Care & Maintenance
Thank you for choosing Fika Jewels. Please read this information carefully before placing an order so you are better prepared for caring and maintaining your jewellery post purchase.
- Diamonds are hard, but not indestructible.
- Laws of physics still apply: delicate rings will require more delicate handling than chunky ones.
- Soaps, sanitisers and lotions are bad for your stones and settings.
- Jewellery won’t maintain itself, you need to look after it to keep it looking its best.
A lot of people mistakenly believe that jewellery maintains itself – this is simply not true.
All treasured possessions, especially those which we use often, will eventually show signs of wear and tear. How we choose to treat them will affect their appearance over time.
We recommend taking all jewellery off before sleeping, washing, swimming, exercising, household chores, nursing, handling pets, playing with children, etc.
It is best to remove all jewellery before any other activities which may potentially put the jewellery under unnecessary stress or strain, in order to avoid damage.
Different styles of jewellery (ie. different styles of setting, stones, etc) require different levels of mindfulness and maintenance. If you are commissioning a new bespoke piece, please be honest with yourself and us about your own living and working habits so that we can design the best piece of jewellery that not only looks good but will also fit in with your lifestyle.
If you are considering one of our existing designs for an engagement or wedding ring, please consider the practicalities of how the design will fit into your day to day life before buying. If in doubt, ask us what we think and we'll give you an honest answer. Don't buy a ring just for its looks! It needs to do better than look pretty if it is to last a lifetime.
If you have already received your jewellery, we hope these notes will help you enjoy your jewellery for years to come. We lovingly hand craft each piece and genuinely care for every single piece we put out, so we hope that upon delivery they will be cherished as much if not more!
Be mindful of the design of your chosen jewellery when you are wearing them. If the piece is heavily textured, or has edges which may scratch, it would be in your best interest to remove the jewellery before coming into contact with pets or children. Prong settings and the edge of diamonds can also scratch surfaces so please exercise caution when wearing your jewellery.
By nature all jewellery may from time to time catch on clothes, and other surfaces. To minimise or avoid snagging and potentially damaging both the jewellery or your textiles, we recommend taking off your jewellery before undressing or putting your jewellery on last when getting dressed.
If your jewellery contains claw / prong set stones, or many little stones set in a cluster or pave setting, these settings may be more prone to snagging as by nature they protrude from the surface of your jewellery.
Constant snagging may pull and distort the settings which hold your stones and they will be more likely to fall out of the jewellery as a result. This can happen over time, or after just one instance. Because of this, we strongly discourage pulling at the jewellery if it catches or snags on something.
Avoid your jewellery coming into contact with harsh chemicals, which can sometimes hide in beauty and household products including but not limited to soaps, detergents, sanitisers, perfumes, and lotions.
If your jewellery contains pearls or opals, as some of our designs do, you must take special care when wearing, storing and caring for your jewellery in order to maintain its condition.
Did you know that natural pearls and opals are soft and porous? They can even disintegrate if they come into contact with harsh acidic substances, including but not limited to bleach and vinegar.
Pearls and opals on rings will be more likely to catch on textiles and knitted surfaces, or get knocked against walls, tables and other hard surfaces.
If your pearl or opal has been chemically bonded to your jewellery (ie. not held in a prong or bezel setting) it will be more susceptible to the risk of falling out or getting damaged.
Whether your piece is 9k / 14k / 18k gold, the metal is an alloy made up of pure gold that has been alloyed with base metals to strengthen and stabilise the material.
Pure gold (24k gold) is an extremely soft metal that is not suitable of jewellery to be worn daily. That’s why you will often see that all jewellery being offered in the industry are normally either 9k / 14k / 18k gold.
Some people are naturally more sensitive or reactive to certain base metals such as copper, which can sometimes show up on the skin as a dark discolouration around the part where the jewellery is worn. This is a natural skin reaction.
Did you know that gemstones can gather dust, dirt and soap over time? This is one of the main reasons why gems can appear duller after constant wearing.
You can clean your gemstones gently using warm water, gentle soap and a well worn soft toothbrush. Gently brush away the build up around your gemstones to restore their sparkle.
A polishing cloth or dip may be used to aid the cleaning process. Many brands are available, please make sure you check their product descriptions carefully.
If the build up around your gems is severe, do not attempt to clean it yourself. You can pop into any jewellery store to request a sonic cleaning.
When you are not wearing your jewellery, it is recommended that you store them in air tight containers with sufficient padding to avoid damage, especially during travels.
Avoid putting necklaces and chain bracelets together in one container as tangling will be inevitable.
If you are storing many pieces together at once make sure you group them into the same metals. This minimises the chance of damage or discolouration from oxidisation during storage.
Diamonds and gemstones are beautiful but can still get damaged or lost if not cared for properly.
Be careful with heavily textured stones or sharp edges as they can scratch and chip more easily. Always remove before heavy activities.
We recommend regular checks on stone settings to ensure they remain secure. If you notice movement or looseness, visit us for a quick fix.
