We want your camillagough jewellery to be cherished over a lifetime. Caring for jewellery correctly will give it the best chance of becoming a treasured heirloom and enjoyed for generations.

It is best to avoid contact with hard materials that can scratch and chip precious metals and gemstones.  We advise that you don’t wear camillagough jewellery at the gym, while undertaking manual labour (including gardening) and whilst in and around a pool. We recommend that our jewellery avoid contact with harsh and abrasive materials such as other metals, concrete, bleach, chlorine or sulfur.

Apply make-up, hairspray and perfume before putting on camillagough jewellery.

We suggest that you periodically return your camillagough pieces to our workshop for professional maintenance.  Professional maintenance will include polishing the surface of the precious metal and cleaning gemstones plus checking the wear and stability of gemstone settings.

We are happy to repair or refinish any damaged piece made by camillagough. Please email us with the details of your repair and we will advise you of how best to proceed.

If you take a camillagough piece to another jeweller for repair we cannot take any further responsibility or continue to maintain or repair the particular item.

If you are unsure as how to best clean your camillagough jewellery, or if you think that it needs to be repaired or refinished, please don’t hesitate to ask us.

Storing fine jewellery

Your camillagough piece should be stored in its original box or in a separate compartment of a jewellery box or pouch.  Jewellery is less likely to be scratched if it is stored without contact from other objects.

Gold and platinum

All precious metals will scuff and wear naturally over time with daily wear. To maintain the polish of 18ct gold or platinum, camillagough jewellery can be gently rubbed using the supplied jewellery cloth. It is best to be gentle when using a cleaning cloth as using too much force may damage the surface of the gold.  Care must be taken using a cleaning solution with stone-set jewellery as gemstones can be damaged.

Gemstones

The best way to care for camillagough jewellery set with gemstones is to protect your piece from impact against hard and abrasive surfaces.  A diamond can chip and scratch with force at the right angle!  We recommend that you clean your diamond and gemstone jewellery regularly.  Cleaning removes make-up, moisturiser, sunscreen and oil from your skin and everyday dirt that builds up and clouds the brilliance of a gemstone.

Most diamond and precious stone camillagough jewellery (with the exception of pearls, opals and emeralds) can be cleaned in warm water with a mild detergent. Use a small soft paintbrush to wipe behind a gemstone to remove stubborn grime and dry with a soft cloth.  Pearls, opals and emeralds are porous and should only be cleaned using an untreated, dry and soft cleaning cloth. We do not recommend the use of any jewellery polishing cloths which have been treated with cleaning or polishing agents.

Diamonds, rubies and sapphires will generally be safe in an ultrasonic cleaner however many other gems are delicate and we don’t recommend cleaning them in the same way.  A loose gem can be shaken from its mount in an ultrasonic cleaner so this cleaning method is best undertaken by our workshop.

Many gemstones and especially pearls are delicate and can be damaged by extreme temperatures, metals, perfumes, cosmetics and household chemicals.

Pearls

Pearls are soft and porous and very delicate! Apply make-up, hairspray and perfume before putting on camillagough pearl jewellery as the chemicals in these products can over time damage pearls. camillagough pearl jewellery should only be cleaned using an untreated, soft and dry cleaning cloth. We do not recommend polishing our pearl jewellery with polishing cloths that have been treated with cleaning or polishing agents. It is important not to leave pearl jewellery immersed in water, if necessary use a damp cloth to wipe pearl jewellery clean and dry with a soft untreated cleaning cloth.  Store your pearl jewellery wrapped in a soft cloth to protect it from rubbing against harder gems, metal or abrasive objects.

Sterling silver

Sterling silver naturally tarnishes over time, especially when exposed to salt air or products containing sulfur, chlorine or bleach. Typically, silver that is regularly worn requires less care so we suggest that you wear your silver jewellery regularly!  Sterling silver is best cleaned using a silver cleaning cloth or solution. Too much force when using a cleaning cloth may damage the surface finish of the metal.  Make sure to always follow the instructions on the cleaning solution and dry your piece with a soft cloth.  Be careful not to leave your silver piece in a cleaning solution for too long, 30 seconds is plenty before rinsing clean, although some particularly tarnished pieces do benefit from repeating this process a few times!