Jewelry Care
Via Valentina jewelry is extremely well crafted and if cared for properly can be enjoyed for generations. Air pollutants, dust, perspiration, perfumes and other natural elements can dull the appearance of gemstones or precious metals. Because of this, it is always good practice to wipe down your jewelry with a cotton cloth after wear.
Additionally, jewelry should be professionally cleaned and inspected once a year. Just like a fine automobile, periodic inspection and maintenance of jewelry helps prevent costly repairs or replacements. Personally inspect your jewelry as you wear it by looking for loose or chipped stones, worn links, bent prongs, or malfunctioning clasps.
If a problem is found, the piece should be brought in immediately for repair to prevent more extensive damage or loss. You may call 1 (702) 308-3524 to facilitate this or to learn about other options.
How to Clean Your Via Valentina Jewelry
Over time, air pollutants, dust, perspiration, perfumes and other natural elements can make jewelry and gemstones appear dull. Below are some tips for keeping your pieces clean and shiny.
Sterling silver tarnishes in the presence of common everyday items that contain sulfur, such as leather, rubber, chlorine, and perspiration. Other elements to be mindful of are air pollutants and salt water. Because these substances cannot be completely avoided, it is recommended that sterling silver be routinely wiped down with the white side of the Via Valentina polishing cloth that came with your piece. Regular wear of your Via Valentina sterling silver can also help prevent tarnishing—we recommend that you enjoy and wear your Via Valentina jewelry every day. When not in use, store your jewelry in the pouch you received when purchased.
Use a clean, cotton cloth and mild dish detergent diluted in water. Apply the diluted dish detergent to the clean cotton cloth and rub the piece in one direction. Try to avoid circular motions.
To remove heavier tarnish, wash your silver jewelry with warm water and mild soap. Never use anything but a clean, nub-free cotton or flannel cloth. We do not recommend silver polish or dip style cleaning solutions, which will remove the antique oxidation that we intentionally apply to many Via Valentina silver pieces to give them their distinctive look. If more thorough cleaning is required, an authorized jeweler can clean your pieces to restore them to a like-new condition. We recommend having your jewelry professionally cleaned once a year.
Some gemstones are by nature more fragile than others. In general, you can prevent many problems by not exposing gemstones to common elements such as:
- Chlorine
- Household cleaning chemicals
- Extreme heat or light
- Salt water
All gemstones, including diamonds, can chip, scratch, or abrade under the right circumstances. Avoid wearing rings or bracelets while doing any manual labor, including housework. Jewelry should be taken off before strenuous activity or during times when it might be subjected to sharp blows or excessive friction.
For most gemstones, it is best to clean them using dishwashing soap with water. However, due to the fragile nature of rubies and emeralds, they should only be cleaned with a dry cotton cloth – diluted dishwashing soap should not be used.
Never remove rings by pulling on the stone; the prongs or bezel can be damaged causing the stone to loosen or fall out.
When not in use, always store your Via Valentina jewelry in the pouch you received when purchased. Store each piece of gemstone jewelry separately in its storage pouch to prevent excessive tarnishing and scratching.