Materials & Care

HOW SHOULD I TAKE CARE OF MY JEWELLERY?

Always store your jewellery pieces individually, preferably in your Missoma soft-lined box or pouch so that they don’t rub together, scratch or tangle. Particular care should be taken with gemstones to ensure that they do not knock against one another when stored. Also remember to keep your chains fastened so they don’t become tangled.

Take care to avoid extreme humidity or heat as this may cause tarnishing. Your gold vermeil and silver jewellery should be kept in a dark, cool and dry place. With time and wear, sterling silver will naturally become oxidised and eventually tarnish. Storing silver jewellery in a sealed plastic bag or airtight box when it is not being worn will keep out the air that causes oxidation. The oxidation process is also slowed down by wearing your jewellery often. If however your jewellery is stored for long-periods of time, occasional cleaning is recommended to maintain shine and keep oxidation at bay. 

All our Missoma sterling silver jewellery is rhodium plated which protects the silver from exposure and helps reduce long-term tarnishing.

Your jewellery is particularly susceptible to damage from the effects of chemicals present in perfume, hairspray, make-up, nail polish remover, body oils, sun tan lotion and deodorant.

Do not keep jewellery in direct sunlight as prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause many gemstones to fade and lose their colour. Amethyst, rose quartz, chalcedony and smokey quartz are just some of the gemstones that can become paler from exposure to sunlight.

HOW SHOULD I CLEAN MY JEWELLERY?

Clean your jewellery carefully with a soft, non-abrasive and lint-free cloth or chamois; this helps maintain or bring back its shine. If necessary, you can use a mild washing up liquid with warm water and a soft toothbrush, then rinse with clean water and pat dry with a soft cloth.

Avoid using ‘dip’ polish or abrasive jewellery cleaners as these contain harsh chemicals and can destroy your jewellery over time. We do not recommend the use of any jewellery polishing cloths which have been treated with cleaners or polishing agents.

WHAT CAN ERODE OR DULL MY JEWELLERY?

Do not swim or shower while wearing gold-plated or silver jewellery, and remove rings when washing your hands. Chlorine, salt water and fresh water can damage precious metals and gemstones by dulling or eroding them. Gold and silver are particularly susceptible to damage from chlorine, which can permanently damage or discolour them. Soapy water when bathing and showering can also leave a thin film, which makes the metal seem dull.

Some stones can also be quite porous (such as turquoise and lapis lazuli), which is why you shouldn’t leave these kinds of stones immersed in water for too long. Liquids and oils can seep into the gems through the tiny cracks between the crystals, causing permanent discolouration and damage. In addition, porous gems should not be worn to a beach or other hot, extreme environments.

TRICKS OF THE TRADE FOR METAL ALLERGIES

If you are allergic to gold-plated earrings, or get a rash or itchy reaction when wearing them, try putting a little bit of clear nail varnish on the post and scroll. When it eventually wears off just re-apply it.

METALS & GEMSTONES

18CT GOLD & ROSE GOLD VERMEIL

We predominantly produce our jewellery in 18ct Gold Vermeil. It sounds fancy and it is fancy (it’s pronounced ‘ver-may’, by the way). But what does it mean, and how is it different to ‘gold plated’?

Whilst not a commonly known phrase, you should learn to love Gold Vermeil. To be classed as such, the piece must have a base of sterling silver, and the thickness of the gold must be a minimum of 2.5 microns. All gold UK vermeil pieces are stamped with the 925 mark to indicate the sterling silver purity and we have our pieces tested by the Assay Office where required by law. The plating process is different too - Gold Vermeil is plated with a process known as ‘electrolysis’, making the jewellery very durable.

18CT GOLD PLATED

Missoma’s statement pieces are produced in 18ct gold-plated brass metal with a layer of 18ct gold in a 2 micron thickness. There’s also a layer of anti-tarnish on top for good measure.

Traditionally, Missoma has always used 18ct Gold Vermeil, which has allowed us to develop pieces which are fashionable, durable and affordable. But when we started designing some more playful statement collections in 2017, we realised producing them in 18ct Gold Vermeil would be much more expensive. We are sensitive to the affordability of our jewellery, so we made the decision to gold-plate our statement pieces to keep the price point at an affordable level. They are still incredibly durable - plated with exactly the same process as our Gold Vermeil.

STERLING SILVER

All Missoma’s sterling-silver pieces are rhodium plated. This luxurious member of the platinum family provides an extremely tough and protective layer against tarnishing for durability. Missoma’s sterling- silver pieces are stamped with the 925 mark - indicating the purity of the metal - and are also tested at the Assay office.

STERLING SILVER PLATED

Our sterling-silver plated pieces are plated with sterling silver on brass with a layer of anti-tarnish on top. These pieces are still incredibly durable and plated with exactly the same process as our sterling silver, however will not be marked with a 925 stamp as they are not 92.5% pure silver.

BLACK RHODIUM PLATED

These pieces are plated with black rhodium on brass with a layer of anti-tarnish on top. Black-rhodium plated pieces are still incredibly durable and plated with exactly the same process as our sterling silver, however will not be marked with a 925 stamp as they are not 92.5% pure silver.

MISSOMA GEMSTONES

We source semi-precious gemstones and crystals for their clarity and depth of colour. Our team work to create our own special shapes and hand cuts to make all Missoma gemstones unique. Each gemstone has a special colour, birthplace and story. Some are believed to have special powers, but all of them share a common beauty.

CUBIC ZIRCONIA OR ‘CZ’

At Missoma, we use Cubic Zirconia, offering a durable and affordable alternative to diamonds. You get the look without the price point!

SOURCING METALS AND GEMSTONES

We are committed to ensuring that our stones and metals are responsibly sourced – for full details on our sourcing, visit our Sustainability page.

GUARANTEE

Every piece of Missoma is covered by our two year warranty. Should your jewelry suffer a breakage or tarnishing due to a manufacturing defect, we are committed to ensuring that your piece is replaced at no cost to yourself if returned in under two years of receipt of the product.

To ensure your Missoma pieces stay bright and shiny for as long as possible, keep them away from chemicals such as perfume and chlorine, and store them in a cool dry place in an individual pour of box to avoid your jewelry tangling or scratching each other.If you have any questions, please do Contact Us