It is normal for your gold jewelry to age, which will amplify its charm and add a sentimental dimension to the piece over time. However, it would be a shame if it lost its color, its shine, or if it broke. 18K Gold, although resistant, is not unbreakable. That is why we give you all our advice so that your jewel lastswhile keeping all its light. 

1. Take off your jewelry.

Although they live with you, it is preferable that your 18K  gold jewelry be kept away from certain activities to avoid scratches, breakage or alteration of color and brilliance of the fine stones. We advise you to remove your jewelry:

• During your sports and crafts activities.

• In the water: at the pool, in the sea, in the shower, for washing hands or dishes

• In the presence of chemical and toxic products such as creams, shampoos, cosmetics or household products that can tarnish stones.

• For sleeping.

Remember to store your jewels separately from each other, in different cases, to prevent them from scratching each other.

2. Precious and fine stones.

Diamond, ruby and sapphire rank at the very top of the Mohs scale (9/10 for ruby and sapphire, 10/10 for diamond), which attests to their hardness. These particularly resistant stones are unaffected by scratches and breakage. 

Emerald, on the other hand, is a more fragile stone, scoring 7.5/10 on the Mohs scale. It is therefore best to avoid blows that could crack or even break the stone. It is also sensitive to strong temperature variations. It's best to avoid thermal shock. During your vacations, for example, we advise you not to take your emerald jewelry with you, as temperature variations in the mountains or at sea could weaken and damage your precious stones. 

Precautions should be taken with mother-of-pearl jewelry since it is a living organic material. Water and toxic products can change the color of the stone, be sure to remove your jewelry in their presence. Also, we advise you not to wear your mother-of-pearl jewelry when you apply cosmetics, creams or perfume that may alter the color of the stone. For the jewelry of the Nuances collection, we recommend you to remove your jewelry in these same conditions.

3. Precious metals.

The 18K yellow gold and the 18K pink gold do not require any particular treatment.

18K White gold is a metal that is not naturally white. White gold is actually yellow gold that has been rhodium plated, giving it its gray-white color.

Rhodium plating can be performed again after several years if a white gold jewel loses its color and brilliance.

4. Chains.

To choose your chain, after having fallen for a 18K gold medal Poinçon 22 , you must know that the weight of the chain must be greater than that of the medal to avoid the risk of it breaking. In case of doubt, do not hesitate to contact us.

For your necklaces, it's important to be careful with your chains, especially when undressing. Be careful not to catch your chain in an item of clothing or pull on it inadvertently, as this could break your chain by force. We also advise you not to leave your jewelry within the reach of children, especially infants. Also, be sure to check that your clasp is properly fastened when you hang it up, so as not to risk losing your jewelry.

5. How do you untangle a chain?

To untangle your gold chain, start by placing it on a flat, uncluttered surface. You can then use two fine needles and pass them through the tangled links. Gently pull the knot apart, taking care not to pull too hard, as this could cause the chain to break or the knot to intensify at another point. 

If this technique doesn't work, place a few drops of olive oil, water and Marseille soap or a little talcum powder on the knot, then rub the chain between your hands. Repeat the needle method to untangle the chain if the knots don't untangle by friction. Next, clean your gold chain by leaving it for several hours in a bath of soapy water, then rinse with lukewarm water. 

To untangle several tangled chains, use the above methods, remembering to open the clasps first. 

6. Cleaning jewelry.

At first, you can use a chamois, a cloth adapted to the cleaning of the jewels, to give them back their shine. We advise you not to use a cloth other than a chamois which is not adapted to 18k gold and which could create micro-scratches on your jewelry.

For a more thorough cleaning, soak them in a bath of soapy water at room temperature for a few hours or overnight, then let them air dry. You can also use a soft baby toothbrush to clean the backs of the stones. Be careful not to clean your emeralds or any other stones in the Nuances collection with water, as this could damage them and alter their color.

You can also entrust your jewelry to a jeweler, he will restore the shine and color of metals and stones, he can polish or perform an ultrasonic cleaning. This technique causes shaking to dislodge oxidation and dirt from 18K gold jewelry. If you wish to polish your jewelry, Poinçon 22 offers this service for a fee of 50€.

7. What should I do if my jewelry is damaged or broken?

We suggest you send us your damaged or broken Poinçon 22 jewel so that our partner jewelers can make the necessary repairs to find your 18K gold jewel as new.

In this case, we invite you to contact our team by email or by phone so that we can establish an estimation according to the necessary repair.