How to look after hand-carved silver, and what we will do for you free, for as long as you own the piece.
The short version
- The silver and the fire-gilded gold will take ordinary daily wear without complaint.
- The stones are the careful part. Take pieces off before swimming, bathing or sleeping.
- Keep perfume, lotion, sunscreen and hairspray off the stones. Put jewellery on last.
- Wipe dry after wear with a soft cloth.
- Store pieces apart from each other, not loose in a bowl together.
By material
S925 sterling silver
Silver darkens over time in air. On our pieces this is largely by design — the recesses are already oxidised, and a little more depth with age suits the work. If the raised surfaces dull more than you like, a soft dry cloth brings them back. Do not use a silver dip or a polishing cloth loaded with compound: it will strip the oxidation out of the carving and flatten the whole piece.
24K fire-gilded gold
Bonded into the silver, not laid on top. It does not lift, flake or wear thin, and it needs nothing beyond keeping the piece clean. See Traditional Fire-Gilding.
Natural turquoise
Porous, and the most sensitive stone we use. It will absorb perfume, lotion, sweat and soap and change colour over time — not a fault, but not reversible either. Keep it dry and keep cosmetics away from it.
Swiss blue topaz
Hard, but it cleaves along one plane. A sharp knock against a table edge or a door frame is the one thing that can split it. Everything else it shrugs off.
Natural garnet
Durable and deep-set on our pieces. It dulls if it sits in perfume or lotion; otherwise it takes ordinary wear well.
Nanhong agate
Harder than turquoise and undemanding, but still dislikes a hard knock.
Cleaning at home
- Warm water, a drop of plain soap, a soft toothbrush. Work gently into the carving.
- Rinse, then dry thoroughly with a soft cloth — including inside any chamber, hinge or pivot.
- Never use an ultrasonic cleaner, steam cleaner, bleach, or a silver dip.
If a piece has a moving part — an unscrewing base, a hinged locket, a turning disc — dry it completely and, if it becomes stiff, a drop of warm water at the joint and a soft brush is all it needs.
If a locket or relic chamber has been filled, keep it out of water entirely.
Free lifetime care
Every piece comes with free cleaning and care for as long as you own it. Send it to us — shipping to us at your cost — and we will clean and polish it, check every setting and send it back free.
Email dalmyeong@kangrinboqesacredart.com before sending anything, and we will give you the right address.
Repairs beyond routine care — impact damage, a lost stone, resizing — are quoted in advance. We never begin paid work without your approval.
Traditional Fire-Gilding · Frequently Asked Questions · Returns