A GUIDE TO MAKING YOUR JEWELLERY LAST

VK Jewellery London’s fine jewellery will accompany you a lifetime with the right handling and care. In this piece, we will cover the essentials that will benefit your precious jewels and retain their beauty through all times. We will go into more specific care guidelines for the materials we use in our jewellery from the solid gold to different gemstones.

14K and 18K GOLD JEWELLERY

Gold is alloyed with other metals to make it workable for jewellery. Pure or solid gold in 24K and 22K is soft and bendable on its own. That is why we craft our jewellery using mostly 14K and 18K solid gold and 9K solid gold, which are in alloy with other metals making them firmer, durable, high quality, and great value. We also love using solid gold for its non-tarnish and reusable nature, as well as the ability to recycle it making it an environment-friendly option.

Solid gold acts like a nice expensive car under the rain, it will not tarnish, it will only stain and a careful good clean and wipe will accomplish the job of restoring it to its beautiful state and gleam.

Both 14K and 18K gold jewellery should be dusted using a soft cloth and cleaned gently with warm soapy water. Silver dip can also be used to clean white and yellow 14K gold, however always read the instructions beforehand as some gemstones should not be immersed in the silver dip or even water. Over time and due to natural wear and tear, 18K white, yellow and rose gold will need little polishing and maintenance depending on the level of wear and tear experienced.

PRECIOUS GEMSTONE JEWELLERY

We love to incorporate and provide you the most beautiful and precious gemstones in our jewellery. And when it comes to the most precious and expensive gemstones, the famous players are diamonds and the “big 3”, the “big 3” being Emeralds, Sapphires, and Rubies. This is due to their rarity and higher “hardness” rating on the Mohs scale. Having a higher Mohs “hardness” rating means that the gemstone is more durable, will scratch less easily and have a higher longevity.

Our dazzling diamonds and velvety royal blue sapphire jewels are hard and durable, so they will last a lifetime in your jewellery pieces. Our deep sultry red rubies and rich vivid emeralds are rare and will make you feel very special and treasured when wearing them.

Saying this, however, does not mean that these gemstones are not infallible and careful handling is needed to protect them. Besides following the general known jewellery care instructions, avoid knocking your gemstone jewellery, especially rings, onto hard surfaces and take off when using possible damaging equipment to prevent any potential chips and cracks. It is also important to note that beautiful emeralds are sensitive stones and can shatter under excessive water and heat, as a result, avoid wearing emerald jewellery while showering, swimming or at steam and sauna rooms.

Moreover, all gemstones benefit from being kept clean. For rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, this can be achieved using a soft cloth to gently and carefully wipe around these stones. For diamonds, however, soap liquid, warm water and a soft sponge or toothbrush can be used. As an example, for our stunning Nora Baguette 18K Gold Diamond Ring, obtain a bowl, add few drops of washing up liquid to it and fill it up with warm water. Place the ring inside the bowl for 2-3 minutes and then take it out placing it onto a soft cloth. Using a soft toothbrush, very gently brush the diamond stone and between the diamonds. Once complete, rinse the ring and place it on a soft cloth again for it to dry. Follow this cleaning process whenever necessary.

We hope this written guide has been informative and helpful on how to look after your jewellery and we are always happy to advise on your VK Jewellery London pieces and give them a quick check and clean in-store.