JEWELRY CARE

Allison Alane Jewelry Designs, Ltd. is handcrafted and requires proper care and attention. Air pollutants, dust, perspiration, perfumes and other natural elements can dull the appearance of gemstones or precious metals. The recommendations below will help you to preserve them in their original condition. 

Ensure that you remove your jewelry when washing your hands and putting on lotion, perfume or face cream. The particles present in these cosmetics, which are not eliminated by rapid rinsing, may become lodged in cavities and form a corrosive blend of materials that in the long term could lead to premature discoloration of the metal and skin irritation. 

Products containing mercury, such as mercurochrome, cause irreversible damage to gold. 

Take your everyday activities into account when choosing your jewelry. Avoid wearing them on the beach, at the swimming pool, working out, or to play sports so as to avoid knocks, scratches and damage to the stones. Wearing your jewelry should also be avoided when doing housework or gardening. 

Diamonds can break, crack, and chip. Diamonds grow and crystallize with cleavage lines. If struck at the right angle and with the right amount of impact, diamonds can actually separate. Cleavage lines are the diamond’s weak spots. Diamonds are cut and shaped following these lines. 

Diamonds can chip at the edges. The edges are the weakest part of the diamond. A good strike at the right angle can take a section of the girdle away. Sometimes a good hard strike can fracture your diamond and turn it into pieces of cloudy sections. 

We suggest the following At Home cleaning instructions: 

Cleaning Gold Jewelry - To clean gold jewelry, dilute dish detergent in a small bowl of warm water and soak each piece for 3-5 mins. Gently clean your item by using a soft bristle toothbrush. To ensure you removed all the diluted dish soap, rinse your jewelry under warm running water, and pat dry with a soft, lint-free cloth. Be sure to dry your jewelry completely before wearing again. 

Cleaning Silver Jewelry - Sterling silver tarnishes in the presence of common everyday items that contain sulfur, such as leather, rubber, chlorine, and perspiration. Other elements to be mindful of are air pollutants and salt water. Use a clean, cotton cloth and mild dish detergent diluted in water. Apply the diluted dish detergent to the clean cotton cloth and rub the piece in one direction. Try to avoid circular motions. We do not recommend silver polish or dip style cleaning solutions. When not in use, store your jewelry in the pouch you received when purchased. 

To remove heavier tarnish, wash your silver jewelry with warm water and mild soap. Never use anything but a clean, nub-free cotton or flannel cloth. If more thorough cleaning is required, an authorized Allison Alane Jewelry Designs, Ltd. jeweler can clean your pieces to restore them to a like-new condition. 

Allison Alane advises against using an ultrasonic cleaner, steamer or other "at home" jewelry cleaning chemicals (including bleach, ammonia, and baking soda) on gemstones. They should only be cleaned with diluted mild dish soap and warm water (see above for clean instructions). 

Additionally, jewelry should be professionally cleaned and inspected once a year. Just like a fine automobile, periodic inspection and maintenance of jewelry helps prevent costly repairs or replacements. Personally inspect your jewelry as you wear it by looking for loose or chipped stones, worn metal, or malfunctioning clasps. Please contact our Customer Care Center at info@allisonalane.com for yearly maintenance instructions. 

Pearls
Pearls are an organic gem and they require specific care that will protect them for a very long time. They can be harmed by contact with many chemicals found in household cleaners, perfumes, cosmetics and hair care products of all kinds. 

Wipe your pearls with a soft cloth moistened with water to ensure that they remain free of harmful build-up of compounds that may damage the nacre of your pearls. Always store your pearls wrapped in a soft cloth or pouch and protected from all abrasive objects. Always keep your pearls separated from hard jewelry items such as rings or bracelets to prevent them from being scratched. Never store your pearls in an airtight environment such a a zip lock bag. Pearls are organic and do contain trace amounts of water. Storing them in an airtight environment will cause them to become brittle and damage the luster. Never place your pearls in an ultrasonic or use a jewelry cleaner not made for pearls. 

Opals
When wearing opals, be careful not to hit or drop the stone as it may easily crack or chip. Chlorine is harmful to opals; do not wear your opals swimming. Opals can be scratched by harder gemstones and metals. Keep your opals stored separately from other jewelry. Clean opals with warm water and mild soap only. 

Patina
Patina is a natural process that happens to objects with long exposure to open air and a discoloration appears due to oxidation. We use a chemical application of Liver of Sulfur to apply a patina finish to our jewelry. The silver is instantaneously oxidized and achieves a blackened color. Each piece is oxidized by hand and slight variations in finishes may occur and should be expected. 

Oxidized silver is affected by wear, moisture, and oils in the skin and will fade over time. Take extra care to keep these pieces dry and extend their finishes. Please contact our Customer Care Center at info@allisonalane.com if you wish for an authorized Allison Alane Jewelry Designs, Ltd jeweler to re-patina your pieces to restore them to a like-new condition.