Jewellery Care 101: Bracelets and Bangles
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Your Ultimate Guide to Caring for your Bracelets and Bangles
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Wearing bracelets or bangles have historically symbolised one of three things: Marital Status, Rite of Passage or Spiritual Protection. Whether you decide to wear them based on one of these deep meanings, or merely for aesthetic purposes, it is undeniable that a good bracelet or bangle made from precious metals and stones will add that elegant touch of colour and shine to your overall appearance.
However, without taking good care of your bracelet will cause the shine, appearance and vibrancy of the jewellery to fade. Several factors such as sweat, skin, pollution or hygiene products may cause the piece's discolouration, whether or not you are wearing daily or occasionally. So join us today, as we explore some cleaning and storage best practices to keep your bangles and bracelets looking, feeling and smelling good.
If you would like to see a professional jeweller, such as in accordance with Tip 5, book an appointment here and browse some pieces of our collection at our office while you wait.
Also check out
Jewellery Care 101: Rings
Jewellery Care 101: Earrings
Jewellery Care 101: Necklaces and Pendants
1: The At-Home Deep Cleaning Routine
For a thorough deep clean at home, soak your bracelet in a bowl of warm (not too hot) water and a very small amount of soap or detergent (literally 1 or 2 small drops). Putting more than the recommended amount can damage the stones so be very conservative.
Whatever you do, don't wash your pieces under heavy running water over a sink. We have seen many customers lose bits of jewellery into a drain only for them to not be seen again.
After a brief soak, use a soft toothbrush and brush the chain and pendant softly, ensuring that your remove any grime or oil on it. Don't be too hard if your jewellery is gold or silver plated, as this may damage the plating. Don't forget to brush both the top and the underside of the bracelet.
Once you're done with this, rinse the jewellery in another clean bowl of cold water and use a hairdryer to dry each piece ensuring that your remove all the condensation. Make sure to use cold air, especially where there are stones or pearls glued to the piece, to prevent glue from melting.
If you have bought a piece from us, and one of the stones has fallen off, feel free to contact us and we can see how to repair it together.
2: Constant Polishing and Correct Storage
One way to enhance the shine of your bracelet, whether containing a gemstone or not, is to use a microfibre cloth. These can be found when you purchase a pair of glasses or sunglasses, or would usually come with the bangle that you have decided to purchase.
We recommend polishing your bracelet at least once a week, especially if it is made of sterling silver as it discolours and oxidises very easily. Giving it a consistent polish would enhance its shine, appearance and maximise the colour and vibrance of the precious metals and stone.
To store your bracelet properly after daily wear, there are a few must-do habits to keep in mind. In particular, you should:
Invest in a jewellery box or a jewellery pouch: Ensure that you store your bracelet in either a box or a pouch lined with velvet or soft material to protect against losing its colour, or scratching against outside surfaces. Find a jewellery box with dividers if storing two or more in the same box, or place the bracelets in separate ziplock bags.
Ensure that the bracelet is straight: Use gravity to your advantage. Hold the bracelet from one end and watch gravity make your bracelet straight. This will prevent your bracelet from being tangled up while in storage, and save you time in the morning when wearing your bracelet.
Make sure there is enough space: Whether you are storing a chain, cuff or bangle bracelet, make sure that you leave enough space. This prevents the packaging from compressing your piece too much and ensures that no gemstones or other parts fall off.
3: Watch out for Leather Bracelets
Watch out for leather bracelets. While we typically only use 18k White Gold as a base for our pieces, our bespoke service means that we may modify leather bracelets with gemstones to fashion a unique look. However, where this material has been used, we cannot use the typical at-home deep cleaning routine that we recommend above as soaking leather may leave it dry and brittle.
As such, we recommend this method:
Mix a few drops of mild soap/detergent with warm water in a bowl
Dip a soft cloth into the bowl
Wipe the bracelet gently with the soft cloth, ensuring that you get in all the creases and crevices.
Wipe the bracelet again with another soft cloth without the soap
Pat the leather bracelet dry and ensure there is no more condensation.
Make sure that you avoid exposing leather to water for a prolonged period of time, and avoid using harsh soap or detergent which can discolour the leather.
4: When to take off your Bracelet
You should take off your bracelet when:
Showering
Playing sport or going to the gym
Swimming
Sleeping
Cleaning
By taking your bracelet off in these situations, you would be reducing the amount of chemicals, body oils or other fluids that would react with the metal alloys and discolour the gemstones. You'd also be reducing the possibility of the bracelet being damaged by your body, especially if you roll around in your sleep.
5: When to call a Professional
When all else fails, consider calling a professional. Therefore, we recommend that you visit us if:
You are looking for Rhodium or Platinum Plating: By plating one side of the bracelet or bangle, we can make an outstanding unique look to add another layer to your bracelet. Platinum or Rhodium plating will substantially reduce metal alloy reaction with the environment or your sweat.
Your bracelet is in need of repair: Discolouration, at-home deep cleaning processes and corrosive reactions may lead to any gemstones on your bracelet falling off. Contact us if you are looking for any repair services and browse our collection while you wait if you wish.
You would like a professional clean: You should seek a professional clean if the discolouration, oxidisation or other reaction to your bracelet cannot be removed through our recommended at-home deep cleaning process. At our office we have an ultrasonic bathing machine that is deliberately made to clean jewellery. If you would like to use this, do feel free to contact us.
We hope you have enjoyed this article. Please do browse our collection or book an appointment with us if you are interested in our portfolio or a bespoke service.
