Jewellery Care
Keep your jewellery beautiful for longer
Jewellery is made to be worn, loved and enjoyed — and with the right care, your favourite pieces can continue to look beautiful for years to come.
At Collective & Co., our jewellery is made from a variety of materials, including 9kt gold, S925 sterling silver, 14kt gold-plated sterling silver, gold vermeil, diamonds, lab-grown diamonds, natural gemstones, moissanite and cubic zirconia. Each material has different care requirements, so we've put together this guide to help you understand exactly how to care for your jewellery.
The golden rule? Jewellery generally lasts longest when it's protected from moisture, chemicals, friction and unnecessary wear.
The Golden Rules of Jewellery Care
Whether you're wearing solid gold, sterling silver or gold-plated jewellery, these simple habits will help keep your pieces looking their best.
1. Jewellery goes on last
Apply perfume, hairspray, moisturiser, makeup and other beauty products before putting on your jewellery. Allow products to dry before wearing your pieces.
Chemicals and cosmetics can contribute to discolouration, tarnishing and premature wear, particularly on plated jewellery.
2. Take it off before getting wet
We recommend removing your jewellery before:
- Showering or bathing
- Swimming
- Exercising
- Using a sauna or steam room
- Sleeping
Water itself isn't necessarily harmful to every jewellery material, but repeated exposure to moisture, chlorine, salt water, sweat and products such as shampoo and shower gel can accelerate wear — particularly on plated finishes.
3. Avoid chemicals
Keep jewellery away from:
- Perfume
- Hairspray
- Body oils
- Moisturiser
- Sunscreen
- Self-tan
- Cleaning products
- Chlorine
- Salt water
Put your jewellery on after your beauty routine, not before.
4. Remove jewellery before sleeping
Sleeping in jewellery exposes it to unnecessary friction and movement. Chains can become tangled, earrings can catch on bedding and plated surfaces can experience additional wear.
For pieces you wear regularly, removing them overnight is one of the simplest ways to help extend their lifespan.
5. Store pieces separately
When you're not wearing your jewellery, keep each piece in its Collective & Co. jewellery pouch or box.
Avoid storing multiple pieces loose together, as chains, stones and metal surfaces can scratch or become tangled.
For sterling silver, keeping pieces in a dry, closed jewellery box or pouch can also help minimise exposure to air and reduce tarnishing.
How to Care for 14kt Gold-Plated Jewellery
Our 14kt gold-plated S925 sterling silver jewellery has a layer of real 14kt gold applied over sterling silver.
Gold plating is a surface finish, meaning it can naturally become lighter or wear over time with regular use. How quickly this happens depends on factors such as frequency of wear, friction, moisture, skin chemistry and exposure to cosmetics and chemicals.
To help preserve your gold-plated finish:
DO
- Put jewellery on after applying perfume and skincare
- Remove it before showering, swimming and exercising
- Wipe it gently with a soft, dry cloth after wearing
- Store it separately in a dry jewellery pouch or box
- Handle pieces gently when putting them on and taking them off
DON'T
- Use abrasive polishing cloths or harsh jewellery cleaners
- Use silver dip or chemical cleaning solutions
- Wear gold-plated jewellery in swimming pools
- Expose it repeatedly to perfume, hairspray or lotions
- Sleep or exercise while wearing it
Can gold-plated jewellery tarnish?
The gold layer itself does not behave in the same way as sterling silver, but the underlying sterling silver can tarnish if the plating becomes worn or compromised. The gold finish can also gradually fade with wear. Regular cleaning and careful storage can help prolong its appearance.
How to Care for Gold Vermeil Jewellery
Gold vermeil is sterling silver coated with a thicker layer of gold than standard gold plating. The exact thickness of the gold layer can vary, so always check the specifications of your individual piece.
Although vermeil is more substantial than standard gold plating, it is still a gold surface finish and should be cared for accordingly.
Follow the same care recommendations as gold-plated jewellery:
- Avoid water and chemicals
- Remove before sleeping and exercising
- Apply cosmetics and perfume before wearing
- Clean gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Store separately when not being worn
Important: Vermeil should not be treated as solid gold. The gold layer can still experience wear over time.
How to Care for S925 Sterling Silver
S925 sterling silver is an alloy containing 92.5% pure silver. Like all sterling silver, it can naturally tarnish over time as it reacts with oxygen and other environmental factors.
Tarnishing is normal and does not mean your jewellery is damaged.
To care for your sterling silver:
- Keep it dry when possible
- Store it in a closed jewellery pouch or box
- Avoid prolonged exposure to air and humidity
- Wipe gently with a soft jewellery cloth
- Keep it away from chemicals and cosmetics
For plain sterling silver without a gold-plated finish, a suitable silver polishing cloth can help remove light tarnish.
