Did you know that with proper care and maintenance, our jewelry can last 20 years or longer?

Gold vermeil can last 20 years, while 925 sterling silver can last up to 30 years.

For this reason, we have put together some care tips to keep your jewelry looking shiny and new for as long as possible.

• Remove jewelry when handling strong household cleaning chemicals. Harsh cleaning products can cause your jewelry to peel or fade.  If you plan to do any heavy cleaning using harsh products, wearing gloves can also prevent your jewelry from coming into contact with these products if you don’t remove your jewelry.

• Do not wear your jewelry in the shower. Wearing your jewelry in the shower can cause it to fade. If it happens accidentally a few times, it will be fine but if you can remove it beforehand, that would extend the life and look of your jewelry.You might be thinking, “Isn’t some jewelry waterproof?” The answer to that is that no jewelry is truly waterproof and that excessive exposure to water will cause it to fade overtime. Even the most durable jewelry will eventually fade if you expose it to too much water.

• Avoid abrasive services or anything that can scratch your jewelry. If you plan on using sand paper, touch brick/concrete or use sidewalk chalk with your kids, then we definitely recommend removing your jewelry at that time.

• Keep your jewelry dry and away from skincare. Everyday substances like lotion, perfume or other cosmetics can contain chemicals that will permanently damage the exterior finish of your pieces. Build-up of lotion products can lead to more frequent cleaning of your valuable items. It's best to put lotion on your hands or body after you've taken your jewelry off at night. 

• Avoid chlorine. Chlorine in swimming pools most definitely will increase the rate of tarnish. If you forget and jump into a swimming pool wearing your jewelry, wash your jewelry with mild soap, rinse immediately and dry it well. Then, polish your jewelry with the polishing cloth we include in every order.

• Remove jewelry when exercising or excessively sweating. Similar to salt water from the ocean, sweat can be corrosive to your jewelry due to the amount of salt in sweat.

• Store your jewelry in a clean, dry space. We’ve all been guilty of tossing our jewelry in a drawer or in a pile with our other jewelry. Fortunately, we at ZAM jewelry have got you covered! We provide you with a cotton made drawstring pouch with every purchase to store your jewelry in (the black pouch with the “Z” on it). If you were to for some reason lose the bag, you could also wrap it in a tissue or cloth. Make sure you always store your pieces separately. This will prevent them from scratching and tangling.