Jewellery care

Looking after your jewellery

Silver is a beautiful lustrous metal, used in making much of contemporary jewellery. It does unfortunately have one downside, and that is tarnish. The modern world and the way we live means there is a lot of sulphur in the atmosphere, this is what causes tarnish. 

Clean your silver chains and silver pendants with a polishing cloth or silver dip. Do not dip in a cleaning solution if there are real shells or soft stones like turquoise set in the design. For these pieces  I recommend a Town talk Silver Polishing Cloth made of 100% high quality cotton, impregnated with a silver cleaner and anti-tarnish agent which will not damage the natural shells and precious stones like turquoise and pearls, that I sometimes use in my designs.

Chemicals
Certain chemicals can harm your precious items, we use some of them so often we don’t think of them as chemicals. Some Shampoos, Hairspray, perfume, nail varnish remover, even perspiration can all affect jewellery. If you are going to wear hairspray or other cosmetics, put them on first and give them a chance to dry before putting on your jewellery.

Chlorine in swimming pools and bromine in jacuzzi's is particularly damaging, and will turn silver grey, so if you are going swimming leave your jewellery at home. 

Don’t wear your jewellery 24 hours a day, take it off when you get home or at least at night. Keep it separated as different elements can damage each other.

Snake chains may become damaged if not stored carefully. Please keep them in the Pa-pa box they were gifted in, coiled to keep their shape when not worn. When you are not wearing chains and necklets keep them fastened so they don’t get tangled. When you are doing jobs around the house, gardening, DIY etc. remove it, you wouldn’t wear your Stella McCartney or your Paul Smith suit when working out, cleaning the kitchen floor or gardening!

Almost all of the shells I use in my designs, the mussels , cockles ,whelks and Pipi shells I have personally found washed up empty at local beaches soon Gower. 
 
Other Shells such as abalone and shell products are sourced predominantly as a by-product of the food industry in the country of origin or collected locally from naturally sustainable resources.
Shells are gathered with the permission of the local fisheries authorities or with certification from CITIES (Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species)No endangered species are purchased for use in Pa-pa designs and we make every effort to monitor relevant data through trade information and conservation bodies.