Do not use traditional silver polishing products on gold-plated or vermeil jewellery, as they can remove or damage the gold surface.
Regular gentle cleaning is widely recommended for maintaining sterling silver and plated jewellery.
How to Care for 9kt Gold Jewellery
Solid 9kt gold is considerably more resistant to everyday wear than gold-plated jewellery because the gold is part of the metal itself rather than being a surface coating.
However, solid gold jewellery can still scratch, become dull and accumulate oils and residue.
To care for your 9kt gold jewellery:
- Remove before swimming and exercising
- Keep away from harsh chemicals
- Avoid unnecessary knocks and friction
- Wipe regularly with a soft, clean cloth
- Store pieces separately
- Have valuable or heavily worn pieces professionally cleaned when necessary
Unlike gold-plated jewellery, solid 9kt gold does not have a gold-plating layer that can wear away.
Caring for Diamond & Lab-Grown Diamond Jewellery
Diamonds are extremely durable, but the metal they're set in can still scratch or become damaged.
Our diamond jewellery may feature natural diamonds or lab-grown diamonds, depending on the individual product.
To keep your diamond jewellery sparkling:
- Remove before exercising, swimming and using household chemicals
- Avoid exposing the jewellery to lotions and cosmetics unnecessarily
- Gently wipe with a soft, lint-free cloth
- Pay particular attention to the area around the setting, where oils and residue can accumulate
- Store separately to prevent scratching other jewellery
Check your settings
Over time, knocks and everyday wear can affect jewellery settings.
If you notice a diamond moving, a loose setting, a bent claw or anything unusual, stop wearing the piece and have it inspected by a qualified jeweller.
Caring for Moissanite Jewellery
Moissanite is a durable gemstone known for its exceptional brilliance and fire. It is well suited to everyday jewellery, but the surrounding metal and setting still require care.
To keep moissanite jewellery looking its best:
- Remove before swimming and exercising
- Avoid direct contact with perfume, lotions and harsh chemicals
- Clean gently with a soft cloth
- Pay attention to residue around the stone and setting
- Store separately to prevent scratches to surrounding jewellery
For pieces featuring moissanite, we recommend gentle cleaning rather than abrasive polishing.
Caring for Cubic Zirconia Jewellery
Cubic zirconia (CZ) is a lab-created gemstone commonly used to create a bright, diamond-like sparkle.
Our Sparkle Huggies, for example, feature cubic zirconia set into 14k gold-plated S925 sterling silver.
To keep cubic zirconia looking bright:
- Remove before showering, swimming and exercising
- Avoid perfume, hairspray, lotions and harsh chemicals
- Wipe gently with a soft, dry cloth after wearing
- Keep the stones free from oils and product build-up
- Store separately when not being worn
A clean stone will generally reflect more light and appear brighter. Gentle cleaning is preferable to aggressive polishing, particularly when the jewellery also has a plated finish.
How to Clean Your Jewellery
For everyday cleaning
The safest general approach for most Collective & Co. jewellery is simple:
1. Remove your jewellery.
2. Gently wipe it with a clean, soft, dry, lint-free cloth.
3. Pay attention to areas where oils, skincare or dirt can collect.
4. Allow the piece to air dry completely if any moisture has been used.
5. Store it in its pouch or jewellery box.
What should I use to clean gold-plated jewellery?
For 14tk gold-plated and vermeil jewellery, we recommend a soft, dry cloth rather than abrasive polishing products.
Avoid silver dips, abrasive cleaners and aggressive polishing, as these can affect the gold finish. Gold-plated jewellery can lose its finish if it is cleaned too often or too harshly.
What About Water?
You may see jewellery described online as “waterproof” or “water-resistant.”
We recommend taking a more protective approach with your Collective & Co. jewellery.
Even when a piece can tolerate occasional contact with water, repeated exposure to water, sweat, chlorine, salt water, soaps and beauty products can shorten the life of a plated finish.
For this reason, we recommend removing jewellery before showering, swimming and exercising.
This is particularly important for 14kt gold-plated and vermeil jewellery.
Jewellery Care by Material
| Jewellery type | Best care |
|---|---|
| 9k solid gold | Avoid chemicals, wipe regularly and store separately |
| S925 sterling silver | Keep dry, store closed and gently polish when appropriate |
| 14k gold-plated S925 | Keep away from water, chemicals and friction |
| Gold vermeil | Treat gently like plated jewellery and avoid moisture/chemicals |
| Diamond | Keep clean, avoid chemicals and check settings |
| Lab-grown diamond | Same care principles as diamond jewellery |
| Moissanite | Gentle cleaning and protection from chemicals |
| Cubic zirconia | Keep clean and avoid harsh cleaners |
How to Make Your Gold-Plated Jewellery Last Longer
If you want your gold-plated jewellery to maintain its colour and shine for as long as possible, these are the habits that make the biggest difference:
PERFUME → JEWELLERY
Not the other way around.
