Markalino Jewelry

General Care
To remove the oils left by your skin and debris that may have been picked up throughout the day (and prevent tarnish to jewelry containing sterling silver, it’s a good idea to clean your jewelry after each time you wear it. You can do this with a clean, soft cloth before storing it.

Do’s and Dont’s

• DO remove jewelry before doing household chores, especially when washing dishes. Many household cleaners contain bleach or other harsh chemicals that are harmful to jewelry.

• DO keep your jewelry pieces separated to avoid scratching. I recommend storing each piece in its own zip-top bag with the air squeezed out and I provide one with each piece of jewelry.

• DO store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight when you’re not wearing it.

• DO avoid chemicals like alcohol, ammonia, bleach, chlorine, acetone, hairspray, perfume and cosmetics.

• DON’T put your jewelry on until AFTER you have dressed and applied any cosmetics, hairspray, perfume, lotions and other chemicals. These can dull and even harm your jewelry.

• DON’T sleep with your jewelry on. This causes unnecessary stress on the components and will make them more likely to break.

• DON’T wear your jewelry swimming or in the shower. Avoid wearing it around chlorinated pools and hot tubs, salt water, mineral springs and suntan lotion.

Jewelry Made With Swarovski®, Preciosa or Czech Crystal
Many pieces of  Markalino Jewelry contains either Swarovski® Crystal Elements, Preciosa Crystal or Czech Crystals. A soft, lint-free cloth can be used to restore the brilliant sparkle of Swarovski® Crystal, Preciosa Crystal and Czech Crystal. Simply hold the cloth between your thumb and fingers and roll the crystals back and forth, continuing along the piece until you have cleaned them all. If they require more than just cleaning with a cloth, you can use a soft, moist cloth or even baby wipes to clean them.

Jewelry Containing Sterling Silver

• The first important way to keep jewelry from tarnishing is to keep it clean. If you put it away tarnished, the tarnish will become worse during storage.

• Avoid abrasive polishes, dips or scrubbing tools. Dips and commercial jewelry cleaning products will remove the antique patina and any oxidized detailing on silver, gold and copper.

• For minor cleaning, use a soft silver polishing cloth. I highly recommend a Sunshine Polishing Cloth.

• Do not dry sterling silver with paper towels or tissues because they can scratch the silver. Always use a soft cloth.

• Exposure to air, humidity and moisture causes tarnish. To minimize tarnish, store your piece in a zip-top bag with the air squeezed out.

• A diluted solution of mild dish liquid and water can be used to clean your silver jewelry. Be sure that you dry it thoroughly removing all traces of moisture before putting it away.

Gold-Filled Jewelry
Lightly clean it using mild dish soap, water and a soft toothbrush. Be sure to dry it thoroughly when done with a soft cloth. You may also like to let it air dry for a time before putting it away.

Copper Jewelry
Copper tarnishes over time just like silver. If you like the antique patina, you can just keep it clean by wiping it with a soft cloth. Remember, dips and commercial jewelry cleaning products will remove the antique patina and any oxidized detailing on silver, gold and copper.

Exposure to air, humidity and moisture causes tarnish. To minimize tarnish, store your piece in a zip-top bag with the air squeezed out.

Jewelry Containing Freshwater Pearls
Freshwater pearls are soft and can be easily scratched. They can also be damaged by extreme dryness, but never immerse them completely in water. An occasional cleaning with a moist, soft cloth is best.

Be sure to avoid chemicals like alcohol, ammonia, bleach, chlorine, acetone, hairspray, perfume and cosmetics.

Do not use a silver polishing cloth on pearls.

Jewelry Containing Semi-Precious Stones and Gemstones
Jewelry dips and abrasive cleaners are not recommended for cleaning semi-precious and gemstone jewelry.

Avoid using an ultrasonic cleaner, ammonia or other chemical solutions to clean opaque gemstones such as onyx and turquoise. These stones are porous and may absorb the chemicals which can cause discoloration.

Do not immerse your semi-precious gemstone jewelry in water.

Wipe them gently with a moist cloth and then dry them with a soft, lint-free cloth before putting them away.

Do not store semi-precious gemstones in direct sunlight.