CARE INSTRUCTIONS

CARE INSTRUCTIONS
Dina Mackney jewelry is designed and manufactured using the highest quality materials and standards. Proper care will ensure the longevity of your Dina Mackney piece.  Our pieces are crafted from sterling silver and 18-22k gold vermeil (sterling silver with 2.5 microns of 18k gold) and our fine jewelry is crafted from 18-22kt gold.

In all cases, you should avoid exposing jewelry to substances containing bleach or ammonia and remove your jewelry before swimming in chlorinated water. Always put your jewelry on after you dress to avoid contact with perfumes, cosmetics or other household chemicals. Most of the semi-precious stones we use are resilient to cleaning but some of the more organic stones such as turquoise, lapis, malachite are more porous and can absorb polishes or abrasives.  Always read the warning label and take care when using polishes on jewelry containing gemstones.

Storage
When it is not being worn, always store your jewelry laying flat, taking care that the metals do not touch each other because metal around the stone (the bezel) can dent or scratch.  Since our line features many semi-precious stones, please be sure that stones are not near metal or hard edges and/or anything that might chip the stone. Keep in mind that semi-precious stones are not as hard as diamonds and need to be protected. For example, customers should be advised that while they love pouches, they should not keep a heavy gold chain or any other pendant in the same area as the semi- precious pendant…side pockets of the pouch can protect both the metal from denting and the stones from chipping.

Sterling
Silver will oxidize, or tarnish, when exposed to air, dust or other elements. To preserve the finish on your sterling silver jewelry, wipe the piece after each wear, and store in a zip-loc plastic bag or anti-tarnish bag.  If cleaning is required, you can use a special silver polishing cloth, or other non-abrasive silver polishes specially designed to remove tarnish. You can use a polishing cloth on pieces with softer stones, such as turquoise, lapis or malachite. Personal ultrasonic cleaners are typically fine for sterling jewelry without softer/porous stones.

18-22k Gold Vermeil
Avoid vigorous polishing. Oxidation of the sterling silver underneath is possible, so you can store your jewelry in a zip-loc bag or anti-tarnish bag. You can also clean your vermeil jewelry with a soft, 100 percent cotton cloth. Use soft and simple strokes when wiping the jewelry. If your gold vermeil piece needs to be re-plated, please see instructions regarding Repairs.