Frequently Asked Questions
How can I best care for my jewellery?
Jewellery is precious and delicate, but can last forever when cared for properly. Please bear in mind these general guidelines of care for keeping your jewellery happy and safe.
Caring for gold and silver jewellery:
Precious metals like gold and silver are softer than you’d generally think, and require delicate handling. Keep in mind that rough handling can lead to your gold or silver jewellery becoming misshapen, dented, broken or scratched, so it's best to remove your jewellery before going to the gym, doing the gardening, or engaging in any work that requires heavy use of your hands. Acidity and chemicals also affect precious metals, so please avoid exposing your jewellery to chlorine, perfume, moisturisers and household cleaning products as much as possible.
Gold and silver naturally tarnish over time when exposed to air, especially when not being burnished by the skin with regular wear. Silver tarnishes much quicker than gold so you’ll notice that more often. To remove tarnish, simply polish your jewellery with a jewellery polishing cloth (these can usually be purchased from your local jeweller’s shop) and store jewellery inside its pouch or box to limit further tarnishing while the jewellery isn’t being worn. Please keep in mind that regular polishing of gold-plated jewellery can eventually wear down the original lustre of the gold layer, so it is best to gently clean gold-plated jewellery with warm water and a soft cotton ball, and only when needed. Replating is sometimes an option for beloved pieces that have had many years of wear, so feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss this service.
Caring for precious and semiprecious gemstone jewellery:
Although some gemstones are harder than others, none of them are indestructible and all should be treated with care and delicacy in order to keep them in their best and most beautiful condition. Every different stone has its own needs so feel free to contact me if you have questions about your particular piece of jewellery, however it can be helpful to keep in mind a few general rules of care with all gemstone jewellery:
Rough handling can result in chipped or scratched stones and damaged stone settings, so please avoid wearing any gemstone jewellery to the gym, whilst doing the gardening, or engaging in any kind of work that involves heavy use of your hands. Exposure to harsh temperatures can fracture or discolour some gemstones, so avoid storing your gemstone jewellery in a place that receives lots of sun exposure, wearing it whilst doing the dishes, or wearing it in environments that entail harsh temperature exposure, like saunas or ice baths. Most gemstones are sensitive to chemicals and acidity, so avoid direct exposure of your gemstone jewellery to excessive sweat, household cleaning products (even basic soap in some cases), moisturisers and perfumes. This isn’t to say that you can’t wear your lovely gemstone necklace or earrings along with a dab of perfume when you head out - just apply on an area of skin that isn’t too close to the stone placement, or if using a spray perfume then apply it ten minutes before putting on your jewellery.
A final note on general jewellery care is to respect and honour each piece of jewellery as an individual body of work, with its own character and needs. For example, you may wear your small studs or smooth-edged dangly earrings with a winter outfit and bulky scarf with no problems at all, but this may not work quite so well with a pair of earrings that feature jazzy spiked edges. Both your earrings and scarf are in danger in the latter scenario, so the sharper-edged earrings may be best kept for the warmer months when less clothing is required and they can hang free to dazzle on their own, unencumbered by excess fabrics. No piece of jewellery is exactly the same as another, especially when it comes to unique handmade contemporary jewellery. Always pause to give thought to whether an outfit or activity is going to treat your jewellery with the care and respect that it deserves.
How do I know which ring size is best for me, or for the lucky person I'm buying for?
We all know that this can be a tricky area, but with a little time and care, we can figure it out! Our fingers all have their own individual sizes, and finger sizes fluctuate with temperature changes, activity levels, and even sleeping patterns. A ring can feel very snug on a hot summer's day and then a bit loose during the winter months of the year. It’s helpful to be aware of these variances when figuring out your perfect size, as well as when trying on a new ring for the first time.
Please bear in mind that all I can do from my end is advise you on how to find the right size for you and/or your lucky giftee, but the accuracy of your measurement is ultimately your responsibility. Please be sure before purchasing as not all of the ring designs that I offer can be resized. For information on resizing services, please refer to the Terms of Service page at the bottom of this site.
