Native American jewelry is unique from other jewelry in many ways. First, it is typically handcrafted rather than machine made. Native American artisans use a wide variety of materials to create custom, wearable works of art, and their work deserves as much care in keeping it as the artist put into making it. Follow these care tips to keep your treasure looking its best for generations to come.
Turquoise and many of the natural stones used in Native American jewelry are porous, which means they can absorb chemicals, oils, and water, sometimes changing their color over time. Although many stones are treated to help resist discoloration, the best practice is to remove your jewelry before you wash your hands or use cleaners and solvents. In fact, we recommend keeping your jewelry from getting wet as much as you can. Turquoise is a relatively soft, porous stone, so prolonged contact with water, soap, lotion, sunscreen, perfume, or household chemicals can dull its color or even loosen it from its setting.
Putting it on, and Taking it off
One simple habit protects your pieces: when getting ready for the day, put on jewelry last, at the end of the day, take jewelry off first. Apply lotion, perfume, hairspray, and makeup before you put your jewelry on, and take your jewelry off before showering, swimming, washing dishes, cleaning, or going to bed. Chlorinated pools, hot tubs, and salt water are especially hard on both turquoise and silver, so set your pieces safely aside before you get in the water.
Cleaning and Polishing
Although many Native American jewelry collectors love the natural patina that develops over time, others prefer to keep their silver shiny, like the day the pieces was born. Whichever you prefer, always treat the stones gently.
To clean and polish, we recommend that you never use liquid jewelry cleaners, silver dips, or polishing creams, and that you avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners. Instead, reach for a dry silver polishing cloth. Gently buff the silver only, not the stones, since the chemicals and friction can change a stone's color or finish. Polish in long, straight strokes that follow the grain of the silver rather than small circles, which tend to highlight fine scratches. For everyday dust, a soft, dry cotton cloth is all you need.
Storing your Native American Jewelry
Store each piece separately in a soft pouch or a fabric-lined box. Silver is a soft metal, and pieces stored together can scratch one another. Keep your jewelry in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight, which can fade turquoise and other stones over time. To slow tarnish on silver, you can keep pieces in a small airtight bag with an anti-tarnish strip. Lay necklaces and bolo ties flat so they hold their shape and hang beautifully when worn. As an added benefit, silver that is worn often tends to tarnish more slowly, so your favorite pieces are usually your brightest.
Adjusting your Bracelet
Handcrafted Native American jewelry uses techniques handed down from generation to generation. With unique shapes and sizes of stones, the handcrafted bezels that hold them can be fragile if significantly disturbed, so any adjustment should be done slowly and very carefully. NOTE that not all bracelets can be safely adjusted. When in doubt, contact us first.
Do
- Warm the silver bracelet in your hands before attempting an adjustment.
- Adjust a cuff only by applying gentle, even pressure on the silver, away from the stones.
- Make small adjustments gradually, a little at a time, rather than one large bend.
- Support the bracelet with both hands and work slowly.
Do not
- Do not attempt to adjust a bracelet with inlaid stones. Multiple stones cut and set tightly together can crack or pop loose if the piece is flexed.
- For bracelets with stones set in bezels, do not bend the area where the stones are set.
- Do not bend silver back and forth repeatedly. Over-adjusting fatigues the metal and can cause it to crack.
If a piece does not fit comfortably, or you are unsure how to adjust it, please reach out before forcing it. We are always glad to help.
We are here to help
Every piece we carry is authentic, handcrafted Native American art, backed by our 30-day money-back guarantee. If you ever have a question about caring for, adjusting, or repairing your jewelry, contact us at 1-877-252-8370 or sales@pueblodirect.com. We want your one-of-a-kind treasure to be enjoyed for generations to come.
