JEWELRY CARE

Jewelry tends to last longest when it is the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off.

Avoid direct contact with perfume, lotions, hairspray, household cleaners and other chemicals. Remove jewelry before swimming, bathing, exercising or sleeping, and store pieces separately in a dry place when they aren't being worn.

Natural stones can vary in hardness and durability, so avoid unnecessary impact and prolonged exposure to water or chemicals.

Elastic bracelets are designed to stretch over the hand, but repeatedly pulling or overstretching the elastic can shorten its life.

Rather than pulling the bracelet open, gently roll it over your hand when putting it on or taking it off. Avoid wearing elastic bracelets while swimming, showering or sleeping, and keep them away from lotions, perfumes and household chemicals.

Natural stones can be sensitive to impact, moisture and chemicals. Treat them gently and store your bracelet where it won't be crushed, snagged or stretched.

With regular wear, elastic will naturally age over time. A change in elasticity doesn't necessarily mean the bracelet was damaged; it can simply be part of the normal life of a strung bracelet.

Sterling silver naturally develops tarnish as it reacts with its environment. This is normal and does not mean the metal is damaged.

Store sterling silver in a dry place when it isn't being worn and avoid prolonged exposure to moisture, chlorine, household chemicals, lotions and perfumes.

To restore brightness, gently polish with a cloth intended for sterling silver. Take extra care around intentionally oxidized, textured or darkened areas, as aggressive polishing can alter the original finish.

14k gold filled jewelry has a substantial layer of real gold permanently bonded to a base metal. With proper care, it is considerably more durable than standard gold plating.

Keep gold filled pieces away from chlorine, harsh chemicals, perfumes and lotions whenever possible. After wearing, gently wipe the surface with a soft, clean cloth before storing.

Avoid abrasive polishing products, which can unnecessarily wear the surface over time.

Brass and copper are living metals. Their surfaces naturally deepen and develop patina with time, wear and exposure to the environment. For many pieces, that evolving character is part of the beauty of the material.

MerCurios brass and copper pieces are finished with microcrystalline wax to help protect the surface and slow the natural patina process. The finish is protective, not permanent, and will gradually wear with handling and use.

Avoid abrasive cleaners and polishing compounds unless you intentionally want to alter the existing finish. Keep pieces away from prolonged moisture, chlorine, household chemicals, perfumes and lotions.

If your piece develops a patina you enjoy, leave it as it is. It becomes part of the artifact.

Aluminum is lightweight, durable and naturally resistant to rust. Unlike sterling silver, brass and copper, it does not tarnish in the same way, making it an easy-care metal for everyday jewelry.

Aluminum can still become dull or pick up surface marks with wear. When appropriate, MerCurios aluminum pieces include a polishing cloth that can be used gently to refresh the surface.

Avoid abrasive cleaners, harsh chemicals and aggressive polishing, particularly on stamped, textured or intentionally finished areas.

Tarnish is a natural reaction between sterling silver and elements in its environment. Humidity, skin chemistry, cosmetics and other factors can affect how quickly it develops.

Tarnish is generally a surface change rather than damage to the silver and can usually be removed with appropriate polishing.

Yes. Both brass and copper naturally develop patina over time.

MerCurios pieces are finished with microcrystalline wax to help protect the surface and slow this process, but no surface finish is permanent. How quickly a piece changes will depend on wear, environment and individual skin chemistry.

It can. Copper-containing metals may react with moisture, perspiration and individual skin chemistry, occasionally leaving a temporary greenish mark on the skin.

This reaction is generally harmless and isn't an indication that the jewelry is poor quality. The protective wax finish used on MerCurios pieces helps create a barrier between the metal and skin, but that barrier will gradually wear with use.

Aluminum does not rust or tarnish in the same way that sterling silver, brass or copper do, and it typically does not cause the green discoloration associated with copper-containing metals.

It may become dull or develop surface marks through normal wear and can be gently refreshed with an appropriate polishing cloth.

I don't recommend it.

Water itself isn't equally harmful to every material, but chlorine, salt water, soaps, shampoos and other products can affect metals, finishes, stones and elastic. Removing your jewelry before showering or swimming is the simplest way to help preserve it.

Not unless the cleaner is specifically appropriate for every material in the piece.

Commercial cleaners can affect stones, patina, oxidized details and protective finishes even when they are safe for the primary metal. When in doubt, gentle cleaning with a soft cloth is the safer choice.

Elastic can gradually relax with repeated wear. How quickly this happens depends on how often the bracelet is worn and how much the elastic is stretched when putting it on and taking it off.

Rolling the bracelet gently over the hand rather than pulling or stretching it open will help extend the life of the elastic.