Charlotte Lowe Jewellery

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Caring for oxidised jewellery

Over time silver naturally oxidises, becoming darker in colour until it eventually turns black. Silver can also be treated to speed up this process in order to turn parts of the item black. You will find oxidisation in the detail and to create the night sky finishes on Charlotte Lowe Jewellery's pieces. This treatment is not permanent and may start to burnish slightly on raised areas over time as the silver polishes against objects it comes into contact with such as our clothes. This is often seen as a positive feature, as the surface individually evolves through use of the wearer. Parts of the piece that aren't raised should retain their black colour, however, please avoid placing these in jewellery dips or wearing them in spas as the chemicals will strip the oxidation away from the piece.

To prolong the black finish it is advised that you store your oxidised jewellery separately from your other jewellery to avoid it rubbing against any sharp surfaces. Avoid contact with harsh chemical such as perfumes and cleaning products. Charlotte Lowe is happy to re-oxidise any item purchased free of charge, however, postal charges will need to be covered by the customer.

Cleaning your jewellery

Oxidised items rarely need cleaning and any dirt that does occur inside recesses or groves can be cleaned with a dry soft brush or with soapy water. Do not use any hard brushes or abrasives which may scratch away at the surface.

Do not immerse oxidised items in chemicals such as jewellery cleaning solutions as this will remove the oxidisation.

Silver surfaces can be cleaned in soapy water or with a soft cleaning cloth, however, please avoid rubbing away at the gold plated surfaces with these cloths as they are impregnated with silver, which may begin to rub away the plating.