How to Care for Your Jewelry
Good Wknd pieces are made in sterling silver, gold fill, solid gold, and PVD and each has slightly different care needs. The short version: avoid chlorine, put jewelry on last, and store it dry. The full breakdown by material is below.
How to Care for Your Jewelry
how to care for solid gold jewelry
Caring for Solid Gold Jewelry
Solid gold is the lowest-maintenance metal you can own. It doesn't tarnish, won't fade, and doesn't react to sweat, moisture, or daily wear the way other metals do. That said, it does collect the usual culprits over time — skin oils, lotion residue, the general evidence of a life lived. An occasional clean keeps it looking like itself.
TO CLEAN: Mix a small drop of mild dish soap with warm water. Let your piece soak for a few minutes, then gently pat dry with a soft cloth. If it's looking as tired as you feel on a Friday, that's usually all it needs.
TO AVOID: Skip ultrasonic cleaners for pieces with stones or soft settings — they can loosen things that shouldn't be loose.
Solid gold can be polished, resized, and repaired by a jeweler if anything ever needs attention. It's the one metal that will genuinely outlast you.
how to care for gold filled jewelry
Gold Fill Jewelry Care
Here’s how to keep your gold filled gems shining like the top of the Chrysler building:
AVOID: Think of saltwater, chlorine, harsh detergents, lotion, sunscreen, and perfume as the mean girls of the jewelry world. They're not here to make your gold fill's life better. Put your jewelry on last — after your skincare and fragrance routine — and you'll avoid most of the drama.
CLEAN: Cozy it up with some warm water and mild soap, like you're making it a relaxing bath after a long day. Then, pat it dry with a soft cloth. It's like a spa day, but for your accessories.
PROLONG THE LIFE: Give your jewelry its beauty rest by taking it off before you sleep, shower, or decide to run a marathon (or, you know, any activity where you actually break a sweat). It's all about avoiding extra drama to keep your pieces looking fresh.
Keeping your gold fill jewelry in tip-top shape is basically about treating it like a VIP.
Not sure if your piece is gold fill or something else? Here's the full breakdown →
how to care for sterling silver jewelry
Sterling Silver Jewelry Care
Sterling silver tarnishes — that's not a flaw, it's chemistry. Silver reacts with sulfur compounds in the air, and in some people's skin chemistry more than others, which creates that familiar darkening. It's reversible.
AVOID: Chlorine, bleach, and harsh cleaning agents. Also avoid storing silver in humid environments that can accelerate tarnish.
CLEAN: A silver polishing cloth is the easiest first line of defense. For heavier tarnish, a small amount of mild dish soap in warm water and a soft cloth will do the job — rinse well and dry completely. Baking soda works in a pinch but use it gently; it's mildly abrasive.
PROLONG THE LIFE: Store silver in an airtight pouch or a zip-close bag when you're not wearing it; exposure to air is what causes tarnish. Anti-tarnish strips added to your storage pouch help even more. And the best thing you can do for silver? Wear it. Regular wear actually slows tarnish.
how to care for brass and bronze jewelry
Brass and Bronze Jewelry Care
Brass and bronze are like that cool aunt who gets more interesting with age—they naturally patina, or darken, giving them a vibe that screams, 'I’ve lived a life.'
MAINTENANCE: Some folks are all about that seasoned look, but if you’re team 'Keep It Shiny,' just a quick swipe with a polishing cloth will make your pieces look like the day you bought them. To maintain that just-bought sparkle, treat your brass like a gremlin—keep it away from water.
That means taking off those statement pieces before you dive into showering, sweating it out, or even just washing your hands. And thick rings or bracelets? Make sure they’re not hoarding moisture like it's their job.
STORAGE: When it comes to storage, think of your bathroom as a brass and bronze’s arch-nemesis because of all that humidity. A dry spot is their happy place. The box they came in is perfect for this!
And if you want to get serious about keeping that shine, Maas jewelry polish and I are in a committed relationship. It’s magic for brass and bronze, making them look brand-spanking-new.
how to care for plated PVD jewelry
PVD Jewelry Care
PVD (physical vapor deposition) is a hard coating bonded to stainless steel. It's more durable than gold plate, less precious than gold fill. The coating is tough, but it's not invincible. What wears it down isn't daily use, it's friction and chemistry.
AVOID: Chlorine, harsh cleaning products, and anything abrasive including rough cloths and stacking it directly against hard metals with a lot of contact. Perfume and lotion applied directly to the piece can degrade the finish over time, so the same rule applies here: jewelry goes on last.
CLEAN: Wipe down with a soft, dry cloth after wearing. If it needs more than that, use a slightly damp cloth with no soap. Do not soak PVD pieces.
PROLONG THE LIFE: The coating on PVD holds up well to daily wear, but avoid leaving it in contact with other hard metals in a pile or tangled in a drawer. Store it separately. If you notice a piece losing its finish in a specific spot, that's usually friction — adjust how you're storing or stacking it.
Not sure if your piece is PVD or gold fill? Here's a quick way to tell: PVD pieces have a slightly different finish. It's often a teeny bit more uniform and matte compared to gold fill, and the 18k PVD is slightly darker than the brightness of 14k gold fill. If you're still unsure, check your order confirmation or reach out; I'm happy to tell you.
how should i store my jewelry?
Storage
The way you store your jewelry matters as much as how you clean it. A few rules that apply across all materials:
Keep pieces separate. Tangles cause scratches. Hooks, small zip pouches, or individual compartments all work; the goal is pieces that aren't grinding against each other overnight.
Keep moisture out. The bathroom is the worst place to store jewelry. Humidity accelerates tarnish on silver and brass, and excessive or repeated moisture exposure shortens the life of gold fill. A dresser drawer, a jewelry box in your bedroom, or a wall hook in a dry space all work better.
Store in what it came in. The small box your Good Wknd piece arrived in is genuinely the right storage tool: soft interior, anti tarnish cotton, closes securely, keeps air and humidity out. It's not just packaging.
Necklaces: hang them or lay them flat and separated to prevent knotting. Chains that spend their lives tangled in a dish are working harder than they need to.
Stones: keep gemstone pieces away from direct sunlight for long-term storage. UV exposure can fade certain stones over time.