Finding your own ring size:
There are various techniques for finding your ring size and they all vary in reliability and accuracy. I recommend visiting your local jeweller’s store and asking them to measure your ring size for you, or alternatively you can order ring sizing kits online for very affordable prices. Another method is to carefully take the inside diameter measurement of a ring you already own and use that to figure out your size using an online conversion chart, but please bear in mind that this method carries the risk of being less accurate than the former options.
Finding the ring size of somebody else:
This isn’t always easy so brace yourself for some sneaky detective work! There are a range of techniques available for figuring out your giftee’s ring size, but it can sometimes shaky business (think measuring fingers with string while the person sleeps - inaccurate, not compatible with every living scenario or sleeping pattern, and possibly a bit creepy. You’d have to admire the effort though). Sometimes you have to balance the risk of getting the size wrong and sacrifice some of the surprise by simply asking your giftee for their size, if you know that they would want a perfect fit. But if you really want it to be a total surprise then here is my advice for sneakily figuring out the best size to go with:
What I’ve found works best is using a ring or ring/s that this person already owns (preferably ones that you’ve seen them wearing recently so you know that they currently fit) to measure for sizing. If you know that a certain ring fits the finger that you’re aiming to freshly adorn, then your job will be relatively simple - just measure the inside diameter of this ring (very carefully and accurately, with a good quality ruler) and use a sizing chart online to figure out which size this is. If you are not sure which finger/s these spare rings usually fit, then gather as many of them as you can and measure the inside diameter of them all, then do a little maths to figure out the average inner diameter measurement. So long as the new ring isn’t intended for any one finger in particular, you should be pretty safe going with this final average size when making your purchase. What if you can’t gain access to this person’s bedroom and/or spare ring supply, you ask? Try getting in touch with their partner/housemate/dear friend who pops over for tea regularly and ask them to do the sneaky detective work for you. A certain amount of trust in their measuring skills will be required here, and please be sure to equip them with a good quality ruler. If you do have access to this person’s spare rings and you are able to sneak them out of the house while they’re otherwise occupied, then you could take the rings to your nearest jewellery shop and ask them to give you the best size to proceed with. This would give you the most accurate number and peace of mind when choosing the size of the new ring, however I acknowledge that it’s not always the most convenient option for everyone. Just do your best and remember I’m always here to help as possible.
Can my jewellery be resized?
This is sometimes possible, but not always. Please see my Ts&Cs page for more information on this area.
What does S.W. Jewels' commitment to Mother Earth and her people look like?
What a good question. The havoc that mining wreaks on the natural world and the people and wildlife within it is no joke, so since the beginning of my jewellery-making practice in 2011 I have been committed to running a practice that is as sustainable, fair and safe and possible. This committment has meant that my methods and practices have grown and changed over time as I have been working and learning within an industry that is also ever-changing. The jewellery industry is, and has been for a long time, constantly evolving within an incredibly complex system of frameworks, definitions and semantics. Thankfully, growing consumer demand for better transparency in their purchases has meant that these frameworks are slowly but surely funnelling towards a more transparent, simplified and most importantly safe and fair, future. To put it simply, these waters have always been muddy but they are thankfully becoming clearer.
Here is a brief outline of what I do to ensure that my small business as a jewellery maker is as sustainable, safe and fair as possible:
Material Sourcing
- Precious Metals
All of the silver and gold that I work with is 100% recycled. This includes sheet and wire stock that I order from my local refinery, as well as any castings that I order when using the lost wax method.
I am also careful to only buy prefabricated silver and gold chain that is made from recycled stock. The chain that I currently use is made in Italy, and is sourced from an Australian supplier.
- Gemstones
You may have noticed that I use the term “consciously sourced” when speaking about the gemstones that I use in my jewellery creations. It’s difficult and often impossible to provide clear-cut evidence and definitions regarding the ethical concerns within the gemstone trading industry, so I have always employed the utmost care, research and consideration when buying any kind of precious or semi-precious stone for my practice. I will continue to do so as I move forward with ever-growing knowledge of the industry that I’m working within.