SHOWER → REMOVE
Take your jewellery off before getting in.
WORKOUT → REMOVE
Sweat and friction can accelerate wear.
SLEEP → REMOVE
Give your jewellery a break overnight.
WEAR → WIPE
A quick gentle wipe after wearing helps remove oils and product residue.
STORE → SEPARATELY
Protect your pieces from scratches, tangling and unnecessary friction.
Will My Gold-Plated Jewellery Fade?
Gold plating can naturally wear over time.
This is not necessarily a manufacturing fault. Because the gold is applied as a surface layer, regular friction and exposure to moisture, chemicals and cosmetics can gradually reduce the thickness and appearance of the plating.
The rate at which this happens varies from person to person and from piece to piece.
Some people may experience longer-lasting plating than others depending on skin chemistry, frequency of wear, lifestyle and exposure to water and cosmetics.
Taking your jewellery off before showering, swimming, exercising and sleeping can significantly reduce unnecessary exposure and help prolong the finish.
Can I Wear My Jewellery Every Day?
Absolutely — that's what it's made for.
But everyday wear doesn't mean your jewellery needs to stay on 24/7.
For pieces with a gold-plated or vermeil finish, we recommend taking them off when you're:
- Showering
- Swimming
- Exercising
- Sleeping
- Applying beauty products
- Cleaning with household chemicals
This allows you to enjoy your jewellery every day while minimising the factors that can accelerate wear.
When Should I Have My Jewellery Professionally Checked?
For valuable pieces, particularly diamond and gemstone jewellery, consider having the setting checked periodically by a qualified jeweller.
You should stop wearing a piece if you notice:
- A loose stone
- A bent or damaged setting
- A clasp that isn't closing correctly
- A broken or weakened chain
- Significant damage to the metal
It's much easier to address a small setting issue before a stone becomes lost.
Jewellery Care FAQs
How should I care for 14kt gold-plated jewellery?
Keep 14kt gold-plated jewellery away from water, perfume, cosmetics, sweat and harsh chemicals. Remove it before showering, swimming, exercising and sleeping, and gently wipe it with a soft, dry cloth after wearing.
How do I clean gold-plated jewellery?
Gently wipe gold-plated jewellery with a clean, soft, dry cloth. Avoid abrasive polishing products, silver dips and harsh cleaning solutions, as these can damage or remove the gold-plated finish.
Does 14kt gold-plated jewellery tarnish?
The gold plating itself can fade or wear over time, while the sterling silver beneath it can tarnish if exposed as the plating wears. Proper care and storage can help prolong the appearance of the piece.
How do I stop sterling silver jewellery from tarnishing?
Keep sterling silver clean and dry, store it in a closed jewellery pouch or box and minimise prolonged exposure to air, moisture and chemicals. Light tarnish can generally be removed with an appropriate silver polishing cloth.
Can I shower with gold-plated jewellery?
We recommend removing gold-plated jewellery before showering. Repeated exposure to water, soap, shampoo and other products can accelerate wear of the gold-plated finish.
Can I swim with gold-plated jewellery?
We recommend removing gold-plated jewellery before swimming. Chlorine and salt water can be particularly harsh on jewellery and may accelerate deterioration of the finish.
Can I sleep in my jewellery?
We recommend removing your jewellery before sleeping. This reduces friction, catching and unnecessary wear and is particularly beneficial for plated jewellery.
How should I store my jewellery?
Store each piece separately in a clean, dry jewellery pouch or box. Keep chains fastened where possible and avoid storing multiple pieces together where they can scratch or become tangled.
How do I keep cubic zirconia jewellery sparkling?
Gently clean cubic zirconia jewellery with a soft cloth to remove oils, cosmetics and residue. Keeping the stones clean helps maintain their brilliance. Avoid harsh or abrasive cleaning, particularly when the jewellery has a gold-plated finish.
How should I care for diamond jewellery?
Keep diamond jewellery away from harsh chemicals and clean it gently to remove oils and residue. Regularly inspect the setting and stop wearing the piece if you notice a loose stone or damaged setting.
How long does gold plating last?
There is no single guaranteed lifespan for gold plating. Its longevity depends on the thickness of the plating, how frequently the jewellery is worn, friction, moisture, skin chemistry and exposure to chemicals and cosmetics. Good care can help prolong the finish.
A Little Care Goes a Long Way
Your jewellery is designed to be worn, layered and loved.
A few simple habits — putting jewellery on last, taking it off before water and exercise, keeping it away from chemicals and storing it carefully — can make a significant difference to how your pieces look over time.
Treat your jewellery with care and it will keep adding a little something special to your everyday.
Collective & Co.
Delicate jewellery, made to be worn and loved.