ORIGAMI CRANE ORNAMENT

Brass Metal Goods - Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc and is very corrosion resistant. The copper in brass will react with the oxygen in air and will cause the metal to darken over time. You can choose to embrace the natural antiquing process or use a product like Brasso to restore the original shine. Storing brass items in a clear zip top bag will slow the antiquing process, this step is especially recommended when storing holiday items and over longer periods of time.  

Sterling Silver Jewelry - Sterling Silver is an alloy made of 92.5 Silver + 7.5% copper added for durability. All sterling silver will tarnish with time as the copper reacts with the oxygen in air. Tarnish can be removed with a jewelry polishing cloth or silver polish such as Hagerty’s. To clean jewelry, soak pieces in warm soapy water (use a dish soap such as Dawn) and then gently scrub with a soft toothbrush, pat dry with a clean cloth to avoid water spots. 

Gold Filled Jewelry - Gold filled metal is made when a layer of solid gold is permanently bonded to a core of base metal, typically brass. Gold filled items only tarnish in the rarest of circumstances and do not require special polishing. To clean jewelry, soak pieces in warm soapy water (use a dish soap such as Dawn) and then gently scrub with a soft toothbrush, pat dry with a clean cloth to avoid water spots. 

Gold Plated Jewelry - Most Sarah Cecelia jewelry pieces feature design elements that are cast from a hand carved wax model. In order to offer gold finish jewelry at an affordable price, these elements are cast in brass and then gold plated. Gold plating is not a permanent finish and will wear with time. To keep your plated pieces looking their best, refrain from using polishing cloths as this will wear away at the plating. To clean jewelry, soak pieces in warm soapy water (use dish soap such as Dawn) and then gently scrub with a soft toothbrush only if necessary and pat dry with a clean cloth to avoid water spots. Please email info@sarahcecelia.com to inquire about having pieces replated as needed.

Best Practices and Storage for Jewelry 

It is always best to remove jewelry prior to showering and swimming. Exposure to personal care products such as makeup, perfume, bodywash, sunscreen, and more can dull and damage the finish of jewelry over time. When storing jewelry be sure to store items separately to avoid scratching and tangling. Clear zip top bags can be helpful in slowing the tarnishing process of sterling silver pieces.