I have three methods of sourcing the gemstones that I use in my creations, which I’ll expand on below:
- Secondhand / Preloved Stones
Many of the gemstones that I buy are secondhand/preloved. I have often bought from other jewellers selling off old stock that they no longer have a use for, and I’ve sometimes bought preloved jewellery from charity shops to take apart, extracting the stone and melting down the silver or gold that came with it. When I started out making jewellery, the charity shop route was my primary means of gemstone sourcing. It is, however, the most expensive way of sourcing stones so I don’t employ this method of sourcing very often any more. Even so, I can’t help but cast my magpie eye over the jewellery cabinet whenever I’m at the checkout of a charity shop (which is whenever I get the slightest chance as I’m a true thrift shop addict), being drawn to those irresistibly special finds.
- Mined Natural Gemstones
Any gemstones that I buy new are from a New Zealand-based dealer who employs responsible sourcing practices, in line with the three step process for ethical disclosure outlined by CIBJO (The World Jewellery Confederation) in their Ethics Commission Special Report 2019. This process entails due diligence of supply chain, internal risk assessment (with appropriate action) based upon the findings of that due diligence, and clear and effective communication of results to the next party to receive the goods. This gemstone dealer travels overseas regularly to personally oversee the working conditions and practices within which these gemstones are being extracted, traded and cut. This dealer has a close relationship with the network of suppliers through which these gemstones are produced, which provides a clear and consistent flow of information about gem sources and the ethics surrounding extraction and the path to market.
- Lab-created Gemstones
I sometimes buy lab-grown gemstones, which are chemically, physically and visually identical to natural mined gemstones. I do this is for three reasons. The first reason is that my choice to only buy natural gemstones that come from an ethically responsible source results in a relatively limited selection of gemstone buying choices for me. The second reason is an obvious one, which is that lab-grown gemstones and diamonds happily remove the potential of the unsafe and unfair working practices commonly found in the shady areas of the gemstone and diamond industry. As well as being more reliably humane, lab-grown gemstones also have a lighter carbon footprint than their natural mined counterparts. The third reason is that lab-grown gemstones are typically more affordable than natural mined gemstones, which helps to keep my creations that little bit more affordable.
There is, however, the caveat of denying income for workers operating within the natural gemstone industry and supporting fairer and safer working practices through the purchasing of responsibly sourced natural gemstones. This is why I don’t exclusively buy lab-grown gemstones, but choose to vary my selection with a mix of natural and lab-grown gemstones.
I’ll round off the topic of gemstone sourcing by sharing this report summary taken from the release of an Ethical Sourcing Special Report by CIBJO at the Virtual Congress in November 2021, prepared by their Coloured Stone Commission. The report detailed issues around ethical gemstone sourcing and how the principles of responsible supply chain management can be implemented without disenfranchising artisanal and small-scale miners, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. Charles Abouchar, head of the Coloured Stone Commission, presented the report summary:
"With the overwhelming majority of rough coloured stones produced by ASM (Artisanal and Small-scale miners), which in turn channels its supply through a complex trading network that has developed organically over literally hundreds of years, the coloured stone industry is the most fragile structurally in all of the jewellery sectors," Mr. Abouchar writes. "but literally millions of people rely on the income it generates, many of them living in the least developed and most poverty-stricken countries in the world."
"If we impose our ethical value system without integrating the opinion and perspective of the local populations, we are likely to be regarded as imposing a new form of colonialism. This would be counterproductive", the CIBJO Coloured Stone Commission notes. "Nobody should discount making the utmost effort to have the sourcing of our rough supply be as ethical as possible, but the complex realities of the artisanal mining sector means we must be nuanced in implementing ethical rules."
- CIBJO Coloured Stone Commission Special Report 2021
You can find more information on CIBJO, the leading international confederation for jewellery, gemstones and precious metals ethics, here.
Thank you for taking the time to read through my thoughts and practices in this area.
Sarah x