Jewelry Aftercare
How to care for your Conture jewelry
Most of what shortens the life of a piece is avoidable. Five minutes of habit is the difference between a finish that lasts months and one that lasts years.
Daily wear
- Jewelry goes on last. Perfume, lotion, hairspray, and sunscreen all attack a plated finish. Apply them first, let them dry, then put your piece on.
- Off before water. Showering, swimming, washing up. Chlorine and salt water are the fastest way to ruin plating.
- Off before the gym and before bed. Sweat is acidic and friction wears plating at contact points.
- Keep it away from chemicals. Bleach, cleaning products, and acetone.
Cleaning
Clean every two to four weeks for anything you wear daily.
- At home: a few drops of mild dish soap in warm water. Soak 10–15 minutes, brush gently with a soft toothbrush, rinse, and pat dry with a soft cloth.
- Faster: a dedicated jewelry spray made for plated metals and moissanite. A spritz and a soft cloth restores the shine without scratching.
Shop the Conture cleaning spray →
Storage
- Store each piece separately in a pouch or its original box — chains tangle and harder stones scratch softer metals
- Cool, dry, out of direct sunlight
- Anti-tarnish strips help for anything stored long-term
About plated finishes
Plating is a surface layer over a base metal, and it wears. That's true of every plated piece at every price point, ours included. How long it lasts depends almost entirely on contact — water, sweat, chemicals, and friction. Rings wear fastest because hands do the most; earrings and pendants last longest.
When a finish does wear through, most jewelers can re-plate a piece for a fraction of its original cost.
If you see a green mark
It's copper reacting with the acidity in your skin — harmless, and it washes off with soap and water. Copper is present in brass and in sterling silver alike, so any piece containing either can eventually do it. Keeping the piece dry and clean delays it considerably. Our 316L stainless steel Tennis Chain contains no copper and won't do it at all.
Sterling silver specifically
Sterling darkens over time — that's tarnish, and it's normal. A soft polishing cloth brings it straight back.
Questions
Email charlesscalesmoney@gmail.com — we reply within one business day.