Guide
Care
Very little. Take it off for water, keep it in its box, and let the house do the rest.
A piece that is worn daily and taken off for water needs almost nothing. The habits below are the ones that make the difference between a piece that looks worn and one that looks old. The house restrings cord and closure for life; the rest is yours.
By material
| Material | Do | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Obsidian (black, silver-sheen) | Wipe with a soft dry cloth. Store alone in the box. | Knocks against hard edges; contact with harder beads, steel or a watch case; ultrasonic cleaners. |
| Onyx, agate, spinel, quartz, tiger eye | Rinse in cool water if needed, dry at once. Soft cloth. | Prolonged direct sun for tiger eye and smoky quartz; thermal shock for crackle agate. |
| Hematite, lava stone, howlite, moonstone | Keep dry. Wipe rather than rinse. A drop of neutral oil on lava stone, once. | Soaking; perfume and hand cream; harsh cleaners. |
| Sandalwood, ebony | Wear it. Buff with a dry cloth. Skin oil is the finish. | Water, showers and pools; oils and waxes; leaving it in sun or near heat. |
| Antique-finished hardware | Leave it. The finish is meant to deepen with wear. | Polishing cloths and silver dips, which strip the finish; chlorine. |
| Cord and closure | Take the piece off over the hand, not by pulling one bead. Nights in the box. | Stretching it to look at it; hanging it on a hook; leaving it wet. |
The box
Alone, on the cushion
Obsidian meets steel and loses. The box exists so that the piece spends its nights next to nothing harder than itself. Lid closed, on the cushion, away from the drawer with the cufflinks and the watch.
Wood
Let it change
Sandalwood and ebony are not meant to look new. The beads against the pulse darken first; the rest follow. Do not oil or wax them. Wear them. In a year the piece will be a colour no workshop can produce, and it will be yours.
Cord worn? Send it home.
Restringing of cord and closure is covered for the life of the piece.
Repair & restringing