Your La Si Lu piece is made to be worn, enjoyed and loved.

Because each piece is handcrafted from precious metals and natural gemstones, a little care will help preserve its beauty, texture and finish for years to come.

Jewellery naturally changes with wear. Sterling silver can develop tarnish, polished surfaces can become softly scratched and gemstones can accumulate oils and everyday residue. These changes are part of a piece being worn and lived in — but regular, gentle care can keep your jewellery looking its best.

If you are ever unsure how to clean a particular La Si Lu piece, please contact me before using a jewellery cleaner. Different gemstones and finishes require different care.

To help protect your jewellery:

• Remove jewellery before showering, swimming, exercising or doing household cleaning.
• Avoid direct contact with perfume, hairspray, cosmetics, sunscreen and household chemicals.
• Put jewellery on after applying perfume, moisturiser and other beauty products.
• Avoid wearing jewellery during activities where it may be knocked, scratched or caught.
• Store each piece separately where possible to reduce scratching and tangling.
• Keep jewellery away from excessive heat and sudden temperature changes.
• When you are not wearing your jewellery, store it somewhere clean and dry.

Gold and silver are relatively soft metals and can develop scratches through normal wear. Natural gemstones can also be damaged by impact, chemicals or inappropriate cleaning methods.

Sterling silver naturally reacts with its environment and can develop a darker surface called tarnish. This is normal and does not mean that your jewellery is damaged.

For light tarnish, a silver polishing cloth is usually the simplest option.

Gently polish the exposed metal using a suitable silver polishing cloth. Take particular care around gemstones, textured surfaces and intentionally oxidised or darkened areas.

Some La Si Lu pieces are deliberately textured, oxidised or finished to create contrast and depth. Do not aggressively polish these areas, as polishing can change the intended finish.

If you are unsure whether your piece should be polished, please ask me first.

Gold jewellery can also become dull from everyday oils, dust and surface marks.

A dedicated gold polishing cloth can be used gently on suitable gold jewellery. Town Talk's Gold Polishing Cloth is designed for gold, rose gold, gold vermeil, platinum and silver and is reusable provided it is not washed. (Town Talk Australia)

Use gentle movements rather than vigorous rubbing.

Remember that polished metal can develop fine surface scratches through normal wear. This is particularly noticeable on highly polished gold surfaces.

Natural gemstones are beautiful but they are not all equally durable.

The safest approach is to identify the gemstone before choosing a cleaning method.

For many gemstones, gentle cleaning with lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft brush or cloth is appropriate. However, some gemstones are more sensitive to heat, chemicals, sudden temperature changes or mechanical cleaning. (gia)

Opal requires particular care.

Opal is relatively soft and can be vulnerable to scratching, impact and sudden temperature changes. GIA recommends warm, soapy water as the safe cleaning method for opal and advises against ultrasonic cleaning. (gia)

For La Si Lu opal jewellery:

• Do not use Silver Sparkle or other dipping cleaners unless I have specifically advised you to do so.
• Do not use an ultrasonic cleaner.
• Do not use steam.
• Avoid sudden changes in temperature.
• Clean gently with lukewarm water and a mild soap if necessary.
• Dry carefully with a soft, clean cloth.

This is especially important for the natural Australian opal pieces.

Moonstone belongs to the feldspar family and requires gentle handling.

Avoid ultrasonic cleaning and aggressive cleaning methods. GIA lists moonstone among gemstones that can be susceptible to heat and temperature changes and should not be cleaned ultrasonically. (GIA 4Cs)

For La Si Lu moonstone jewellery, I recommend gentle cleaning with lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft cloth or very soft brush.

Topaz should also be treated gently.

GIA recommends warm, soapy water for cleaning topaz and advises avoiding steam and ultrasonic cleaning. (gia)

For La Si Lu topaz jewellery, use gentle cleaning rather than aggressive polishing or mechanical cleaning.

I have selected a small range of Town Talk jewellery-care products for customers who would like to care for suitable jewellery at home.

These products are available through the La Si Lu website and at selected markets.

