A PIECE THAT MEANS SOMETHING DESERVES TO LAST

Every LHJ piece is made to be worn, not preserved behind glass. But daily life leaves its mark on metal and stone, and a few simple habits will keep your jewellery looking the way it did the day you fell for it. Here is what we tell every bride, every Journey wearer, every person who asks us how to look after a piece that holds a story.

WEAR IT, BUT KNOW WHEN TO TAKE IT OFF

Jewellery is built to be lived in. Still, certain moments call for taking it off first.

- Before swimming in chlorinated or salt water
- Before cleaning with household chemicals
- Before applying lotion, perfume, or sunscreen
- Before sleeping, if your ring has prongs or an open setting
- Before any activity where your hands take real impact, like gardening or gym work

Lotions and perfumes build a film over time that dulls the shine of both metal and stone. It is not damage, just a layer worth wiping away.

CLEAN IT GENTLY, AND OFTEN 

You do not need anything specialised. A bowl of warm water with a few drops of mild dish soap will do more than most jewellery cleaners on the market.

1. Soak the piece for 10 to 15 minutes
2. Use a soft toothbrush to clean along the setting and underneath the stone, where oils and product collect
3. Rinse thoroughly under warm running water
4. Pat dry with a soft, lint free cloth

Do this every two to three weeks and your piece will hold its sparkle without ever needing a professional clean.

A note on moissanite and lab grown diamonds: both are durable enough for this routine but avoid ultrasonic cleaners unless you know the setting can withstand the vibration. Hand cleaning is always the safer choice.

 

STORE IT WITH INTENTION

How you store a piece matter almost as much as how you wear it.

- Keep pieces separate from one another. Stones can scratch softer metals, and tangled chains are their own kind of heartbreak.
- A soft pouch or lined box keeps air and light from dulling the surface over time.
- Avoid humid spaces like a bathroom cabinet. Moisture is metal's quiet enemy.
- If you are travelling, keep jewellery in its pouch inside a hard case rather than loose in a bag.

KNOW YOUR METAL

GOLD

(9ct, 14ct, 18ct) is naturally resistant to tarnish, but higher karat gold is softer and shows scratches more easily. Treat it gently and it will reward you for decades.

PLATINUM

 develops a soft patina with wear, a quiet kind of ageing that many people choose to keep rather than polish away. If you prefer the original shine, a jeweller can restore it in minutes.

SILVER

Tarnishes faster than gold or platinum, especially with infrequent wear. The fix is simple: wear it often and give it a gentle clean when it starts to dull.

WHEN TO SEE A PROFESSIONAL

Bring your piece in once a year, even if nothing looks wrong. A jeweller will check that stones are secure, prongs are not worn thin, and clasps are holding. Catching a loose setting early is the difference between a five-minute fix and a lost stone.

Care is not about keeping something perfect. It is about making sure the piece is still there, still strong, still yours, for every milestone after the one it started with.

✦