Even with the best care, all metal jewelry will tarnish. Below are some tips on how to care for and store your handmade jewelry.

You should ALWAYS remove your jewelry:

• before swimming or bathing,

• before washing/sanitizing your hands or preparing food,

• before using cleaning products or abrasives

• before strenuous activity.

Never wear your jewelry in natural hot springs or chlorine pools of any kind. 

To keep your handmade jewelry shinier, longer:

Store in a dry area; many people store their jewelry in sealed containers with an anti-tarnish tab. These need to be replaced every six months or so, and are readily available online. Search "3M anti-tarnish tab". Do not leave your jewelry on the bathroom counter as the higher humidity will cause your jewelry to tarnish quicker.

Periodically clean your jewelry with a polishing cloth, also readily available online. Sometimes, polishing cloths can remove the patina that was intentionally applied to highlight details, so you must practice care and only polish the areas that you want shiny again. Please note, no patina is permanent.

Brass: An easy way to make them shiny again is using a liquid brass cleaner "ex. Brasso" that removes patina and polishes the metal. Poor some on a cottom swab and rub it on the metal until it's clean. After clean the jewelry with soap and rinse it with water. Dry them quickly with a cloth or paper towel because water can leave stains.

Other ways: Mix baking soda and white vinegar together to create a paste.
or
Use a brass polishing cloth.

Always put your jewelry on as the last step in getting ready. Contact with hair spray and perfumes can prematurely tarnish your piece, although it can be easily removed with the above-mentioned polishing cloths.

A Note On Stones: Turquoise and Variscites are softer than other stones used in jewelry making. Please use care and be gentle with your gems to avoid scratches or cracks.

Worth Noting: your new handmade jewelry has been sealed with a museum-grade wax to slow down the tarnish process, as well as protect from dirt, moisture, and fingerprints. While this serves as a wonderful protective measure, the silver will still tarnish over time, as is the nature of sterling.