few of the few of the products that come to mind. These may not agree with our jewellery. The chemicals found in your daily routine care products can leave a thin layer of chemicals on your gems and over a period of time will dull your jewels. Extremely hot or cold environments is not recommended either. But not worry, there’s an easy solution. Remove your pieces before washing and applying any products. An easy way to get into the habit of this is to always put your jewellery on as one of the last things before you head out the door.

Housework

Just like we don’t generally enjoy housework, well neither does our gems. Crystals and Stone do not take kindly to knocking, scrubbing or bangs. These actions could loosen the jewels and may even leave marks on hard surfaces. Just like personal care products, household cleaners do not agree with jewellery. Bleach is an absolute NO NO as it can change the colour of your jewels but worse it can eat into the metal. Make it a rule not to wear jewels when you have your spring cleaning days.

Water

Water can be great for cleaning if your jewels are dried properly afterwards. Gems that have been stored damp can cause them to tarnish. Just be extra careful to dry them completely. However, salt water is a different story. Your gems need to stay out of salt water. The ocean can cause your jewel to corrode and rust if your piece contains brass metal, which many of them do. So a rule of thumb – remove jewellery before swimming seaside.

Storage

Keep in mind how you store your gems. This can be key to protecting them. Storing them in a nice soft environment on their own is best. For example, in a small box with some nice material padding the surrounds. When stored with other pieces some jewels when in contact with other metals can dull.

Cleaning Jewellery

When taking care of your gems and cleaning them use a very soft dry clean cloth and gently rub them. Any dirt or dust residue on the cloth may scratch your jewel so make extra sure it’s clean. Clean them just as you would your glasses. Ensure you clean them after each wear so you can remove any chemicals and oils that may have built up during wear. Commercial jewellery cleaners are not recommended.

Terms and Conditions Stock Availability Whilst we strive to keep our website up to date at times product availability may have a lead time of up to six weeks. If this occurs, we will contact you immediately and inform you if the item isn’t available. We will offer you the choice of an alternate item or a full refund. We sincerely apologise if this occurs. Accuracy Care has been taken to ensure that the products and descriptions of them on this site are accurate. We do not, however, promise or represent that it is accurate or free from errors or omissions and we reserve the right to make any necessary corrections. You should enquire with us directly to ensure the accuracy and currency of the material you seek to rely upon. Please note that colours of some products might slightly vary due to differences in computer monitors. Natural Product Variations Due to the beautiful nature of the products we stock, no two products are identical. What is photographed on the website may not be the product you receive; however, the images are a true representation of what will be supplied. Just like two people are not identical, neither are the natural unique products supplied by Antoinette’s Boutique. All care has been taken to ensure a true description with approximate sizes and colours have been made. GST All prices are inclusive of New Zealand Goods and Services Tax (GST) where applicable.