TINICOTERIE jewellery are designed as keepsake and made to last - like everything precious, these beautiful pieces do need to be looked after so they always look as lovely as new. Below are some simple instructions you could follow to care for them:
Preserve the brightness
We recommend that customers remove their jewellery before exercising, showering, swimming or sleeping to prevent scratches, and to protect it from exposure to harsh chemicals or environments, including but not limited to: perfumes, skincare & hair products, sweat, cleaning agents, chlorine and salt water. Therefore it’s a good practice to always put on your jewellery last after applying your make-up and perfume.
Cleaning your jewellery
Gently wipe your jewellery with a soft, lint-free cloth to remove everyday build-up and maintain its brilliance.
To remove grease or dirt on your jewellery, you can brush it using a small, soft toothbrush with mild soap in lukewarm water. If the dirt is difficult to remove, try pre-soaking it in clean lukewarm water.
Where to keep your jewellery
When not worn, jewellery should be kept in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight and heat, in a separate fabric lined jewellery box or pouch to prevent scratching and tangling.
Never store your jewellery in polyvinyl plastic bags, as they contain sulphur compounds, or rubber containers which will make sterling silver tarnish faster and possibly turn black.
Warranty & Service
Your Tinicoterie jewellery is covered by a one-year manufacturing defect warranty from the delivery date. Should you require post-warranty servicing due to wear-and-tear, please reach out to our customer care team. They will be delighted to assist you and provide a quotation for service if necessary.
Care Tips by Metal
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Our sterling silver jewellery are treated with an anti-tarnish coating to help protect them against tarnish, keeping their lustre. However your jewellery can still tarnish over time as it is a natural process of certain precious metals — particularly sterling silver — when exposed to air, yet it can be easily cleaned using professional jewellery cleaning products.
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If your sterling silver jewellery is looking a little sad and dull, you can also use a silver-polishing cloth, or silver polish on a cotton bud to restore its lustre.
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If your silver piece has been oxidised to achieve a black look, the oxidation will eventually begin to return to their silver colouring due to wear — though its gradual transformation over time is also the beauty of our oxidised pieces which has been considered for the specific design.
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With a fine vermeil plating boasting a minimal thickness of 3 microns (in contrast to the 0.5 microns typical in fashion jewellery), we still advise handling your vermeil jewellery with extra care, as intense rubbing will cause the plating to wear away quicker than its natural course.
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Gently clean with a mild soap and water solution, avoid abrasive materials that may scratch the delicate gold vermeil layer.
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Please be mindful that gold plated pieces are, by default, more fragile and liable to lose their colour over time. The speed at which the gold plating fades will depend on multiple factors, from skincare/chemical products exposure, level of perspiration, or even your natural skin pH.
- Clean with a soft brush and mild soapy water.
- Avoid wearing gold jewellery while swimming in chlorinated water.
- Clean with a mild solution of soap and warm water.
- Periodically check for scratches and contact us or consult a professional jeweller if require re-polishing.
Special Notes on Gemstones
Diamond
- Avoid contact with lotions and oils, as they may dull the sparkle.
- To remove dirt, clean with a soft brush using mild, warm, soapy water.
Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Tourmaline
- Wipe gently with a damp cloth and keep them dry.
- Avoid sudden temperature changes as this can fracture the gemstone(s).
- Avoid ultrasonic cleaners especially for Emeralds and Tourmalines. Unless a gemologist can assure you that your rubies or sapphires have never been oiled, keep these gems out of an ultrasonic tank too.
Quartz
- Clean with a mild soap and water solution.
- Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight, as it may cause colour fading.
Pearls & other organic gems
- Do not put pearl jewellery or any other organic gem materials in an ultrasonic cleaner, nor submerse in silver dip solutions.
- Water that is too hot or too cold may damage the surface of pearls, so always double-check the temperature before using it on any pearl jewellery. Then you can gently wipe down the pearls with a clean, soft damp cloth.
- Avoid exposure to chemicals, perfumes, and excessive humidity.
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Taking prudent care of your jewellery as described above will prolong jewellery wear and help you preserve the beauty and quality of your TINICOTERIE piece.
If you have any specific concerns or questions, or wish to re-condition your jewellery at any point, please get in touch with our customer care team at hello@tinicoterie.com.