Northumbria Gems jewellery is handmade from natural gemstone and Northumbrian sea glass, and dichroic fused glass, normally set in silver.

Here are a few suggestions for care of your jewellery:

• I recommend storing your jewellery separately, or wrapping it in a soft tissue or cloth before putting in a jewellery box or tray, to prevent any scratching of the polished stone or glass surface.
• To prevent chipping or breakage of your jewellery take care to avoid dropping it on any hard surface.
• Avoid submerging your jewellery in water for prolonged periods - e.g. when washing up or when swimming - particularly avoiding harsh chemicals or chlorine.
• Storing your jewellery in a sealed packet or container when not being worn, will help to prevent silver from tarnishing through exposure to the air (oxidisation).

Silver can be brightened by cleaning and polishing gently with a silver polishing cloth (these are not normally expensive to purchase).

Tip on wearing copper jewellery:

Oxidisation on copper (which creates blue-green verdigris) is a natural process caused by the metal's contact with oxygen in the air. It is increased by heat and moisture so can cause a staining on the skin - if you clean your copper jewellery regularly this should help minimise any problem.

One cleaning tip I have seen is - add lemon juice and salt to a bowl of water and dip the jewellery in for 30-60 seconds, then rinsing and drying. N.B. You may want to test an area on the back of the jewellery first in case it removes a desired patina. You can also polish with beeswax or Renaissance wax if you wish to keep the tarnish away for longer.