How to care for your inlay jewelry
This is one of my signature figurative cobblestone inlay pendant being modeled. This piece has sold.
Your inlay jewelry can always look just as good as the moment you purchase it.
Is inlay jewelry durable?
Yes! Inlay jewelry is just as secure as an prong or bezel setting as the epoxies used to hold stones together is very strong when made by a reputable inlay artist. Inlay jewelry can be worn daily and isn’t high-maintenance, but just as other jewelry can be damaged with rough wear, so can inlays.
Here are some easy preventative measures you can do to ensure your inlays will look glamorous for years to come:
Put jewelry on after applying products like lotion, perfume, and hairspray (but try to avoid contact with these products as much as possible)
Don't wear your jewelry to swim or shower (hand-washing is fine)
Remove when physically active
Keep your jewelry away from nail polish remover or anything with acetone
Keep your jewelry away from high temperatures (for instance, I would avoid stovetop cooking wearing an inlay ring; extreme heat can degrade the epoxy)
Carefully set jewelry down on tables, being careful not to bang the stones (they’re tough, but this can avoid potential chipping)
Keep your sterling silver jewelry in tarnish-resistant bags to reduce oxidation.
Do not put your inlay jewelry in an Ultrasonic Cleaner. Instead, use an ionic cleaner like this one from SpeedBrite.
(And if you’re wondering what inlay jewelry is, you can find out more about it here).
Sterling silver is known to tarnish, which is a naturally occurring reaction of this metal alloy due to oxidation. All sterling silver jewelry will need to be cleaned once in a while.
I now offer complimentary cleaning services for all clients—past, present, and future—when you reach purchase tiers!
In my signature jewelry, I specialize in cobblestone channel inlay, where each stone is cut, domed, and polished separately to create a deliciously textured surface (Read here: what is cobblestone inlay?). Because of this, it can be difficult to clean the sterling silver between each stone when it tarnishes.
To reward my serious collectors, I will provide inlay jewelry cleaning services for you— absolutely free! Read more about my complimentary cleaning offer here.
Lapis Reflection Mermaid cobblestone inlay pendant with carved lapis lazuli tail, Andean pink opal, Turkish caramel opl, Kinma turquoise, carved Laguna agate, and mother-of-pearl. Click the image to shop.
If you haven’t purchased enough to be eligible for complimentary cleanings, I offer inlay cleaning services for a small fee.
The next best thing you could do is purchase a SpeedBrite ionic cleaner, which is safe to use with inlay jewelry.
If you’d like to clean by hand, use a silver tarnish removal product (like Wright’s Silver Cream Cleaner and Polish), and apply it to the sterling silver parts using a Q-tip. Take care to avoid getting it on the stones as much as possible before rinsing it off with soap and water, and drying thoroughly right after.
Another option is to take your piece to a local metalsmith to clean, or get a 1-inch cotton buff polishing wheel for a Dremel and apply Zam to the wheel to buff the sterling silver. This polishing compound is safe to use on both stones and sterling silver, and is helpful in cleaning some of the hard-to-reach sterling silver channels in some of the inlays. The polishing compound can be cleaned off with a soft-bristled tooth brush, warm water, and some Dawn dish soap.
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