Please always check that the product is appropriate for your particular piece before using it.

If you purchased a La Si Lu piece and are unsure, please contact me first.

Jewel Sparkle is a liquid jewellery cleaner supplied with a dipping basket and brush. Town Talk describes it as a cleaner for jewellery and precious stones and gives a short immersion process followed by gentle brushing and drying. (Town Talk Australia)

1. Place the jewellery into the cleaning solution using the supplied basket.
2. Follow the product instructions regarding the cleaning time.
3. Use the supplied brush gently to clean around suitable settings and areas where dirt has accumulated.
4. Remove the jewellery and dry it carefully with a soft, clean cloth.

Do not assume that every gemstone or La Si Lu jewellery piece is suitable for a liquid jewellery cleaner.

I do not recommend using Jewel Sparkle on my opal, moonstone or other delicate gemstone pieces without checking first.

If you are unsure, please contact La Si Lu before cleaning your jewellery.

Silver Sparkle is designed to remove tarnish from suitable silver jewellery. Town Talk's current instructions describe immersing the silver item for a short period, gently brushing difficult areas, rinsing with water and drying with a soft cloth. Town Talk also recommends following with a silver polishing cloth for additional protection. (Town Talk Australia)

1. Place the suitable silver item into the Silver Sparkle solution.
2. Follow the cleaning time stated on the product.
3. Gently clean difficult-to-reach areas with the supplied brush.
4. Rinse the item thoroughly with water.
5. Dry carefully with a soft cloth.
6. If appropriate for the piece, finish with a silver polishing cloth.

Silver Sparkle is not a universal jewellery cleaner.

Do not use it on a La Si Lu gemstone piece simply because the setting is sterling silver. The gemstone also needs to be suitable for the cleaning method.

For opal, moonstone, topaz and other sensitive gemstones, please ask before using a liquid tarnish remover.

Also take care with jewellery that has an intentionally oxidised or darkened finish. Aggressive cleaning can alter the appearance of these areas.

A polishing cloth is an easy option for maintaining suitable gold jewellery between professional cleans.

Town Talk's Gold Polishing Cloth is a cotton cloth treated for polishing and is designed for use on gold, rose gold, gold vermeil, platinum and silver. The cloth should not be washed, as washing reduces its effectiveness. (Town Talk Australia)

Gently rub the cloth over the exposed metal surface using light pressure.

Concentrate on areas that have become dull or lightly marked.

After polishing, remove any loose polishing residue with a clean, soft cloth if necessary.

Do not wash the polishing cloth.

Keep it dry and store it somewhere clean between uses.

This cloth is designed specifically for silver. Town Talk states that it is impregnated with a formula intended to remove tarnish and that its anti-tarnish agents help protect silver from tarnishing for longer. It is reusable provided it is not washed. (Town Talk Australia)

Gently polish the silver surface with the cloth.

Use light pressure and avoid vigorous rubbing around gemstones, delicate settings and intentional surface finishes.

The cloth can be used repeatedly until it becomes heavily soiled.

Do not wash the cloth.

Some La Si Lu jewellery is intentionally textured, oxidised, brushed or finished to create a particular character.

Please do not treat every surface as though it should be polished until it shines.

A strong polishing action can remove or soften an intentional finish and change the appearance of the piece.

If you love the darker details and contrasts in your La Si Lu jewellery, gentle care is especially important.

Jewellery care is not one-size-fits-all.

The safest cleaning method depends on the metal, gemstone, setting, surface finish and construction of the individual piece.

If you are unsure whether a particular cleaning product is suitable for your La Si Lu jewellery, please contact me before using it at : connect@lasilu.com.au

I would much rather help you choose the right method than have a beautiful piece accidentally damaged by an unsuitable cleaner.

Over time, jewellery may need more than a simple clean.

If your La Si Lu piece becomes heavily tarnished, scratched, loose, damaged or simply needs some attention after years of wear, please contact me.

Depending on the piece, I may be able to clean, polish, refinish or inspect it and advise you on the best care.

Your jewellery is made to be worn.

With the right care, it can continue to tell its story for many years.