Jewelry Care

We make and design each piece of jewelry with the hope you will love, wear, and enjoy your modern heirlooms for many years to come. However, due to the nature of antique and vintage jewelry, a bit more love and attention is needed to help prolong the lives of these one-of-a-kind accessories.
 
Below we’ve outlined some basic jewelry questions, suggestions, and tips. You’re welcome to reach out at any time with questions about jewelry care or cleaning via our contact page or at hello@glenandeffie.com.
 

CLEANING YOUR JEWELRY

All jewelry needs to be cleaned periodically to remove grime, dirt, and body oil that builds up over time. Since the majority of our pieces are made with elements well over 100 years old, we strongly suggest using a polishing cloth as the safest way to clean your accessory.
 
If you have an heirloom that where a polishing cloth isn't doing the job and it needs a deeper cleaning, we suggest using Semichrome Polish with a soft polishing rag:
  • Massage a pea-sized amount of polish on a soft polishing cloth or cotton cloth without nap (a little goes a VERY long way, we promise!)
  • Gently begin polishing the metal surface of your piece avoiding all stones, pearls, corals, or any other porous materials.
    • again, DO NOT use this polish on any stones - this polish is only intended for metal surfaces.
  • With a clean end of your soft polishing cloth or cotton cloth, gently buff away any remaining residue of the polish and grime.
    • It's best to do this 2-3 more times on separate clean portions of your cloth to ensure all polishing chemicals and dirt have been completely buffed off the surface.
These are all cleaning suggestions, Glen & Effie is not responsible for any damage incurred from clients cleaning their own heirlooms. If you are wary of cleaning your heirlooms yourself, you can reach out to us at hello@glenandeffie.com or consult your local jeweler.

PRACTICES TO PREVENT BREAKAGE

We strongly advise against wearing your jewelry while participating in physical activities like working out, moving heavy objects, etc. which can contribute to surface damage, dents, snags, and scratches. In addition, the natural salt properties of sweat can accelerate surface wear and erosion.
 
DO NOT wear your modern heirlooms swimming in a pool or ocean as chlorine and saltwater can accelerate surface wear, erosion, and dull gemstones.
 
In addition, DO NOT wear your jewelry while using harsh cleaning products, dyes or chemicals that can compromise the integrity of any metals or gemstones. 
 
We strongly advise against wearing your jewelry to bed as it can weaken and twist chains and connections unintentionally to ultimately encourage breakage.

GOLD FILLED JEWELRY CARE

Every piece in our Classic Collection is made of the best quality 14K gold-filled materials. These are the pieces we consider staple items to wear all day, everyday, by themselves or to layer with your modern heirlooms - so we’ve made them with gold materials that can withstand more wear.
 
What is 14K gold-filled? It's a type of gold material that contains at least 5% of pure gold, and is manufactured by a heat bonding process that permanently bonds the layer of gold onto the base metal with high heat and pressure. To learn more about gold-filled jewelry and the difference between pure gold, gold-filled, gold-plated, and vermeil, check out our Gold Jewelry Guide.
 
 
Can I wear gold-filled jewelry to the gym?
Sweat is acidic and can harm your jewelry. To make them last longer, we recommend taking them off when doing any form of physical exercise. Removing your jewelry before going to the gym can also reduce risk of snagging or breakage on gym equipment.
 
Can I wear my gold-filled jewelry to the beach?
Sunscreens and salt water can be an agitator for any jewelry. For longevity in your pieces, we recommend removing them before you spend the day beachside. 
 
Can I sleep in my gold-filled jewelry?
We do not recommend that you sleep in your jewelry as it puts your chains at risk for twisting, tension stress, and accidentally snagging that can weaken your chain or connections.
 
Can I get my gold-filled jewelry wet?
Avoid wearing your jewelry in swimming pools, especially in chlorinated pools as the chemicals can damage the metals and cause accidental breakage or discoloration. Because perfumed soaps, gels and other products can contain harsh ingredients that can affect the wear of your jewelry, we suggest you remove your heirlooms before showering.
 
Can I wear lotion, perfume, or sunscreen with my jewelry
Try to put on jewelry last after lotions, perfumes, or sunscreen. Putting any jewelry in heavy contact with chemicals and alcohols in lotion, perfume and other products will almost always aggravate the wear of your piece.
 
With the majority of our pieces consisting of elements from the late 1800s-1920s (pieces right at or over 100 years old!), we always recommend that you consciously wear and care for your modern heirlooms. Many of the Victorian pieces we work with are 14k gold-filled and date back to the 1800s - and they've maintained their color and integrity over 100 years later.