Jewelry Care & Promises

One of our top priorities at Megan Rider Jewelry is delivering high quality pieces that our customers can enjoy for years with very little maintenance. When designing and producing each piece, we take every day wear into consideration but the metals and stones we use are naturally occurring elements that will change over time.  Jewelry should be worn and treated with love & care to insure longevity.  Please review the information provided below and reach out if you have any questions! info@meganrider.com

 

MEGAN RIDER JEWELRY PURCHASE PROMISE

• Complimentary chain & clasp repair within 90 days of receiving jewelry order.  Please allow 2-3 weeks for repairs.  
• Complimentary stone setting repairs within 6 months of receiving jewelry order.  Please allow 4-6 weeks for repairs.
• Complimentary cleaning cloth provided with every purchase over $50.
• Free shipping for repairs and cleaning within first year of purchase. 

JEWELRY CARE - 14K Gold 

Gold jewelry of any karat can be cleaned lightly using a soft cloth. For a more thorough cleaning, soak your gold jewelry in a glass of warm water with a drop or two of non-detergent soap (Ivory, Dr. Bronner's, etc) to help remove any oils and loosen buildup. Remove after a few minutes and pat dry with a soft cloth. To clean further, use a very soft, worn toothbrush to carefully remove any dirt particles or debris from more intricate components and settings. We recommend you practice the following guidelines

• Your jewelry should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off.
• Stones do not like to get wet.
• Please put on after you apply perfumes, lotions and hairsprays.
• Your jewelry should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off.
• Believe it or not, regardless of price, jewelry that looks delicate is. Please treat it like fine silk.
• Please do not wear your jewelry when doing chores like gardening, washing dishes or hard labor.

 

JEWELRY CARE - Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is an everyday metal but does require some care and caution to last.  Below I have provided some helpful tips and information to keep your sterling silver jewelry looking and feeling new every time you wear it. 

Sterling silver is 92.5% silver (this is why sterling silver will have a 925 stamp) and 7.5% other metals. It’s the other metals, primarily copper, that makes the sterling silver tarnish.  The copper reacts to moister and sulfur in the air, causing the sterling silver to tarnish. Over time any sterling silver jewelry exposed to air will tarnish.  Silver tarnishes faster in areas with high humidity and air pollution.  When handling sterling silver jewelry, even the oils on our fingers can cause early tarnishing. A general rule of thumb for silver jewelry: it should be the last thing you put on before leaving the house, and the first thing removed when returning home.

Properly caring and storing jewelry is the best way to slow the tarnish process and to keep your jewelry looking beautiful.

• The best way to prevent tarnishing is to store the jewelry in a clean, dry airtight container, like a plastic bag, or Tupperware.  The plastic bags I have provided are biodegradable.
• An anti-tarnish strip stored with the silver jewelry helps to absorb tarnish-causing elements.
• Please do not wear the jewelry while showering, swimming or exercising.  Do not leave silver jewelry in the bathroom unprotected.  The humidity and moisture speeds up the tarnishing process.
• Minimize sterling silver’s contact to chemicals found in hairspray, perfume, deodorant, body lotion and make up.
• After taking off your silver jewelry, clean it with a dry soft cloth, or polishing cloth, before putting it back into an airtight container.
• When an item does begin to tarnish, cleaning it right away will make it easier to restore the shine than if you let it sit longer. Use a silver polishing cloth to remove oxidation from silver.

 

JEWELRY CARE - Bronze & 14K Gold Filled 

I am excited to introduce a yellow bronze metal option that has a beautiful golden tone similar to 14K yellow gold.  Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin.  The high copper content in bronze can cause it to tarnish over time when exposed to oxygen or humidity creating a darker patina finish. 

For Rings: 

Some people, depending on their personal PH balance, experience a green coloring to the skin when it comes in contact with bronze. This is perfectly harmless and is due to the copper content.  If you prefer to avoid the dark patina to the metal, try to keep your bronze jewelry as dry as possible. Take your ring off when washing your hands and dry your hands thoroughly before putting your ring back on. You can also coat the inside of the ring with a clear nail polish this will form a barrier between your skin and the ring.

For Necklaces & Earrings: 

I use 14k gold filled chain, clasps and ear wires in combination with bronze pendants and earrings so the metal that is touching your skin is 14k gold filled.  14k gold filled means multiple layers of solid 14k gold has been pressure bonded with extreme heat over a core of high quality brass resulting in a durable and high quality product. 14k gold filled will not rub off but might tarnish similar to sterling silver.  You can polish 14k gold filled the same way you can polish sterling silver.  Customers who are sensitive to certain metals can wear gold filled without worries of an allergic reaction.

When taking off your bronze jewelry after wearing it, wipe the pieces clean with a soft cloth before storing them. This should be done to remove any traces of oils from your skin as they may speed up the tarnishing of bronze.  Since the tarnishing process is facilitated by the oxygen in the air, it is advisable to keep your bronze jewelry in a plastic bag to slow down the formation of patina.